One
recent development in the geologically gradual evolution of the
symphonic repertory has been the ascension of Dmitri Shostakovich. The
composer now routinely appears among the ten most-often-performed
composers in the American Symphony Orchestra League's annual list. Not
all conductors, though, endorse the notion of Shostakovich's greatness.
Chicago Tribune critic John von Rhein just made passing mention of the fact that Daniel
Barenboim "avoids conducting the music of Dmitri Shostakovich because
he feels it wears its emotions too personally, and on both sleeves."
Pierre Boulez has, of course, a long history of dissing DS. In 2000 he
said, "Well, Shostakovich plays with clichés most of the time, I find.
It's like olive oil, when you have a second and even third pressing,
and I think of Shostakovich as the second, or even third, pressing of
Mahler." And there's James Levine, who, in a recent Charlie Rose
interview, claimed that
"he loves to listen to Bruckner and Shostakovich but can't find a
meaningful way to conduct their music himself" — a typically roundabout
Levine utterance, hinting at stronger feelings. Interestingly, all
three conductors are known for their advocacy of Elliott Carter. Does
Carter make them sign a waiver before they can conduct his music? The
notion that the composer of the massively cryptic Fifteenth Symphony wore his emotions on
his sleeve is pretty laughable. It's also a second or even third pressing of the clichéd accusation that critics used to throw at Mahler.
