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Title: I agree with Fazal
Review: This is a response to the previous review by Fazal Majid.I couldn't possibly agree with you more. So slow, so dull. I had never heard another version before this one, and I thought that I didn't like the symphony. But actually, the symphony is very nice - it's Bernstein's rendition that I don't like. This symphony, like most of Shostakovich's work, needs a little speed to give it some life. I subsequenly bought the Ashkenazy 2004 live recording, whose timings by movement are almost identical to Mravinsky's. I'm waiting for it to be delivered now, and have high hopes for it. I already own Ashkenazy's recording of Shostakovich's 7th, and it's very good - fleet, unemotional, direct and exciting.
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