Shostakovich: Ballet Suites Nos. 1-4

Featuring

Dmitry Yablonsky
Oleg Tokathev
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Dmitri Shostakovich

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Composition History

From 1948 until Stalin's death in 1953, Shostakovich wrote 'serious' music primarily for private performance, while his public presence consisted of film scores and patriotic pieces.

Historical Context

The Zhdanov Decree, issued by Minister of Culture Andrey Zhdanov in 1948, castigated Shostakovich and other Soviet composers for 'formalist perversions' in their music.

Composition History

Many pieces in these Ballet Suites were extracted from ballets, like The Limpid Stream, that were proscribed under the dictates of Socialist Realism.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Shostakovich enjoyed all music from Bach to Offenbach, indicating his broad musical sympathies beyond his 'serious' works.

Composition History

The Ballet Suites were edited by Lev Atovmyan, Shostakovich's amanuensis, who also arranged suites from the composer's film scores and official compositions.

Performer Biography

Dmitry Yablonsky, the conductor, made his orchestral debut at age nine with Haydn's Cello Concerto in C major and later studied at the Juilliard School of Music and Yale University.

Performer Biography

The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra draws its musicians from famous Russian orchestras like the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra and was originally formed as a recording ensemble.