Conducts Shostakovich

Ormandy always had a special affinity for Russian music, not least that of Shostakovich. In 1963, he became the first to perform and record Symphony No. 4 on this side of the Iron Curtain. The new 3-CD reissue also contains Symphonies No. 1 and another premiere, the first recording of Cello Concerto No. 1, played by its dedicatee, Mstislav Rostropovich in sessions supervised by composer. "It would be impossible", wrote Gramophone's reviewer, "to overpraise Rostropovich's performance of the solo part, which combines phenomenal technique with the complete musical understanding one expects of a soloist who has had the advantage of working with the composer. What is more, Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra accompany him magnificently."