Shostakovich:
- Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43
Performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko
The Fourth Symphony by Dmitry Shostakovich did not get a performance until 1961. It was written during a time of undoubted personal and professional crisis for the composer.
The opening movement, a complex and varied sonata form, is followed by a short and somewhat eerie central movement. The Finale of this work opens with a funeral march leading to a huge climax that gives way to a bleak minor key coda. The Symphony has since become one of the most highly regarded of the composer’s large-scale works.
Shostakovich’s music is very expressive, sometimes surprising, yet always full of intense emotions. That’s why I enjoy it so much.
Vasily Petrenko was appointed Principal Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006 and in 2009 became Chief Conductor. He is also Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Mikhailovsky Theatre of his native St Petersburg, and Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
I was unable to locate videos of Mr. Petrenko performing this work. Instead, I have for you the following:
First, here is the Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 with sir Simon Rattle, leading the Berliner Philharmoniker:
And next, here is Shostakovich’s 4th Symphony performed under the direction of Valery Gergiev:
Tags: Shostakovich, Symphony #4, Petrenko