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Chandos

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 2 "to October"; Symphony No. 5

Modern Dramatic Virtuosic Triumphant Energetic
$21.99

Details

Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich
Artist
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Format
SACD
Label
Chandos
Released
Apr 03, 2026
Catalog #
CHSA 5378
UPC
0095115537824

About

Commissioned by the Propaganda Department of the Soviet State Music Publishing House to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the October Revolution, the Symphonic Dedication to October eventually became Shostakovich's Second Symphony, and was first performed, in Leningrad, in 1927. It is a short, through-composed work of around twenty minutes, it's structure involving four sections. It opens with a Largo meant to portray the primordial chaos from which order emerged, and ends with a choral setting of To October, a poem by Alexander Bezymensky, praising Lenin and the October Revolution. The symphony shows a marked departure in style from Shostakovich's first symphony, and is far more modernist and avant-garde. The Second Symphony made little impression, in Russia or the West, and is rarely performed. In contrast, the Fifth Symphony received a standing ovation at it's première, one that lasted for over half an hour, and was acclaimed both by state officials (for delivering everything that they had asked of Shostakovich) and by the public (who heard it as an expression of the suffering to which it had been subjected by Stalin). The Fifth Symphony is one of Shostakovich's best-known and most performed works, and has become standard repertoire for orchestras around the globe.

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 Largo - quarter note = 152 - 06:13
    Track
    1
    Title
    Largo - quarter note = 152 -
    Duration
    06:13
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  2. 2 Poco meno mosso - quarter note = 152 - 03:48
    Track
    2
    Title
    Poco meno mosso - quarter note = 152 -
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  3. 3 Meno mosso - 01:58
    Track
    3
    Title
    Meno mosso -
    Duration
    01:58
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  4. 4 Mi shli, mi prosili raboti i hlyeba (We marched, we asked for work and bread) 06:21
    Track
    4
    Title
    Mi shli, mi prosili raboti i hlyeba (We marched, we asked for work and bread)
    Duration
    06:21
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  5. 5 I. Moderato 17:17
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    17:17
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  6. 6 II. Allegretto 05:35
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Allegretto
    Duration
    05:35
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  7. 7 III. Largo 14:33
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Largo
    Duration
    14:33
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds
  8. 8 IV. Allegro non troppo 11:19
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    11:19
    Composer
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Ensemble
    BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    John Storgårds