Symphonies Intégrale

Description

Mark Wigglesworth recorded his cycle of Shostakovich symphonies between 1996 and 2010, collaborating with two different orchestras, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Despite the change of orchestra midway, the cycle has been described as one that never "compromised its particular characteristics of great seriousness, fine detail, and a certain ferocity of articulation" (Gramophone). Already, the first installment - Symphony No. 7, Leningrad - raised expectations, for example with the Sunday Telegraph critic stating: "There is a lot of competition among Shostakovich cycles, but this one will deserve serious consideration." And 17 years later, with the release of the final disc, The Guardian could report that "Wigglesworth's cycle emerges as one of the best in recent times."