Shostakovich – Symphonies Nos. 1, 14 & 15 | Chamber Symphony CD

UPC: 0028948605460 

MPN: 486 0546 

Brand Name: Deutsche Grammophon / Universal Music Group

Overview

In this continuation of the Grammy Award–winning cycle “Shostakovich Under Stalin’s Shadow”, conductor Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra explore both the beginning and the end of Shostakovich’s symphonic journey, alongside two intensely personal works.

• Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10 – Written before Shostakovich’s 20th birthday, this youthful debut dazzled audiences with its wit, boldness, and originality.
• Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141 – His final symphony, a summation of his creative life, quoting Rossini and Wagner while reflecting on mortality.
• Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135 – A profound song cycle for soprano, bass, and strings, confronting themes of death and existential struggle.
• Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op. 110a – Rudolf Barshai’s orchestral transcription of the Eighth String Quartet, one of Shostakovich’s most deeply personal works.

The New York Times hails the series as “an ongoing Shostakovich survey that has rightly won him three Grammy Awards.”

Product Features

• Format: 2-CD Set
• Genre: Classical – Orchestral & Vocal Symphonies
• Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
• Artists: Boston Symphony Orchestra, conductor Andris Nelsons
• Soloists: Kristine Opolais (soprano), Alexander Tsymbalyuk (bass)
• Recording: Live at Symphony Hall, Boston
• Total Timing: CD 1 – 83:14, CD 2 – 80:00
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• Release Year: 2021
• Country: Made in EU

Interesting Facts

• Shostakovich’s First Symphony was so successful that it immediately established him as the most promising Soviet composer of his generation.
• The Fifteenth Symphony reflects his late style, enigmatic and full of musical quotations, leaving listeners with more questions than answers.
• The Fourteenth Symphony shocked audiences at its premiere for its unflinching meditation on death—more an oratorio than a traditional symphony.
• The Chamber Symphony, adapted from the famous Eighth Quartet, carries Shostakovich’s coded references to his own name (DSCH motif) and personal suffering under Stalin.

Track Listing

CD 1

• Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10
• Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141 Total Time: 83:14

CD 2

• Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135

  Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op. 110a (arr. Barshai) Total Time: 80:00
  • Kristine Opolais (soprano)
  • Alexander Tsymbalyuk (bass)

Publishers

• Label: Deutsche Grammophon (A Universal Music Company)
• Copyright: © 2021 Boston Symphony Orchestra, under exclusive license to DG

This release captures the Boston Symphony’s mastery of Shostakovich’s most dramatic, personal, and historically charged works. Share your thoughts in a review and help guide fellow listeners through this powerful journey.

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