Shostakovich:
- Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 ‘Leningrad’
Performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko
Shostakovich’s seventh symphony was completed in December, 1941. The composer wrote:
‘I dedicate my Seventh Symphony to our struggle against fascism, to our coming victory over the enemy, to my native city, Leningrad.’
Dmitri Shostakovich’s epic Seventh Symphony is a study in defiance and survival, written largely in the ruins of the besieged Leningrad in 1941. In recent years this work has taken its rightful place among Shostakovich’s symphonic contributions. As one of the twentieth century’s most recorded symphonists, the composer has been the subject of many recordings.
The award-winning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra, dating from 1840. The dynamic young Russian-born conductor, Vasily Petrenko, was appointed Principal Conductor of the orchestra in September 2006 and in September 2009 became Chief Conductor.
The Sunday Times wrote on the 5th of May 2013:
“The miracle of this performance is the thoughtfulness and sense of inner repose that Petrenko hears in the quieter music…the depth and rawness of unison string sound that Petrenko encourages in the searing adagio expose Shostakovich’s battered nerve ends to devastating effect…Petrenko presides over a golden age of music-making in Liverpool.”
Here is the first movement of the Shostakovich 7th Symphony: (Gergiev conducting)
And next, here are the much later movements of the D. Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad”:
Tags: Dmitri Shostakovich, 7th symphony, Petrenko, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra