For his Symphony No. 2, Shostakovich intended to introduce the choral second half with a factory hooter, a detail supported by the commissioning body.
Compositional Technique
The Fifteenth Symphony marks a return to an abstract four-movement structure after eighteen years, though its formal conception is unconventional.
Critical Reception
Despite initial success and an award, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 2 'To October' failed to establish itself in the repertory and was later embargoed during the era of Socialist Realism.
Composer Biography
Shostakovich composed his Fifteenth Symphony while receiving treatment for an undiagnosed illness that caused gradual weakening of his right arm.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Symphony No. 2, 'To October', was commissioned to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution.
Performer Biography
Vasily Petrenko, the conductor on this album, was awarded Honorary Doctorates by both the University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University for his impact on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the city's cultural scene.
Composer Biography
Shostakovich's symphonies, along with Mahler's, are considered central to the orchestral repertoire and represent 'modern' music for non-specialist concertgoers.
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