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Title: Great performances of Shostakovich
Review: I'll make this brief; the other reviewer have said what I would have stated, that this is a great recording. The one thing I would like to add, as an avid violin (and cello, my sister is a cellist) fan, is that the sheer intensity and almost raw (without being crude) power of these recordings, especially the Oistrakh, put them in a class by themselves. The violin cadenza literally knocks you out of your chair. I can't think of a single contemporary violinist who could approach this. There is something from the solar plexus about it. Combined with great technique and a sound entirely his own, Oistrakh makes all of the concerto a riveting listening experience. Some of Rostropovich's playing has a similar power...a willingness to test the boundaries of playing.
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