shostakovich symphony no. 8 in c minor

gennady Rozhdestvensky conductor london philharmonic ORCHESTRA

A BBC recording

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 1 1/7/2013 3:38:11 PM SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65

1 Adagio – Allegro non troppo by the joyful news of the Red Army’s victories 2 Allegretto ... [It] contains many tragic and dramatic 3 Allegro non troppo – inner conflicts. But on the whole it is an 4 Largo – optimistic, life-asserting work.’ If that led 5 Allegretto people to expect another ‘Leningrad’, a second stirring celebration of Russian heroism, no Of the three ‘war’ symphonies that wonder they were puzzled by No. 8, a work of Shostakovich wrote between 1941 and Mahlerian emotional complexity and violent 1945, it was the first, No. 7, the inspirational power whose message is far from being so ‘Leningrad’, that drew most attention at the clear-cut, and in which optimism in particular time. Partly composed in Leningrad during seems for the most part to struggle just to the siege by German forces in 1941, it came survive. to symbolise Russian resistance to the terrors and deprivations of the ‘Great Patriotic War’, Perhaps the people of influence sensed especially after a copy was smuggled to something of the alternative interpretation the USA, where numerous enthusiastically suggested in 1979 by Solomon Volkov’s received performances of it were seen as controversial book Testimony, claiming to emblematic of Russian-American solidarity in present Shostakovich’s true thoughts as the face of the Nazi threat. related to the author, in which we are told that ‘the war brought much new sorrow and The next symphony, No. 8, composed in much new destruction, but I haven’t forgotten the space of just two months at an artists’ the terrible pre-war years ... Too many of retreat in the summer of 1943, caused our people died and were buried in places less excitement; reaction to its premiere in unknown to anyone, not even their relatives. later in the year was muted, and I think constantly of those people, and in none of the major papers reviewed it. This almost every major work I try to remind was despite the fact that Shostakovich had others of them.’ By 1956, eight years after declared in a recent interview that ‘it reflects Shostakovich had also come under fire from my thoughts, feelings and elevated creative the authorities for ‘formalism’, the composer mood, which could not help being influenced was lamenting that the ‘work into which I put

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 2 1/7/2013 3:38:11 PM so much thought and feeling’ had not been its five movements containing two adjacent performed in the for many years. march-scherzos, a spacious and wide-ranging finale, and, to start, an epic sonata-form slow Subsequently, however, the stock of the Eighth movement that in terms of duration makes has risen to the point where it is now seen up almost half the work. It opens darkly in as one of the greatest of all his works. It may the lower strings, sounding in the very first be that it is the ever-increasing distance in bar a three-note motif – a note followed time from the War and from Shostakovich’s by an adjacent note and then the first note predicament as a Soviet artist that has again – that will recur memorably and in many enabled it to emerge to advantage, less guises throughout the Symphony. The texture encumbered and in a more revealing light. builds eerily until a more lyrically relaxed tune For all that the War continues to maintain a is heard on violins over a gently throbbing strong presence in our collective emotional accompaniment. After this has been heard a consciousness – a presence that Shostakovich’s second time, the development section begins music of that time undoubtedly still connects quietly and almost with the calm flavour of a with – the details of it recede, with the result fugal exposition, but, propelled by horrifying that a work such as the Eighth can begin to be transformations of the earlier throbbing seen more as a symphony that is great in its accompaniment figure, the music soon builds own right and on its own ‘symphonic’ terms. to a fff climax. This gives out onto two faster Yes, it is a ‘war’ symphony, if that helps; but sections, the first shrilly agitated and the it is also a symphony by a towering master second a grim march, at the end of which of the genre, for whom, however much we percussion rolls pitch us into an even more ear- may pore over the background, the music splitting climax featuring restatements of the ultimately does the real talking. three-note motif from the opening. In formal terms, this is the moment of recapitulation, Like Mahler, Shostakovich was freely but the first thing we hear after a stunned pragmatic in his approach to formal outline silence is a long and heartbreakingly mournful in his symphonies – only six of the 15 are cor anglais solo. The earlier themes then return in the ‘traditional’ four movements. The in a new order as the movement winds down Eighth has a particularly Mahlerian shape, to a hushed ending.

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 3 1/7/2013 3:38:11 PM The first of the march-scherzos follows. At with it as reminders of the horrors of earlier first it seems to be in celebratory, almost movements begin to appear, culminating ‘Russian nationalist’ mood, but its attempts at in a shattering reappearance of the violent carefree jollity (borrowed from a movement climax of the first movement. Following this in the second Jazz Suite of 1938) are the music winds down, but without its former repeatedly stamped out by interventions and cheerfulness, as if stung by the memory of this transformations that are variously sarcastic, final outburst. Eventually the Symphony dies ugly, grotesque or macabre. The second quietly away, but if its lack of a real sense of march shows not even a hint of a smile, peaceful repose does not quite affirm for us however, being a relentless moto perpetuum Shostakovich’s assertion that ‘everything that of mechanistic brutality, with an absurd, self- is dark and gloomy will perish and disappear, important trumpet melody for a central ‘trio’; and the beautiful will triumph’, it at least if it is a depiction of militaristic totalitarianism allows us reason to hope. it could hardly be more damning. Programme note © Lindsay Kemp This horrifying episode crashes to a halt on a rudely aggressive drum-roll, and probably few listeners would expect at this point that the next movement is about to follow straight on, even less that it is to be a noble and generously unfolding passacaglia. The spacious, mysteriously undulating bass line is stated 12 times, forcefully at first to combat the drum-roll, but quickly subsiding as variations are calmly spun over it in gently shifting colours. The movement then slides without a break into the finale, which starts in apparently lighthearted vein with a trio for bassoons. Further relaxed episodes follow, but when a fugue opens up the tension builds

