Gennady Rozhdestvensky: Shostakovich - Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Opus 43

Gennady Nikolayevich Rozhdestvensky (Генна́дий Никола́евич Рожде́ственский) (born 4 May 1931) is a Russian conductor. Rozhdestvensky is considered a versatile conductor and a highly cultured musician with a supple stick technique. In moulding his interpretations, he gives a clear idea of the structural outlines and emotional content of a piece, combined with a performing style which melds logic, intuition and spontaneity. He has been praised for his efficient rehearsals which he keeps short, and is noted for his habit of walking around the stage while conducting and not using a podium, even at concerts. Conductor Rozhdestvensky is featured in the documentary Notes interdites : scènes de la vie musicale en Russie Soviétique (Bruno Monsaingeon, 2004, 55m 44s, English title: “The Red Baton“), which examines the hardships faced by musicians in the Soviet Union under Stalinism. In it, he describes the political situation and its impact on his life, as well as those of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Richter and other colleagues. The role of Tikhon Khrennikov, Secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers, is discussed extensively. On a lighter note, the documentary features Rozhdestvensky discussing the art of conducting, and includes footage of masterclasses, rehearsals with students from the Moscow Conservatory and Zürich’s Tonhalle orchestra, as well as snippets of Rozhdestvensky conducting Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, and Alfred Schnittke’s Dead Souls... Dmitri Shostakovich composed his Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Opus 43, between September 1935 and May 1936... (Shostakovich) Track List 0:00 - 27:06 Allegretto, poco moderato - Presto - Tempo 1° 27:06 - 36:23 Moderato, con moto 36:23 - 1:05:03 Largo - Allegro A link to this wonderful artists personal Website: A comprehensive listing of Rozhdestvensky’s Discography: Please Enjoy! I send my kind and warm regards,