Search - Georg Solti Conducts Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 & Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 on DVD

Excellent playing, photography, and sound

A. Yen | MA, USA | 04/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own a different release of this concert which pairs it with Shostakovich's 9th, and as such I cannot rate the Mendelssohn. However, the Shostakovich is gripping, done with a mostly good sense of tempo throughout with excellent playing from the players.

The video is very well done, with cleverly shot solos. The camera pans out for the many tutti sections of the hair-raising Scherzo, just as it should, and the various shots of Solti are quite interesting to see.

There are a few problems...the first being that the first movement is slightly too fast at the climaxes, even though it is convincing. I just don't feel enough weight sometimes, which is a questionable thing to do to
a dark symphony, I think.

True, Solti is not a name often paired with Shostakovich. I have heard that Pavel Kogan's 10th on DVD beats this one, but even if that is so, this is a great DVD, if the reviews on the Mendelssohn are to be trusted."