When this cycle of the symphonies of Shostakovich with Dmitri Kitajenko conducting the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln was released in 2005, Shostakovich cycles were no longer the novelties they had been in the latter years of the twentieth century. There were already several superlative cycles in circulation – the monumental Kondrashin, the modernist Rozhdestvensky, the anguished Barshai – and a pair of superlative cycles nearing completion – the commanding Jansons and the compelling Gergiev – when the Kitajenko – Köln cycle was issued on Capriccio in superaudio sound…

This is the world premiere recording of Rudolph Barshai’s arrangements of Ravel and Shostakovich string quartets…

At its première in June 1969 Shostakovich described his Symphony No. 14, in effect a symphonic song cycle, as ‘a fight for the liberation of humanity… a great protest against death, a reminder to live one’s life honestly, decently, nobly…’ Originally intending to write an oratorio, Shostakovich set eleven poems on the theme of mortality, and in particular early or unjust death, for two solo singers accompanied by strings and percussion. This is the penultimate release in Vasily Petrenko’s internationally acclaimed symphonic cycle.

This is one of Shostakovich's greatest works. It's actually a cantata based on five poems by Yevgeny Yevtushenko. Like Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, the music is linked and the mood of each pieces leads to the next, concluding in a heartbreaking coda. But this work was met with controversy. The poem "Babi Yar," which starts off the symphony, is based on the Nazi massacre of Jews at Babi Yar, Ukraine, during World War II. The work was banned by the politburo, but for the poetry, not the music. This recording is one of the best on the market of this work