Search - Bartok, Shostakovich, Zagreb Soloists :: Romanian Folk Dances / Chamber Symphony

. . . ah, this is the one I have.

B. Lau | San Francisco, CA | 12/12/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Obviously, there are many, many recordings of all these pieces scattered amongst shelves of the more in-depth minded of early 20th century music listeners (you know, the ones who like Shostakovich, Bartok, Prokofiev - and the black and red and cyrillic of Bauhaus and Soviet Propaganda, etc., even in just an aesthetic sense).Mmm - so I like gritty strings (facetious level), and the combination of pieces chosen here is perfect. I bought it for both the Divertimento and Romanian folk dances (one of the few things in life I must, must do before dying is playing the Divertimento in a string ensemble; another is getting an entire choir and orchestra and having the entire score to Carmina Burana barked, like dogs) - but the Shostakovich is so good.Mm, the only reason I rate this as four stars is because I think the largeness and 'finished' quality of the Romanian folk dances depersonalize and deculturalize them, in a way, at least in an aesthetic sense. But I love the divertimento (still a little too polished sounding though), and the Shostakovich is (...) amazing. I recommend, however, listening to all of these in concert, by small ensembles (and I really like the Shostakovich as the String Quartet no.8 - it's more intense in the life-threateningly tension-filled quartet atmostphere). You know, or, get some people together and play them all yourself."