Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9 Yakov Kreizberg

• Dmitry Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
• 1 I. Moderato 15:49
• 2 II. Allegretto 05:47
• 3 III. Largo 15:36
• 4 IV. Allegro non troppo 12:53
• Dmitry Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 in E flat major, Op. 70
• 5 I. Allegro 05:31
• 6 II. Moderato 08:29
• 7 III. Presto 02:52
• 8 IV. Largo 03:34
• 9 V. Allegretto - Allegro 06:40
• Total Runtime 01:17:11

Info for Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9

These are two of the most brilliant and insightful Shostakovich performances to come along in quite a while, and that's saying a lot given the excellence of the recent competition. Certainly if you're looking for this coupling, which is becoming a popular one, this is the disc to have. Yakov Kreizberg's account of the Fifth Symphony is simply the most grimly intense since Sanderling's (Berlin Classics). The first movement is implacably urgent and as architecturally cogent in its monothematic single-mindedness as any conductor has ever projected it. An aptly gruff and gawky scherzo precedes a very slow, hushed, and emotionally draining account of the magnificent Largo. Have you ever noticed that this movement uses no brass instruments at all, but still manages the most powerful climax in the entire symphony?

Kreizberg, like Sanderling, is absolutely convinced that the finale does not represent a 'happy' ending. After an impressively portentous opening and a brooding central interlude, he grinds out the coda with as much relentless menace as the music can take, and then some. By the time the movement heaves its lacerated carcass through the final bars, the cessation of sound comes as a positive relief. Throughout, the Russian National Orchestra plays with 100 percent conviction, and PentaTone's sonics are extremely natural and well-balanced.

What makes this disc even more special is the fact that the Ninth Symphony is every bit as good. The first movement's deadpan humor comes across with perfect clarity and point. The ghostly waltz that follows has the same quiet intensity as the Fifth Symphony's Largo, while the scherzo demonstrates just how well Kreizberg has the orchestra on its collective toes. His account of the finale just might be the best on disc: he goes completely nuts in the recapitulation, with a freedom of tempo that the composer surely would have applauded, and the coda breezes by at a truly startling clip. It's at once the most hilarious as well as the most satisfying account of this movement to have appeared yet. Do not miss this release. (David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com)

Russian National Orchestra
Yakov Kreizberg, Conductor

Yakov Kreizberg (1959 - 2011)
One of the most interesting and exciting conductors of his generation, Yakov Kreizberg conducted most of the major orchestras throughout Europe, North America and Asia. At the time of his death he held the posts of Artistic and Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, and Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber orchestras.

He had previously held the posts of Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Wiener Symphoniker and Generalmusikdirektor of the Komische Oper Berlin. In Europe, Yakov Kreizberg worked with the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Münchner Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Staatskapelle Dresden, Gewandhausorchester, Orchestre National de France and WDR Sinfonieorchester. In the UK he worked with the London Symphony, BBC Symphony, London Philharmonic and the Philharmonia orchestras. He was a frequent guest at London's BBC Proms and last appeared there in 2008 with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra.

In North America Yakov Kreizberg conducted, amongst others, the Philadelphia, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony and Minnesota orchestras, as well as the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics. In Asia he worked with orchestras such as the NHK and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony. Equally at home in the opera house he conducted productions at the Chicago Lyric Opera, Canadian Opera, English National Opera, Bregenz Festival, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, De Nederlandse Opera and the Royal Opera House.
Yakov Kreizberg encouraged and dedicated time to inspiring youth in music and for a number of years he was Music Director of the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra. In October 2007 he was bestowed the ‘Ehrenkreuz’ by the Austrian President in recognition of his achievement in the Arts. A prolific recording artist, he leaves behind an extensive and award-winning discography. His most recent recordings were recorded for the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo’s new label – OPMC Classics – launched in autumn 2010 with a triple CD of Stravinsky’s major ballets. This was followed by a Ravel and Debussy compilation in 2011. His many and much admired recordings for PentaTone included symphonies by Shostakovich (Nos. 5 and 9), Dvořák (Nos. 5 - 9), Schmidt (No. 4 – a piece with which he was closely associated) and a number of discs in collaboration Julia Fischer. He also recorded for Decca, Orfeo and Oehms Classics.

Born in St Petersburg, Yakov Kreizberg studied conducting privately with the legendary Ilya A. Musin, before emigrating to the United States in 1976. There he was awarded conducting fellowships at Tanglewood with Bernstein, Ozawa and Leinsdorf, and at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute with Michael Tilson Thomas. In 1986 he won first prize in the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Competition in New York.

The Russian National Orchestra
was founded by the conductor and pianist Mikhail Pletnev in 1990, following sweeping changes in the former USSR. Under his artistic leadership, the orchestra soon achieved international renown and established its hallmarks of innovation and excellence. In 2008, a panel of international critics named the Russian National Orchestra as one of the world’s top orchestras. In recognition of both its artistic quality and its pioneering structure, the Russian Federation recently awarded the Russian National Orchestra the first-ever grant to a nongovernmental orchestra.

The orchestra is a frequent guest in the music capitals of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. After the Russian National Orchestra’s 1996 début at the BBC Proms in London, the Evening Standard wrote, “They played with such captivating beauty that the audience gave an involuntary sigh of pleasure.” They have been described as “a living symbol of the best in Russian art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to perfect as one could hope for” (ClassicsToday). Recently the RNO was called “the most important cultural story of our time” (International Piano). A regular visitor to the Schleswig-Holstein, Gstaad, and Rheingau Festivals, the Russian National Orchestra is also the founding orchestra of the Napa Valley Festival del Sole, the Festival of the Arts BOCA in Florida, and the Singapore Sun Festival. In 2009, the orchestra launched its own annual festival in Moscow.

This album contains no booklet.