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shostakovich Symphony No.7 ‘Leningrad’

Yuri Temirkanov

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Available through record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 Shostakovich Shostakovich Symphony No.7, Op.60, ‘Leningrad’ Symphony No.7, Op.60, ‘Leningrad’

As a 27-year-old, in 1934, Shostakovich the headline ‘Muddle instead of Music’ had a runaway, worldwide success with as a ‘discordant, confused stream of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) his opera, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk sounds…the music cracks, grunts and District, which was regarded as a high- growls’. A few days on, his ballet, The 1 Allegretto 28.40 water mark in Soviet opera and praised by Limpid Stream fared no better under the 2 Moderato (poco allegretto) 10.19 the authorities as ‘the result of the general banner, ‘Balletic Falsehood’. Although success of socialist construction’. In 1936, now seen as preposterous and philistine, 3 Adagio 13.52 with the arts now under the centralized at the time these were unprecedented 4 Allegro non troppo 18.51 control of the All-Union Committee on articles. Pravda, the official organ of Artistic Affairs, the tide was turning Soviet Communism, disapproved in Total timings 71.44 against any composers whose works did language verging upon the violent; the not appeal directly to the masses. Stalin ‘cheap clowning’ of Lady Macbeth being attended a performance of Lady Macbeth chillingly described as ‘a game of clever in January of that year and was offended ingenuity that may end very badly’. The by the forthrightness of the subject party had spoken – this music was not St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra matter and confused by Shostakovich’s to be imitated and the works in question Yuri Temirkanov conductor advanced musical language. Two days disappeared from the repertory forthwith. later, the now notorious Pravda editorial Nobody in the Soviet Union was immune www.signumrecords.com www.saintpetersburgphilharmonic.com appeared describing Lady Macbeth under to Stalin’s Great Purge in the years 2 3 immediately preceding the Second World capture Leningrad on their march toward songs. Much of the Symphony No.7 in C life and music – namely to what extent War. Neither the poorest citizen-comrade Moscow. The Siege of Leningrad, which Major, Op.60, dedicated to the city of his was he either a silent but willing servant nor the highest ranking party official was to last until 1944, with little respite, birth was also written during the invasion of the Soviet Union or a musically could escape Stalin’s clunking fist as he is remembered as 900 days of hell; one of of Russia and the Siege of Leningrad: vociferous critic of the regime’s horrors. sought to consolidate power by ‘cleansing’ the most horrifyingly protracted, savage It’s clear that Leningrad was dear to the Communist Party, and the country at and bloody campaigns in modern history. Never in my life have I dedicated him and he was certainly amongst the large, of so-called dissidents, undesirable For the first 18 months of the siege, my compositions to anyone. But last artists to leave the city when life anti-revolutionaries and other ‘enemies of Leningrad was blockaded completely in this symphony – if I succeed in its became unbearable. It is less apparent the people’. an effort to starve the city and its people realisation – I shall dedicate to just when the famous opening movement into submission. Although ultimately Leningrad. For all that I wrote in it, all was actually conceived. Some push its By the time the Second World War came to unsuccessful, the siege was as much of that I expressed in it, is tied up with genesis as far back as 1939, around the Shostakovich’s doorstep, he had regained a loss to the victors as to the vanquished. that beloved native city of mine, is same time as the completion of the Sixth some respect amongst the Soviet The true number of casualties may never connected with the historic days of its Symphony, while others posit the middle authorities and could even command a be known, and the figures are forever defence against fascist oppressors. of July 1941 as the date he began work. position teaching at the Conservatory. But being revised (mostly upwards), but it Much of the argument here lies in the he still had to watch his step. With the is estimated that somewhere between a Shostakovich had, in fact, dedicated massive movement’s famous ‘invasion Nazi invasion of Russia in June 1941, the third and a half of the city lost their lives a number of previous compositions to theme’ – a short march repeated a composer tried to enlist in the Red Army, to heavy air raids, fire-bombing and the individuals, including his Cello Sonata dozen times with increasing tension. but was rejected seemingly due to his silent killer – starvation. in D minor, Op.40 (to the cellist, Viktor This ‘war machine’ crescendo replaces rather poor eyesight. That he was also one Kubatsky) and the controversial opera, the traditional development section and of the most famous composers in the land Unable to defend his city in the service Lady Macbeth (to his first wife, Nina baldly states the theme over and over may have swayed the judgement of the of the military, Shostakovich instead Vardaz). But such a caveat is hardly one with the only actual development being Communist Party elite. On 8 September volunteered as a fireman, devoting his free that can enter into the realms of the usual in the orchestration which drives the 1941 the Axis powers had arrived to time to writing and arranging patriotic arguments that bedevil Shostakovich’s march into frenzy by accumulation, not

4 5 only through instrumentation, but by an What does seem fairly certain is that Whether this was merely broadcast and, as the American poet Carl Sandburg increase in dynamics and accentuation. the first two movements were completed by Shostakovich, rather than written opined, was music ‘written with the The popular idea has it portraying the about a week after the Leningrad by him, may never be known, but the heart’s blood’. The race for the Western Nazi invaders marching on Russia and Blockade began. On 17 September 1941 composition of the rest of the symphony world’s first performance of this heroic Leningrad. It has also been thought Shostakovich broadcast the following via appears a little less clouded by the mists work was made the more urgent and of as depicting the horrors of Stalinist Leningrad Radio: of time or politics. The third movement exotic and by the microfilm copies of rule, or indeed the terror visited upon seems to have been completed prior to the work taking a circuitously exciting, the masses by any fascist or totalitarian An hour ago, I finished the score the evacuation of Shostakovich and James Bond route out of Russia to the regime. Evidence that both Hitler and of two parts of a large symphonic his family to Moscow on 30 September West, via locations such as Tehran, Cairo, Stalin may be targets rests on musical composition. If I succeed in writing 1941, and the final movement finished Casablanca and (oddly) Brazil. Major quotation within the march theme. The this composition well, if I succeed in in Kuybishev by 27 December, in living conductors in the U.S. vied for the honour second half of the march is most likely completing the third and fourth parts, conditions which were far from favourable of performing it, including Koussevitsky, a parody on an aria from one of Hitler’s then it will be possible to call this to the composer. The world premiere of Rodzinski and Stokowski – Toscanini favourite operettas, Die lustige Witwe composition the Seventh Symphony. the symphony took place in the same eventually winning out with a broadcast (The Merry Widow), the opening of the Why do I announce this? So that the location by similarly displaced members on 19 July 1942. But, not before Henry march resembling moments in the radio listeners who are listening to me of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra under Wood trumped the lot by performing the libretto of Lady Macbeth considered to now will know that the life of our city the direction of Samuil Samosud on 5 symphony with the London Philharmonic be connected with tyrannical behaviour. goes on as normal. We are all now doing March 1942. A few weeks later Samosud Orchestra a month earlier. Shostakovich described the section our military duty. Soviet musicians, introduced the work to Moscow and by succeeding the ‘invasion’ music as my dear and numerous brothers-in- radio to Russia and the world. The work However, the most affecting performance the central focus of the movement as arms, my friends Remember, that quickly became known and mythologised was always going to be when the a ‘requiem for the heroes who died for our art is now in great danger. Let us as a great symphony for the times, an symphony returned to Leningrad. It did us’ in his notes on the occasion of the defend our music, let us work honestly anti-war conception which extolled the so on 9 August 1942 with the much symphony’s first performance. and selflessly. indomitable spirit of man and Leningrad depleted Leningrad Radio Orchestra being

