Shostakovich's music was once described as 'crazily sombre and neurotic' by Soviet authorities in 1948, leading to the destruction of recordings and revision of scores.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony was his first work composed after the death of Joseph Stalin on March 5, 1953, following a five-year period of relative silence.
Compositional Technique
The third movement of Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony features the DSCH motive, a musical representation of the composer's initials (D, E flat, C, B natural).
Critical Reception
Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony was described as an 'optimistic tragedy' by young composer Andrei Volkonsky, a politically acceptable description after its 1954 premiere.
Performer Biography
Dmitri Liss, the conductor on this album, is married to Olga Victorova, one of the composers featured.
Recording & Production
This album features live recordings from concerts given by philharmonie zuidnederland in October 2018 in Maastricht, Eindhoven, and Aachen.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Olga Victorova's "Quinlong Azure Dragon" is inspired by Quinlong, the azure Chinese dragon, a mythological creature that scatters pearls and precious stones.
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