Shostakovich The Golden Age

Product Description The three full-length ballet scores that Dmitry Shostakovich wrote between 1925 and 1935 remain among his least known works. The Golden Age revolves around the visit of a Soviet football team to a Western city at the time of an industrial exhibition, onl Amazon.com The Shostakovich centenary has brought forth many fine recordings but this Naxos set of the complete score of one of his best ballets is among the most desirable. The Golden Age premiered in 1930, a silly story of a Soviet football team's trip to a Western city and its triumph over greedy capitalists. But Shostakovich's music is brilliant, colorful and inventively scored, drawing from folk and jazz melodies (saxophones are prominent here), and unusual instrumental combinations that keep you wondering what new tricks the young composer will throw at you. There is a lot of unbuttoned humor here, along with soulful moments like the voluptuous Dance of the Diva, with its luscious soprano saxophone solo and languorous melody. Among an abundance of highlights, there is a sparkling Can-Can, a rousing Polka, and an arrangement of Shostakovich's Tahiti Trot, itself an arrangement of Tea for Two. It all adds up to a glorious, fast-paced performance by Serebrier and his Scottish orchestra, one that gives the serious moments their full due without raining on this uproarious parade. First-rate sonics and a budget price help make this an irresistible set. --Dan Davis Review Sound is excellent, and the liner notes include a breakdown of the action linked to specific CD cuts. No Shostakovich fan should be without this. -- Issue 30:6 (July/Aug 2007) of Fanfare