Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93

“It is an amazing psychological drama” – that is how Kirill Petrenko, chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker, describes Dmitri Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony. The Ninth and Tenth also vividly reflect Shostakovich’s struggle with the Stalinist regime – and his self-assertion. Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings is now releasing the recordings of Symphonies 8–10 as the orchestra’s second major hardcover edition with Kirill Petrenko.

The first installment of a long-term collaboration with one of the most exciting young conductors of our time: Andris Nelsons the newly appointed Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Andris Nelsons - even though being only in his mid 30ies - has had a long journey with Shostakovich. He is one of the last conductors of his generation who still grew up in the Russian and, more especially, the Soviet musical tradition ever since he started his training as a conductor. He studied in St Petersburg with Alexander Titov and also with Mariss Jansons. His new orchestra has had a great tradition in performing many of Shostakovichs works in America for the first time. The theme of the first album with Shostakovichs 10th Symphony and Passacaglia from Lady Macbeth is a reflection on Shostakovich and Stalin. Lady Macbeth was the piece which brought criticism of his work and the radical change of style, whereas Symphony 10 is from the year Stalin died: the long arc of censorship of Shostakovich until Stalins death, and the composers response to this.

Continuing a Shostakovich series launched in 2020, Tugan Sokhiev conducts the Symphony No 10, a tension-ridden work composed shortly after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953.

The first CD by the philharmonie zuidnederland was of works by Wagner and Tchaikovksy, under their chief conductor Dmitri Liss; this second CD promises to be even more spectacular. The principal work, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, caused rapturous enthusiasm in a previous live performance and is very close to Liss’ own heart. Liss tells of the symphony’s première shortly after the death of Stalin in 1953: “In those days, it was extremely hazardous to reveal too much of yourself in a piece of music. Shostakovich was able to manage it and for that he has my lasting and increasing admiration. I come closer to the music’s heart each time I conduct this symphony”. The CD also includes an energetic live performance of Olga Victorova’s Quinlong Azure Dragon. This work too is close to Liss’ heart, as is the composer herself – Victorova is his wife. One more reason for philharmonie zuidnederland to pull out all the stops as they perform this work about a renowned Oriental dragon as well as Shostakovich’s masterpiece with passion and fire.

Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony is one of conductor Dmitry Liss’ favourite works. It is close to his heart because it encapsulates an ethical standard.

While not one of Shostakovich's best works, the Symphony #10 has many wonderful passages that illustrate the tumultuous time period from which it came. Herbert von Karajan rendered yet another nuanced and stunning performance from his great orchestra. His admiration of Shostakovich as a composer and a man comes through in the beautiful phrasing and balancing evident in the recording.

The Dresdner Philharmonie is one of Germany's major orchestras and has laid, together with his Principal Conductor Michael Sanderling, its focus on recording the complete cycle of symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975). After having released Beethoven's and Shostakovich's symphonies nos. 6 in 2015, for which the orchestra has received positive reviews, this recording is the second album from the cycle. Michael Sanderling decided to pair Beethoven's symphony no. 3 and Shostakovich's symphony no. 10 because of the similar motivation of both composers: to display the current political situation, i.e. Napoleon's reign and Stalin's dictatorial regime.

Shostakovich is not a composer the Berlin Philharmonic has regularly recorded, so this new album of Symphonies Nos 8, 9 and 10 is warmly welcome. Taped with a limited audience during the Covid pandemic, the Philharmonic’s chief conductor Kirill Petrenko combines a riveting precision with expressive intensity in his interpretation of the expansive Eighth Symphony.

For Gianandrea Noseda, the Ninth is Shostakovich at his most 'classical’, but a modern statement nonetheless. ‘Stalin wanted a celebration of the victory of Russia, and Shostakovich came out with a sort of opera buffa symphony,’ the LSO's Principal Guest Conductor says. ‘Short, witty, lots of sarcasm. I can really feel his wish to go against what was expected of him.’