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Review by canonical March 1, 2009 (2 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S): |
1. Sonics: The Decca recording is splendid (SACD stereo).
2. Repertoire: The works of interest/substance here are the Second Piano Sonata from 1942 (in particular, the third movement), and the earlier Aphorisms from 1927. The rest of the disk is of lesser interest: various bits of lighter film/ballet music, and 5 early pre-preludes from 1921 when Shostakovich was just 15 (not of much interest, alas).
3. Performance: Ashkenazy's playing here is much like that of his Shostakovich 24 Preludes and Fugues (also on Decca, but not SACD). The sound is clean, purposeful and thoughtful. I sometimes feel a bit more sturm und drang would be appropriate ... a bit more uber violence on the keyboard ... but, by any measure, it is an excellent performance.
Recommended.
End-note:
A minor point, but nevertheless an irritating one: the rear cover of the SACD box AND the booklet both fail to provide or list or itemise the track numbers of the various pieces on the CD ... so you have to open the box, remove the booklet, and then open it up to the appropriate page just to find out what you are listening to. ???????? Please: Function before form.
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