Dimitry Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin
Seattle Symphony under Gerard Schwarz
Seattle Symphony Chorale and Bass-baritone Charles Robert Austin
(Seattle Symphony Website)
2005 www.Naxos.com
Publicity: Cohn Dutcher Assoc.


The Execution of Stepan Razin:
Symphonic poem for baritone soloist, mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 119 - track 1

October, Op. 131 - track 2

Five Fragments, Op. 42:

Moderato - track 3
Andante - track 4
Largo - track 5
Moderato - track 6
Allegretto - track 7

Professor Josephine Reiter
May 13, 2006

Dimitry Shostakovich (1906-1975) is a major 20th-century composer who was plagued by the political climate in Soviet Russia for much of his creative life. Written 11 years after the death of Joseph Stalin, The Execution of Stepan Razin is a large choral-orchestral work based on a poem by Yevgeny Yevtushenko concerning a 17th-century Cossack rebel who led an unsuccessful revolt against Tsar Alexis I (father of Peter the Great). The libretto is powerful and made even more so by Shostakovich’s ascerbic, grim, and, at times, overwhelming score.

This recording of the Stepan Razin piece, the late tone-poem October, Op. 131, and Five Fragments, Op. 42, grew out of the Seattle Symphony’s recent Shostakovich Uncovered: A Shostakovich Festival and Naxos of America. It is a tribute to Maestro Schwarz and the visionary decision-makers at Naxos to have come up with such a refreshing program as a way to honor Shostakovich on the 100th anniversary of his birth. What better way is there than to promulgate his music through a fine sound recording of moving performances and marketed at affordable prices for both students and seasoned classical music devotees?

#1 The Execution of Stepan Razin, Op. 119, is the featured work on this CD. It sounds like a cross between an oratorio (in the Viennese oratorio style with the solo-singing interspersed within the choral singing surrounded by a big orchestra) and a symphonic poem (i.e., a programmatic work in one-long movement with contrasting sections). Bass-baritone Charles Robert Austin, who has sung many of the Wagnerian roles, serves as both narrator (as in the lengthy opening section for Soloist and Male Chorus) and the protagonist Stefan Rapin (as in the penultimate movement for Soloist and Chorus). Mr. Austin’s deep rich voice is effective in both roles but especially moving at the close of the penultimate movement in the quiet “Davay, topor” (“Let the ax strike…”) which he sings over the low pizzicato strings in a quiet statement before the beheading of Stepan the folk-hero. This moment seems like pure music-drama, after which Shostakovich juxtaposes a searing final chorus describing what happens to the decapitated head.

The Seattle Symphony Chorale—sometimes divided into male and women’s ensembles—comments in the manner of a Greek Chorus or becomes the crowd witnessing this horrific killing. As in music drama, the orchestra tells us what to think or feel about what is transpiring in the text both when it is playing alone or in partnership with the soloist and chorus. Lastly, there is a useful bilingual text following the notes. All in all, this is a very inviting format for the listener who is not fluent in Slavic languages, Even so, the diction was very clear and easy to understand with the text in translation included.

#2 October, 131 is a late Shostakovich work, a short (c. 13 minutes) tone-poem written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution. While quoting from some of his previous works, it builds to a “fever-pitched march” after a measured opening.

If the large choral-orchestral Stepan Razin or the October tone-poem are on the grand, epic side of musical expression in the modern style, the rarely heard Five Fragments, Op. 42, “experimental ‘practice runs’ for his Fourth Symphony” are delightful miniatures that entertain reveal the orchestra’s excellent players.

#6 Moderato, the 4th Fragment, features wonderful woodwind counterpoint: solo bassoon joined by clarinet and oboe, moving at a leisurely pace, with the strings entering at the final cadence—all in less than 3 minutes.

#7 Allegretto, the last Fragment, is lighter but ironic. It opens with the snare drum and violin, reminiscent of Stravinsky’s L’histoire du soldat. This is over in a minute and a half.

It comes as no surprise that Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony are at-home in the Shostakovich symphonic literature, given their discography and performance history with Wagner’s Ring Cycle and the entire Wagnerian repertory. What is so good about this CD is the choice of off-beat compositions presented in clear, state-of-the-art sound. Credit also goes to the 130-member Seattle Symphony Chorale and Abraham Kaplan, Associate Conductor for Choral Activities.

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For more information, contact Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower at zlokower@bestweb.net