Shostakovich: Odna (Alone) [Silent Film Score]
![Shostakovich: Odna (Alone) [Silent Film Score]](/images/Shostakovich-Odna-Alone-Silent-Film-Score-B000ZJVI5C-L.jpg)
Our Price: $9.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $4.47 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Composer: Dmitry ShostakovichConductor: Mark Fitz-Gerald
Orchestra: Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Irina Mataeva
Performer: Anna Kiknadze
Performer: Dmitry Voropaev
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2008-01-29
Music Label: Naxos
Free Music Notes for Shostakovich: Odna (Alone) [Silent Film Score]
Free Music Review: Fascinating...
Hit: 4 Stars
This disc represents a fascinating work by the incomparable Dmitry Shostakovich. The music was written to be played during one of the Soviet Union's first "sound" movies (but pre-"talkies"), which makes it an interesting historical artifact as well.
Shostakovich's score runs the gamut of variety and emotion. He makes use of a wide variety of instruments, including a barrel organ and theremin. The thermin is an electronic instrument made famous by movies like "The Day the Earth Stood Still," but in all likelihood you have not heard it played as it is here. Here Shostakovich writes "real" music for the instrument, lifting it miles beyond its seemingly-random wailing in old SF movies. Its two minutes in the spotlight are uniquely beautiful and over far too soon. Another extremely unusual touch is the inclusion of an "overtone singer," or "throat singer," a deep male voice singing from deep in the throat. Like the theremin, this part lasts only a brief time and is not heard again. There are a number of lyrical themes as well, including the recurring "Kakaya horoyasha budet zhizn'" which (I will attest) can run through your head even if you don't speak Russian.
In addition to his unique orchestra, Shostakovich is adept at playing the listener's emotions. There are extremely joyful passages; furious, terrified passages; and everything in between.
This NAXOS presentation (the only one existing, I'm fairly certain) is, like everything of theirs, very high quality. The disc includes an informative booklet with information on the original movie, a blow-by-blow description of the storyline for each track, and translations of the Russian lyrics. The recording also includes a few recovered tracks which were not used in the movie itself.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this disc. Though it's not Shostakovich's best, the music is at many points quite good, and his use of unusual instruments is fascinating. And you needn't have seen the movie: you probably couldn't anyway, as Reel Six no longer seems to exist. This recording is (in many ways) all that's left of "Odna," and in all likelihood it was the best part anyway.
Shostakovich: Odna (Alone) [Silent Film Score] Poster
Set in late 1920s Leningrad and then in the Altai Mountains in Russian Mongolia, Shostakovich's second film ODNA (ALONE) features a dazzling score for a huge orchestra including a banda (8 brass band instruments), theremin, (Shostakovich was one of the first composers to write for this new electronic instrument), barrel-organ, a soprano, mezzosoprano, tenor, an overtone singer and choir. It has been reconstructed from the official Russian version of the film by Mark Fitz- Gerald, with the official approval of Mrs Irina Shostakovich. The recording also restores a short Overture [track 1] and a beautiful, lyrical prelude [track 9] that were not used in the film. The booklet includes notes on the music by leading Shostakovich film music expert, John Riley, and on overtone singing by Mark van Tongeren who performs on the recording. There are also transliterations and translations of the vocal score.Classical Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Classical Music CDs
Air on a G StringRelease date: 2008-03-04; Music CD
Best price: $12.27
Price in other shops:
Celtic TreasureRelease date: 2007-03-13; Music CD
Best price: $11.34
Price in other shops:
Lullaby for My Favorite InsomniacRelease date: 2008-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $11.88
Price in other shops:
![Vivere Live in Tuscany [DVD/CD] Image](/images/Vivere-Live-in-Tuscany-DVD-CD-B0010YPTGU-X.jpg)
Vivere Live in Tuscany [DVD/ CD]UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2008-01-29; DVD
Best price: $15.99
Price in other shops:
Baby Einstein - Baby Mozart - Music Festivalby Disney
BABY EINSTEIN; Release date: 2002-03-12; Published: 2004; DVD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Andrea Bocelli - The Best of Andrea Bocelli: VivereBOCELLI,ANDREA; Release date: 2007-10-30; Music CD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Chris Botti - ItaliaRelease date: 2007-09-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.88
Price in other shops:
Gaetano Donizetti - La Fille du regiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly (Royal Opera House 2007)Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops:
Paul Potts - One ChanceRelease date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $9.34
Price in other shops:
Chant: Music For The SoulRelease date: 2008-07-01; Music CD
Best price: $12.07
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Sibelius: Scenes Historiques I & II / King Christian IiRelease date: 2008-01-29; Music CD
Best price: $5.32
Price in other shops:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullRelease date: 2008-05-20; Music CD
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops:
Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (The New Broadway Cast)Release date: 2008-05-27; Music CD
Best price: $9.77
Price in other shops:
Charles Ives: A Concord SymphonyRelease date: 2007-11-27; Music CD
Best price: $12.35
Price in other shops:
Godard: Violin Concerto No .2; Concerto Romantique; Scenes PoetiquesRelease date: 2008-03-25; Music CD
Best price: $5.18
Price in other shops:
Schoenberg Violin Concerto Op.36/ Sibelius Violin Concerto Op.47Release date: 2008-04-08; Music CD
Best price: $11.80
Price in other shops:
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Centuryby Alex Ross
Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Published: 2007-10-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.66
Price in other shops:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever AgoRelease date: 2008-02-19; Music CD
Best price: $10.40
Price in other shops:
HamletRelease date: 2004-06-15; Music CD
Best price: $9.70
Price in other shops:
Shostakovich: The Fall of Berlin, Op. 82; The Unforgettable Year 1919, Op. 89aRelease date: 2006-08-29; Music CD
Best price: $4.78
Price in other shops: