Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin, Zoya Suite & Suite on Finnish Themes

Featuring

Vladimir Ashkenazy
Yang Shen
Mari Palo
Tuomas Katajala
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
State Choir Latvija

Dmitri Shostakovich

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Composer Biography

Dmitri Shostakovich, a leading Soviet composer, considered the premiere of his first symphony and the completion of his thirteenth symphony to be the two greatest days in his career.

Composition History

Shostakovich's cantata The Execution of Stepan Razin was composed in summer 1964 while he was on holiday on Lake Balaton in Hungary, despite his hectic life and poor health.

Performer Biography

Shenyang, a bass-baritone, is celebrated for bridging Eastern and Western cultures and won the 2007 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Shostakovich, known as the father of Russian film music, believed his film scores, such as for 'New Babylon', enhanced the quality of the films with their character and emotional impact.

Composition History

Shostakovich's 'Suite on Finnish Themes' was commissioned by the political division of the Leningrad Military District around the time the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union broke out in November 1939.

Historical Context

The 'thaw' in Soviet cultural climate in the late 1950s and early 1960s ended in 1964 with Nikita Khrushchev's removal from power and tighter control on the arts.

Performer Biography

The State Choir 'Latvija', one of Europe's finest choirs, has won the Latvian State Award five times and has performed with leading orchestras worldwide.