Weinberg's Symphony No. 18 is part of a symphonic trilogy titled 'On the Threshold of War,' reflecting the traumas of the Soviet Union during World War II.
Composition History
The Symphony No. 18, composed between 1982-84, features a chorus setting texts by Soviet poets Sergey Orlov and Alexander Tvardovsky, as well as folk sources.
Composer Biography
Despite personal setbacks, including the execution of his father-in-law and his own imprisonment, Weinberg gained a reputation as a composer championed by leading Soviet musicians.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Dmitri Shostakovich, a prominent Soviet composer, considered Weinberg's Trumpet Concerto a 'symphony for trumpet and orchestra' due to its substantial nature.
Critical Reception
Weinberg's music, which includes 26 symphonies and 17 string quartets, was largely unnoticed at his death but has since gained increasing recognition as a continuation of the Russian symphonic tradition.
Composer Biography
Mieczysław Weinberg, the composer, was born in Warsaw in 1919 and fled to Minsk, then Tashkent, during the Nazi occupation, eventually settling in Moscow.
Composition History
The Trumpet Concerto, written in 1966-67, was premiered in Moscow in 1968 by Timofey Dokshitser, a trumpet player, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra.
