Shostakovich Symphony No.10 in E Minor

SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO.10 IN E MINOR

BERNARD HAITINK conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

A BBC recording SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO.10

Of Shostakovich’s fifteen symphonies, the Tenth 1950s, by which time conditions were more occupies a central position, emotionally and favourable: in fact, only months after Stalin’s stylistically, if not numerically. He composed it death Pravda was already asserting the in 1953, a crucial year for Soviet art, and indeed composer’s right to ‘independence, courage for Soviet life in general. Stalin’s death in March and experimentation’. In a famous resolution 1953 heralded an end to a period of extreme (passed on 28 May 1958) the Party, while artistic repression, during which Shostakovich claiming that the criticisms of 1948 had himself had suffered severe rebukes from the ‘played, on the whole, a positive role in the Party authorities. In 1936 his second opera, subsequent development of Soviet music’, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, had also acknowledged that ‘Shostakovich... and been pilloried in a notorious Pravda editorial others, whose works at times revealed the entitled ‘Chaos instead of Music’; and then in wrong tendencies, were indiscriminately 1948, along with most other Soviet composers denounced as the representatives of of worth, he had been condemned by Stalin’s a formalist, anti-people trend’. aide Andrey Zhdanov for alleged ‘formalistic’ and ‘anti-democratic’ tendencies in his music. Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony was the first significant orchestral piece to emerge in Just as the former incident caused the post-Stalin era, and it was also the first Shostakovich to withhold from performance symphony that Shostakovich had attempted his bold, rhetorical Fourth Symphony for about eight years (his Ninth was written (composed in 1935-6, but not performed until in 1945, at the end of the war). As such, the 1961), so the Zhdanov censures encouraged Tenth was the subject of a fevered three day him to concentrate for the time being on debate (on 29 and 30 March, and 5 April potentially uncontroversial works - film 1954) at the Moscow branch of the Union scores, cantatas - and to keep to himself a of Soviet Composers. Some commentators, handful of works which, in such an adverse regarding the symphony as a ‘non-realistic’ political climate, would almost certainly have work, condemned its pessimism: others caused a stir: the song cycle From Hebrew emphasised the composer’s right to be guided Folk-Poetry (1948), the Fourth String Quartet by his own artistic integrity. And the young (1949) and the First Violin Concerto (1947-8). composer Andrey Volkonsky found a neat All were eventually performed in the mid- description for it: an ‘optimistic tragedy’. It is the first three movements in particular rather less immediately recognizable guises, that lend the symphony its aura of tragedy. as in the First Cello Concerto (1959), and, more The first movement, with its vast span, broad, quirkily, the Fifteenth Symphony (1971). intensely lyrical thematic material and dark orchestral sonorities, is an essay in deep It recurs, too, at the dramatic climax of the introspection, unrelievedly sombre in its finale of the Tenth Symphony, a movement language - a mood not exactly unfamiliar in which is ostensibly fresh and bright but which, Shostakovich’s earlier music, but certainly one like the scherzo, has an underlying grim power. he was to explore even more earnestly in his latest symphonies, quartets and songs. This Geoffrey Norris sense of brooding (which recurs in the slow introduction to the finale) sets the tone for the whole work; but grave and despairing though the symphony is, it is also a work of sharp musical contrasts. The second movement, for example, is brutal and savage in its gestures, with those incisive, terrifying rhythmic traits and characteristics of scoring (bustling strings, prominent brass and woodwind) so typical of Shostakovich in his more demonstrative vein.

The third movement is more wistful, an eerie, tentative dance which has as a dominating feature a rumbustious waltz-theme based on the notes of Shostakovich’s personal musical monogram, DSCH – the notes D, E flat, C and B natural. This tiny motif not only has a distinctive melodic outline but also implies an ambiguity of harmony that renders it highly fruitful as a compositional seed; and it permeates much of Shostakovich’s music, either overtly - as in the First Violin Concerto or the Eighth String Quartet (1960) - or in London Philharmonic Orchestra

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is known In summer, the Orchestra moves to Sussex as one of the world’s great orchestras with where it has been the resident symphony a reputation secured by its performances in orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera for the concert hall and opera house, its many over 40 years. The Orchestra also performs award winning recordings, its trail-blazing at venues around the UK and has made international tours and its pioneering numerous tours to America, Europe and education work. Distinguished conductors Japan, and visited India, Hong Kong, China, who have held positions with the Orchestra South Korea, Australia, South Africa and since its foundation in 1932 by Sir Thomas Abu Dhabi. Beecham include Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, The London Philharmonic Orchestra made Klaus Tennstedt, Franz Welser-Möst and Kurt its first recordings on 10 October 1932, just Masur. Vladimir Jurowski was appointed the three days after its first public performance. Orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor in It has recorded and broadcast regularly ever March 2003, becoming Principal Conductor since, and in 2005 established its own record in September 2007, succeeding Kurt Masur. label. These CDs are unique: amongst them The London Philharmonic Orchestra has been are archive recordings, studio recordings, resident symphony orchestra at Southbank live concert recordings and recordings of Centre’s Royal Festival Hall since 1992 and world-premiere performances which, since there it presents its main series of concerts April 2008, are also available as high quality between September and May each year. downloads. Visit: www.lpo.org.uk ©Erich Lehner Bernard Haitink conducting the London Philharmonic OrchestraPhilharmonicLondon the conducting Haitink Bernard America’s ‘Musician of the Year’ for 2007. for Year’ the of ‘Musician America’s Musical named was He Honour. of Companion and KBE honorary an including awards, international many received has Haitink Staatskapelle. Dresden and Orchestra Radio Bavarian Glyndebourne, at Orchestra Philharmonic London the Opera, Royal the with recordings opera many made also has He Symphony. Chicago the with No.7 Symphony Bruckner’s and 6, and Nos.3 Symphonies Mahler’s Orchestra, Symphony London the with cycle Beethoven acclaimed highly a include recordings recent most His Orchestra. Symphony Boston the and orchestras Philharmonic Vienna and Berlin Orchestra, Concertgebouw the with extensively recorded has Haitink Orchestra. Symphony Boston the of Emeritus Conductor and Orchestra Concertgebouw Royal the of Laureate Conductor is 1979.He and 1967 between Orchestra Philharmonic London the of Conductor Principal and Opera, Festival Glyndebourne Garden, Covent Opera, Royal the Staatskapelle, Dresden Orchestra, Concertgebouw Royal the of director music been has he 2006, since Orchestra Symphony Chicago the of Conductor Principal decades. five than more spanned has career conducting Haitink’s Bernard HAITINK BERNARD conductor

LPO-0002 LPO-0001 LPO-0033

LPO-0009 LPO-0010 LPO-0012

LPO-0023 LPO-0031 LPO-0032 DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)

55:00 Symphony No.10 in E minor, Op.93

Part I 01 24:40 Moderato 02 4:06 Allegro 03 11:42 Allegretto 04 14:09 Andante – Allegro

BERNARD HAITINK conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA David Nolan leader

Recorded live at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL London

LPO – 0034