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Chandos

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3; Two Scherzos

$21.99

Details

Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich
Artist
Halle Choir, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Aug 15, 2025
Catalog #
CHAN 20398
UPC
0095115239827

About

For this, the fifth instalment of his Shostakovich symphony cycle, John Storgards turns to some of the earliest of the composer's orchestral output, works which Shostakovich largely wrote during his student years. The orchestral scherzo was a favourite task set by composition tutors of the time: the relatively simple form still demands that the student produce contrasting material for the outer and central sections, and manage the transitions effectively. Unsurprisingly, the form looms large in the early works of Shostakovich, as well as Stravinsky, Bartok, and many others. The two examples recorded here show the young composer's ability and style, although not yet perhaps a distinct compositional voice. They do both share links with the later First Symphony, however, which was composed as a graduation test in composition from the Petrograd Conservatoire. Shostakovich spent two years working on it, but the Symphony he eventually produced was an instant success, marking him out as a Boy Wonder among Soviet composers. Written four years later, the Third Symphony evidences not only the rapid development of Shostakovich as a composer, but the equally rapid change in the world he inhabited. He passed the newly required examination in Marxist ideology in December 1926, and managed to extend his registration as a postgraduate student at Leningrad Conservatoire until early 1930. He submitted the symphony with the explanation that it 'expresses the festive spirit of peaceful construction'. At this early stage of the first of Stalin's Five-Year Plans, he already demonstrated his realisation that political spin would be crucial to his creative survival.

Tracklist 14 tracks

  1. 1 Scherzo in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 1 05:00
    Track
    1
    Title
    Scherzo in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 1
    Duration
    05:00
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  2. 2 Scherzo in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 04:02
    Track
    2
    Title
    Scherzo in E-Flat Major, Op. 7
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  3. 3 I. Allegretto - Allegro non troppo 09:13
    Track
    3
    Title
    I. Allegretto - Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    09:13
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  4. 4 II. Allegro 05:01
    Track
    4
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    05:01
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  5. 5 III. Lento 09:30
    Track
    5
    Title
    III. Lento
    Duration
    09:30
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  6. 6 IV. Allegro molto 09:26
    Track
    6
    Title
    IV. Allegro molto
    Duration
    09:26
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  7. 7 I. Allegretto - II. Più mosso - 02:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Allegretto - II. Più mosso -
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  8. 8 II. Allegro - 02:04
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allegro -
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  9. 9 II. Più mosso - Meno mosso - 01:54
    Track
    9
    Title
    II. Più mosso - Meno mosso -
    Duration
    01:54
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  10. 10 II. Allegro 04:35
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Allegro
    Duration
    04:35
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  11. 11 III. Andante 05:30
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Andante
    Duration
    05:30
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  12. 12 IV. Allegro 07:04
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    07:04
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  13. 13 V. Andante 04:06
    Track
    13
    Title
    V. Andante
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  14. 14 VI. Moderato 04:34
    Track
    14
    Title
    VI. Moderato
    Duration
    04:34
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    Hallé Choir, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds