Evgeny Svetlanov’s large-scaled Shostakovich Seventh is similar to Haitink’s in terms of tempo and breadth. However, when it comes to mood and emphasis he’s closer to Bernstein’s epic Chicago Symphony performance on DG. All three conductors adopt a slow pace for the first movement’s central march, but Svetlanov’s is the slowest, sounding almost leaden. He’s none too quick in the outer sections as well, whereas Bernstein goes at a jaunty pace (which seems paradoxical, as Bernstein takes two minutes longer over the entire movement). This is the only flaw in an otherwise excellent performance–and flaw may be too strong a term, for Svetlanov builds crushing power in the movement’s sustained climax. The inner movements are more energetically paced, with a light-stepping scherzo and a smoothly flowing adagio featuring an intensely animated central section.
In the finale, Svetlanov’s tense, sure grip maintains the feeling of drama without letting the music sound hackneyed. A big factor in this performance is the Swedish Radio Symphony’s highly engaging playing. There’s no relaxed run-through posturing here; these musicians are fully committed to every bar. The strings, high and low, sound sumptuous throughout. But special honor goes to the brass, who in the finale’s coda rival their Chicago counterparts in tonal heft and sheer amplitude (like the Bernstein, this is one really loud recording). Daphne’s engineers have captured this live performance with scant audience noise, but also with the presence and dynamic range of a studio production. All of the above, plus the fact that Svetlanov’s performance fits on one disc, makes this a strong contender in an impressive field of Shostakovich Sevenths.
