Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 in G Minor, Op. 103 "The Year 1905"

Featuring

Eliahu Inbal
SWR Symphonieorchester
Dmitri Shostakovich

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Notable Performances

The 11th Symphony premiered in Moscow on October 30, 1957, during celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution, conducted by Natan Rakhlin.

Composer Biography

As a teenager in the early 1920s, Dmitri Shostakovich earned money as a silent movie pianist, a job he disliked but used to experiment with musical forms.

Recording & Production

The SWR Symphonieorchester, formed in 2016 from a merger of two SWR orchestras, includes historically informed performance practices in its artistic profile.

Composition History

Dmitri Shostakovich's 11th Symphony, subtitled 'The Year 1905', focuses on the 'Petersburg Bloody Sunday' event of January 9, 1905.

Performer Biography

Eliahu Inbal, the conductor, gained international recognition for his interpretations of Mahler and Bruckner, and was the first to record the original versions of Bruckner's symphonies.

Compositional Technique

The 11th Symphony incorporates nine revolutionary songs, some dating from the 19th century, which Shostakovich had known since childhood.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Shostakovich structured his film music like a symphony and his symphonies often like a film, using 'cuts' inspired by filmmakers like Eisenstein, Pudovkin, and Kozintsev.