6 7 bolstered by musician soldiers summoned nations. In the United States alone, it back from battle and conducted by was played over sixty times in the year St Petersburg PhilharmonicOrchestra Shostakovich’s fellow student at the following its premiere. The flurry of Petrograd Conservatoire, Karl Eliasberg. performances dried up pretty much as The St. Petersburg Philharmonic at commercial concerts for the general The mighty General Govorov marshalled soon as the war was over – almost as Orchestra, Russia’s oldest symphonic public. The series of concerts ‘Orchestral attacks on enemy gun positions, if the piece had somehow outlived its ensemble, was founded in 1882. In Collections of New Music’ saw the first executing the specially planned Operation usefulness. Shostakovich began to receive that year, by Order of Alexander III, the Russian performances of Richard Strauss’ Court Musical Choir was established symphonic poems Ein Heldenleben and Squall, so that the symphony might not be criticism at home and abroad and before – the prototype of today’s Honoured Also sprach Zarathustra, Mahler’s First interrupted. Loudspeakers relayed long it had all but disappeared from Collective of the Russian Federation. Symphony, Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony the performance not only throughout concert programmes, most especially in Thus, in 2007, the orchestra celebrated and Skryabin’s Poem of Ecstasy. There Leningrad, but were also targeted directly the West. Criticized for being naïve, crude its 125th anniversary. The Musicians’ was a ‘historical series’, concerts at the blockading foe in an interesting and bombastic, the once loved symphony Choir was founded to perform in the featuring the works of a single composer move into psychological warfare. Whether was derided by composers such as ‘imperial presence’ – at receptions and and a series of subscription concerts, music is mightier than fire-bombing Virgil Thomson while Bartók famously official ceremonies and at the balls, some of which were accompanied by is debatable, but the impact of the lampooned the ‘invasion’ theme in his plays and concerts at the Imperial Court. a lecture or an introductory address. symphony, the mere idea of it allied with its Concerto for Orchestra. However, since The pinnacle of this type of activity was Among the conductors were world- subsequent plethora of performances no the late 1970s the Seventh Symphony the participation of the choir in 1896 renowned musicians such as Richard doubt stirred the blood, and strengthened has come back into the canon and is in the coronation ceremony of Nicholas Strauss, Arthur Nikisch, Alexander the sinews of the war effort. once again a regular on the concert II. In 1897 the Court Choir became the Glazunov and Serge Koussevitsky. In scene: critics, composers and public Court Orchestra, its musicians having 1917 the Orchestra became the State The symphony remained popular alike now recognising it as a monumental been transferred from the military and Orchestra and following the Decree of throughout the war years, becoming a condemnation of totalitarianism in all of given the same rights as other actors of 1921 it was incorporated into the newly valuable propaganda tool not only in its guises. royal theatres. In the early 20th century founded Petrograd Philharmonic, the Russia, but among many of the Allied © M Ross the orchestra was permitted to perform first of its kind in the country. Shortly

8 9 afterwards an unprecedented number of Orchestra of the Republic. Four years later to Mravinsky. The orchestra also 2nd International Music Festival ‘Stars great Western conductors began to come Evgeny Mravinsky, the First Prize winner performed in this period and beyond at Baikal’. The tour finished with great to conduct the orchestra. Their names of the National Conductors Competition, with other famous conductors including success in Moscow where in June 2007 enjoy unquestioned authority in today’s joined the orchestra and for the next 50 Leopold Stokowski, Igor Markevich, the orchestra closed the 2nd Festival of musical world: Otto Klemperer (who also years he gradually transformed it into Kurt Sanderling, Arvid Jansons, Mariss the World Symphony Orchestras. 2007/8 conducted the subscription concerts), one of the best orchestras in the world. Jansons, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and saw the orchestra celebrating its 125th Bruno Walter, Felix Weingartner and many Evgeny Svetlanov. anniversary and in December 2008 more. Soloists Vladimir Horowitz and For the performance of Tchaikovsky and Yuri Temirkanov’s 70th birthday. In the Sergey Prokofiev (the latter performing Shostakovich symphonies, the orchestra In 1988 on the initiative of the orchestra, newly refurbished Philharmonic Hall the his piano concertos) appeared with the rapidly became ‘the model’. The Yuri Temirkanov became the principal orchestra gave with Krzysztof Penderecki orchestra. On the initiative of foreign orchestra’s virtuosity put it on a par with conductor of the most famous national the first St. Petersburg performance conductors, the orchestra began to the orchestras of von Karajan and Walter orchestra. So began the ‘Temirkanov of his Polish Requiem, took part in a play modern repertoire – Stravinsky, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra era’, the period of collaboration with concert with Rodion Shchedrin in which Schoenberg, Berg, Hindemith, Honegger, as the best interpreters of Mozart during one of the most sought-after conductors the composer played his First Piano Poulenc and continued to premiere the Viennese festival dedicated to of our times. In the last few years Concerto, performed at the Marathon- the music of contemporary Russian Mozart’s 200th anniversary. Unique in the orchestra has given many world Concert for the International Music Day composers. Back in 1918, directed by the the musical world was also the creative premieres and opened the 2005/2006 and celebrated the 125th anniversary composer, the orchestra had premiered alliance of Mravinsky and Shostakovich. season at Carnegie Hall, the culmination of Igor Stravinsky. The orchestra also the Classical Symphony of Prokofiev, Many of the symphonies were premiered of its performances in all the most visited the USA with a major concert and in 1926 Shostakovich made his by Mravinsky and they became the prestigious concert halls of the world. In tour, including several performances debut when Nikolay Malko conducted centerpieces of the repertoire, both 2006/7, after a long gap, the orchestra in Carnegie Hall. In March 2009 the Shostakovich’s First Symphony in the at home and abroad on tour. We may went for the first time on a large- orchestra inaugurated the recording Great Hall of the Philharmonia. In 1934 imagine how deeply Shostakovich scale concert tour around Russia. It studio of the St Petersburg Philharmonia the orchestra was the first in the country appreciated this collaboration when performed in Siberia in Irkutsk, Surgut, with a performance in the Great Hall of to receive the title of the Honoured he dedicated the Eighth Symphony Khanty-Mansiysk and took part in the Verdi’s Requiem.

