Title: Surprisingly good!
Review: Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony is structurally one of the most challenging works in the repertoire. It's five movements, unlike the typical four of most symphonies, and the first is a 25-minute adagio! And the piece ends softly, so you don't get to "wow" your audience with a big finish. Drawing the audience in and keeping them interested is a major challenge. Enter the Chicago Symphony and Georg Solti. Their combined sense of drama and structure make the first movement appear to fly by, and before you know it, you're hooked. A sprawling modern symphony becomes a concise statement on Shostakovich's struggle against fascism and his empathy for the Russian people. This recording was a wonderful surprise.
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