Shostakovich intended the Eleventh Symphony to deal with 'contemporary themes', reflecting on the recurrence of historical events and the people's loss of faith in their leaders.
Critical Reception
The Eleventh Symphony received a mixed reception upon its release, with Soviet officials praising it as 'socialist realism' while Western critics dismissed it as 'glorified film music'.
Performer Biography
The London Symphony Orchestra, featured on this recording, was formed in 1904 as London's first self-governing orchestra and is the world's most recorded symphony orchestra.
Recording & Production
This recording of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 was recorded live in DSD 256fs on November 24, 2022, in the Barbican Hall, London.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Eleventh Symphony, written in 1957, commemorates the events leading up to the first Russian Revolution of 1905.
Compositional Technique
The symphony's score is largely based on music from the period, including 19th-century political prisoner songs and popular songs of the 1905 Revolution, as well as quotes from Shostakovich's own 'Ten Choral Poems on Revolutionary Texts'.
Performer Biography
Gianandrea Noseda, the conductor, is the Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO).
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