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 4 1/7/2013 3:38:11 PM Gennady Rozhdestvensky conductor

Gennady Spades); and La Scala (The Tale of Tsar Saltan Rozhdestvensky and Der fliegende Holländer), among others. was born in He has also participated in dozens of world Moscow in 1931. premieres of new or newly found works, some He studied piano of which were dedicated to him: works by with and composers including Prokofiev, Shostakovich, with Schnittke, and Sir John his father, Nikolaï Tavener. In 2001 he gave the first performance © Alessandro do Nascimento © Alessandro Anosov, at the of the original version of Prokofiev’s opera Moscow Conservatoire. At the age of 20, he at the . was engaged at the Bolshoi Theatre where he made his debut conducting Tchaikovsky’s His prolific discography reveals his insatiable The Sleeping Beauty. His was to be a long-term curiosity and makes him one of the most relationship with the Bolshoi: he became its recorded conductors of all time. His present Principal Conductor between 1964 and 1970, catalogue features well over 400 recordings, and in 2000 was appointed General Music comprising an astonishing 786 different works. Director. For many years, he also headed the Moscow Radio Orchestra and became the Rozhdestvensky is the recipient of the French first Soviet conductor ever to be appointed Legion of Honour, of the Japanese Order of the Principal Conductor of various foreign Rising Sun, and an Honorary Member of the orchestras: the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm and British Academies. London, the Orchestra, and the Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2011 he celebrated his 80th birthday and the 60th anniversary of his conducting debut Rozhdestvensky also conducted an impressive with a special evening at the Bolshoi Theatre number of performances at the Royal Opera in which he conducted scenes from The House, Covent Garden (Boris Godunov and Sleeping Beauty, the Coronation Scene from new productions of The Golden Cockerel and Boris Godunov, and Rachmaninov’s Second ); the Paris Opera (The Queen of Symphony.

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 5 1/7/2013 3:38:12 PM London Philharmonic orchestra

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is known May each year. In summer, the Orchestra as one of the world’s great orchestras with moves to Sussex where it has been Resident at a reputation secured by its performances in Glyndebourne Festival Opera for over 40 years. the concert hall and opera house, its many The Orchestra also performs at venues around award-winning recordings, its trail-blazing the UK and has made numerous tours to international tours and its pioneering America, Europe and Japan, and visited India, education work. Distinguished conductors Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Australia, who have held positions with the Orchestra Oman, South Africa and Abu Dhabi. since its foundation in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham include Sir , Sir John The London Philharmonic Orchestra made its Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, first recordings on 10 October 1932, just three Klaus Tennstedt, Franz Welser-Möst and Kurt days after its first public performance. It has Masur. Vladimir Jurowski was appointed the recorded and broadcast regularly ever since, Orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor in and in 2005 established its own record label. March 2003 and became Principal Conductor These recordings are taken mainly from live in September 2007. The London Philharmonic concerts given by conductors including LPO Orchestra has been Resident Symphony Principal Conductors from Beecham and Boult, Orchestra at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival through Haitink, Solti and Tennstedt, to Masur Hall since 1992 and there it presents its main and Jurowski. lpo.org.uk series of concerts between September and © Patrick Harrison © Patrick

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 6 1/7/2013 3:38:12 PM Highlights from the London Philharmonic Orchestra Label

For more information or to purchase CDs, telephone +44 (0)20 7840 4242 or visit lpo.org.uk/shop LPO-0001 LPO-0034 LPO-0053 ‘It displays this orchestra’s ‘A gripping interpretation ‘Shostakovich’s piano concertos excellence in emphatic style, of Shostakovich’s Tenth ... take listeners on a wild ride in with some superb soloists Compelling from the outset, the hands of Jurowski, Helmchen and serious class in every Haitink drives it to a heady and the LPO.’ New Jersey Times department.’ Classic FM climax.’ Northern Echo LPO-0039 LPO-0004 LPO-0064 ‘In these dedicated performances ‘In both works, the playing of the ‘The LPO acquits itself well, and both works cast a powerful spell.’ LPO is world class.’ The Guardian climaxes possess all the fizz and BBC Music Magazine firepower one could want.’ BBC Music Magazine

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 7 1/7/2013 3:38:15 PM (1906–75)

59:40 symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65

01 24:02 Adagio – Allegro non troppo 02 6:28 Allegretto 03 6:25 Allegro non troppo – 04 9:16 Largo – 05 13:29 Allegretto

GENNADY Rozhdestvensky conductor london philharmonic ORCHESTRA David Nolan leader

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, London

LPO – 0069

LPO-0069 Shostakovich 8 booklet.indd 8 1/7/2013 3:38:15 PM