now playing, continuing with the Kondrashin Shostakovich cycle

start of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 43
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvvKvkmx3bE&list=OLAK5uy_lQBR3FCd6tOV1MbF-z22d23DrqYr3bvq0&index=8

start of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTbS-jENJn8&list=OLAK5uy_lQBR3FCd6tOV1MbF-z22d23DrqYr3bvq0&index=12

start of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th0F5XUPqSM&list=OLAK5uy_lQBR3FCd6tOV1MbF-z22d23DrqYr3bvq0&index=15

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lQBR3FCd6tOV1MbF-z22d23DrqYr3bvq0

Kondrashin's aggressive, forward-propulsion approach and authentically Russian sound has worked well for the first four symphonies, and I'm sure it will for the 5th and 6th as well. Where I begin to have some skepticism is whether or not it'll retain its wonderful quality in the musically epic and emotionally broad works in the 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th, where at times you must stop the train and smell the roses or sing of human tragedy. Of course, Kondrashin is a wonderful conductor who I've heard do it all, so I've got faith.