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PT 6618
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 113 “Babi Yar”
Label Catalogue Number:
PTC5186618
PTC5186618
Running Time: 00:58:10
Release Date: July 2020
Originally recorded in 2019
Originally recorded in 2019
Genre:
Classical
Classical
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About
The Russian National Orchestra continues its Shostakovich cycle with Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar”, together with bass Oleg Tsibulko, the Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir, the Kozhevnikov choir and maestro Kirill Karabits. Inspired by Yevgeny Yevtushenko’s poem “Babi Yar” about a Nazi massacre of Jews just outside Kiev in 1941, Shostakovich based the Symphony on five of the author’s poems. The texts reflect on the peculiarities of daily existence in Stalinist Russia, providing a deep insight into life under Soviet reign. After the sombre, impressive opening movement, Shostakovich alternates between a satirical stance, humour, and portraying the hardships of the Stalinist reality, leading up to the innocent beauty of the symphony’s finale. One special aspect of this recording is the Russian National Orchestra’s collaboration with an Ukrainian bass soloist and conductor, underlining the shared cultural and political heritage of both countries. The Russian National Orchestra is among the most important orchestras in the world and has a vast, multi-award-winning PENTATONE discography. Kirill Karabits features on Tchaikovsky Treasures (2019) with Guy Braunstein and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Oleg Tsibulko, the Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir and the Kozhevnikov choir all make their PENTATONE debut.
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Reviews
**** Excellent Album
Yannick Millon - Classica (France) – March 2021
“… it is the choruses and orchestral players who are the stars of the show, most tangibly in the chilling third and fourth movements, In the Store and Fears, and in the sudden opening into the light at the start of the concluding A Career. Throughout these movements (which play without a break), there is outstandingly atmospheric orchestral playing. Pentatone’s sound is of demonstration quality, allowing every percussion tick, pianissimo pizzicato and choral whisper to be heard. Very fine indeed.” *****
Guy Rickards – Musical Opinion Quarterly – January/March 2021
Nominee in Symphonic Music Category
International Classical Music Awards 2021
“…On this recording the chorus, orchestra and soloist are uniformly excellent. Oleg Tsibulko has the classic Russian basso voice, warm and powerful. The recording was made in a studio, but one hears a reverberant hall. At times overbearing, as one might expect given the subject matter, there are lighter moments. The second movement, for example: Humour is a celebration of how mirth and mockery always triumph over tyranny; it’s a scherzo where Shostakovich pulls out all his favourite tricks… “
Max Christie – thewholenote.com – 25 August 2020
“A valuable addition to the RNO’s Shostakovich cycle.”
John Quinn – MusicWeb-International.com - 3 August 2020
Performance **** Recording *****
“… this beautifully engineered studio recording under Kiril Karabits has all the necessary adrenaline to keep the listener fully engaged. Karabits is particularly effective in negotiating the tricky changes of tempo in the opening ‘Babi Yar’ movement and ensures that the tension is sustained right to the very end in the emotionally shattering climax of the closing bars… the new release certainly benefits from the fine singing of Tisbulko and the more authentic vocal timbres of the combined Russian choirs.”
Erik Levi - BBC Music Magazine - September 2020
"No one would attach "lovely" to Shostakovich's sulphurous vocal Symphony No 13, "Babi Yar" ... the performance has the authenticity and depth expected from the Kiev-born conductor Kirill Karabits, Oleg Tsibulko (bass), the Russian National Orchestra and two Russian choirs. Bluntly caustic or sharply ironic about the worst of Soviet life and times, explosive with tongue-twisting, zinging consonants, Yevgeny Yevtushenko's chain of poems tumble out of the vocalist's lips with sombre power and unstinting force. Karabits controls this grim feast masterfully well." ****
Geoff Brown - The Times - 31 July 2020
“… The Russian National Orchestra plays superbly, the choir is overwhelmingly intense and the soloist is also quite excellent.” *****
Remy Franck – Pizzicato.lu – 17 July 2020
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