Leningrad Symphony No. 1. The first movement was actually written in Leningrad (now again St. Petersburg) when the city was surrounded and besieged by Nazi-German troops. In 1937 Shostakovich became a teacher of composition in the Leningrad Conservatory, and the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 found him still in that city. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The symphony was finished there and premiered with a gathering of the composer’s colleagues on March 5, 1942. THE MUSIC In 1941, Shostakovich commented on his symphony in the periodical Sovetskoye iskusstvo (Soviet Art). Although it set out to reflect a particular time and place, one can also perceive it in broader terms. Not only was Europe at war, but the German army stood at the gates of Leningrad. Performed with guest cellist Johannes Moser, the meditations are at times spirited and avant-garde, and Moser amiably played through these spindly and disjointed bits of music. Of course, these woodwinds can only really be heard in the soft sections — except for the aggressively insistent E-Flat clarinet, played with buoyant joy by Ted Gurch, that bounds over the orchestral fray, leading the way with its thrillingly, pinch-toned timbre that is both toylike and filled with authority. “The exposition of the first movement … is the simple, peaceful life lived before the war by thousands of Leningrad militiamen, by the whole city, by our country. Soviet authorities were quick to declare the symphony a musical depiction of heroic military actions, though Shostakovich himself asserted that it was more emotional than pictorial. The instruments sound crisp and the playing is lively. Hey, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: "Give the drummer some!". The last movement (Allegro non troppo) may be a vision of ultimate victory. The generally flowing spirit of the opening pages yields to increasing restlessness and anxiety, verging on desperation. Guest conductor Christian Arming leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and welcomes composer/pianist Conrad Tao, the 23-year-old YouTube, Tumblr and Twitter sensation, and one of the most exciting players of his generation, in Shostakovich's virtuosic Piano Concerto No. From either perspective, it is not exactly an optimistic work. 7, the so-called "Leningrad" Symphony in a live recording from February 2016 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by … As the close of the movement approaches, Shostakovich gives a prolonged solo to the oft-neglected bass clarinet, its low and somber voice contrasting nicely with the bassoon, which had been featured late in the first movement. 1 & 7 Leningrad: Chicago MUSIC AUDIO CD 2-Disc at the best online … 1. Shostakovich said that the 7th and 8th Symphonies constituted his "requiem," and indeed in this performance one plumbs depths of despair that Shostakovich had not approached since writing his 4th Symphony. Check out all the great things to do in Atlanta! Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (1941) in beleaguered Leningrad during the latter part of that year and finished it in Kuybyshev (now Samara), to which he and his family had been evacuated. Given both his international fame and his near-sightedness, the Russian army had declined to give Shostakovich a front-line post and instead assigned him to a domestic fire-fighting team, quietly informing his colleagues that it was their responsibility to keep him out of harm’s way. Shostakovich: Symphony 7, Leningrad Dimitry Shostakovich (Composer), Yvgeny Mravinsky (Conductor), Leningrad Philharmonic (Orchestra) & 0 more Format: Audio CD 4.2 out of 5 stars 14 ratings A distant march develops, complete with snare drum, and growing gradually more fearsome. CONTRIBUTED BY JEFF ROFFMAN. Mark’s notes on Shostakovich Symphony No. 60: ‘Leningrad’ Written by Shostakovich after he had been transported out of his besieged hometown of Leningrad, the Seventh is a patriotic hymn to his city and country and a rallying cry to the foes of fascism 2004 Preview SONG TIME Symphony No. Shostakovich Under Stalin's Shadow- Sym Nos. Shostakovich’s unique style often makes this question impossible to answer. It was August 9, 1942. 7. Yet Shostakovich's own intentions for the piece remain enigmatic, despite his stated purpose that it represents Russian resistance in the face of Nazi aggression. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Thursday's program began with the cello-driven "Three Meditations From 'Mass'" by Leonard Bernstein, a concert-hall reworking of music from the composer's long-form, quasi-sacred work. Sections for history, chorus, youth symphony, conductors, program schedules, financial support, ticket sales. 8 on Discogs. Adagio -- Largo -- Moderato risoluto -- Largo -- Adagio ∙IV. The incredible live performance of the Chicago Symphony-playing Shostakovich 7 with Leonard Berstein, 1989 In the orchestral world, unlike the funk atmosphere inhabited by James Brown when he uttered that familiar phrase, well-worn repertoire doesn't usually highlight the percussion section. A short spotlight for oboe adds further color to the textures, which until that point had largely been focused upon strings. This is a great reading of the 7th symphony. The 7th symphony is one of Shostakovich's "great" symphonies. Throughout, the Atlanta Symphony play with stunning concentration and ensemble playing that obviously is deeply felt. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, Leningrad Symphony No. A melancholy theme heard first in the flute grows and evolves as it moves to other instruments. This is also a symphony of ciphers and melodic codes, perhaps most notably the DSCH motif which represents the composer’s name, constantly reappearing among other symbols and ciphers. of often leaden, banal, rhetorically inflated music, among the least inspired that Shostakovich ever put into a major symphony. 7 enjoyed a measure of popularity throughout the Western world during the war, but from 1945 it was rarely performed outside the Soviet Union. This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. Shostakovich's Symphony No. So long had the city been under siege that several orchestra members had succumbed to famine during the rehearsal period, and the ensemble, finding itself short of players, put out a call for help. It became a point of controversy in the 1980s after Solomon Volkov's Testimony suggested it was a critique not of the Nazis, but of the Soviet government. Omissions? Out to reflect a particular time and place, one can also perceive it broader. 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