10 11 Yuri Temirkanov became the artistic 1976 Temirkanov became the artistic director and chief conductor of the St. director and chief conductor of the Kirov Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in (Mariinsky) Theatre. Here he created 1988. Looking back to Temirkanov’s early classic productions of Eugene Onegin career, a key event was his victory at the and Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky 2nd National Conductors’ Competition as well War and Peace by Prokofiev and in 1966. From that moment onwards, more recently Peter I by Petrov and Dead Temirkanov, a graduate student of Souls by Shchedrin. At this time Kirov the Leningrad Conservatory (from the also started actively performing abroad. class of Professor Ilia Musin) overnight The theatre toured the US, Japan and entered the ranks of the most sought- many countries of Europe, including after conductors of his generation. England, for the first time in history. Together with Kirill Kondrashin and Temirkanov inititated symphony concerts

YURI TEMIRKANOV David Oistrakh he toured internationally by the theatre orchestra both in Russia and performed with orchestras from and abroad. the US, France and Germany. In early 1967 Temirkanov conducted a concert In the same period Temirkanov began his in the Philharmonic Hall and after this collaboration with many world famous performance Evgeny Mravinsky offered orchestras. In 1978 Temirkanov worked him the position of assistant conductor. for the first time with Royal Philharmonic From 1968 the maestro was head of Orchestra and in 1992 became its chief the Academic Symphony Orchestra conductor. From 1992 until 1997 he of the Philharmonia. He widened the was also principal guest conductor of orchestra’s repertoire and took them the Dresden Philharmonic. In 1998 he

12 13 Symphony Orchestra where he remains Temirkanov’s activities have been principal guest conductor. For six seasons recognized by numerous awards and (2000-2006) Temirkanov was the chief titles. Yuri Temirkanov holds the title conductor of the Baltimore Symphony of the People’s Artist of the USSR, he St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra and from 2007-2008 he has has received several State Awards and Yuri Temirkanov conductor been principal guest conductor of the Orders (including the Order of Merit of Bolshoi Theatre and Music Director of the the 2nd grade). The year of his 65th Teatro Reggio in Parma. birthday brought to Temirkanov the President of Russia award and the The main focus, however, of his career Abbiati award, The Best Conductor of Recorded at the Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland, on May 22 2008 for almost 20 years has been the St. the Year. Last season the maestro was by the Radio de la Suisse Romande. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. He elected Honorary Academic of Academy regularly performs in St. Petersburg to of Santa Cecilia and was awarded the St. Signum CD production for the St Petersburg Philharmonic by kind permission conduct the traditional opening and Petersburg Government Award. Despite of the Radio de la Suisse Romande. closing concerts of the season. He also the intensity of his concert schedule, tours extensively with the orchestra and Temirkanov has made the preservation Cover image - Vadim Yegorovsky took them to Carnegie Hall in 2005 in and nurturing of St. Petersburg’s Design - Andrew Giles as part of the official ceremony of the spiritual and cultural inheritance UN General Assembly in commemoration a personal priority. He founded the of the 60th anniversary of Victory day. Temirkanov International Foundation for www.signumrecords.com www.saintpetersburgphilharmonic.com Under the direction of Temirkanov, Cultural Initiatives and in 1998 created St. Petersburg Philharmonic became the the Temirkanov award for talented young 2010 The copyright in this recording is owned by St Petersburg Philharmonic © 2010 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd. first Russian orchestra to perform at the musicians, granted on a yearly basis Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licenses for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, opening concert of the season in this to outstanding students of Musical or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. famous New York concert hall. School of St. Petersburg Conservatory. SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected]

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