The premiere of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7 in Leningrad was relayed via loudspeakers to the citizens of the still-besieged city.
Performer Biography
Kurt Masur, the conductor on this album, was instrumental in preventing an outbreak of violence in Leipzig during the lead-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Composition History
Shostakovich composed his Symphony No. 7, known as the 'Leningrad' Symphony, during the bombing of Leningrad in 1941, intending it as a work about 'war, struggle, and the heroism of the Soviet people'.
Performer Biography
The London Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham, has been led by many world-renowned conductors including Sir Georg Solti and Kurt Masur.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Shostakovich, living in a totalitarian state, was careful with his pronouncements and musical notes, seeking to produce powerful music while navigating the risks of misinterpretation.
Composer Biography
According to Solomon Volkov's 'Testimony', Shostakovich claimed the Seventh Symphony was planned before the war and that 'the majority of my symphonies are tombstones', lamenting victims in his own country.
Cultural Impact
The US premiere of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, conducted by Toscanini in New York, led to a photo of Shostakovich on the cover of Time magazine and helped fortify the anti-Nazi alliance.
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