# Shostakovich's Symphony No. 2



## Rhombic (Oct 28, 2013)

While I must admit that I have discovered this symphony quite recently, probably because of the sharp decline in popularity that it has experienced when compared to other major symphonic works of the same composer, Shostakovich's symphony no. 2 _To October_, premiered in 1927, ten years after the October Revolution, is pretty much a new symphony with new colours and composition technique that had not been observed in this composer until then.
The way Shostakovich treats this symphony with an important choral part, is quite innovative. Lacking any cohesive melodic devices, the expressionism and almost "abstract art" used in composing the symphony generated mixed opinions among the critics and audiences. In fact, its atonality surprised many and appealed to some of them.
I was surprised that this symphony is not listed in the "ultimate" 150-symphony list and, well, I just want to know your opinion about it.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

This is the only Shosty symphony I don't own.

I hope posters mention their favorite recordings of it.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

I think it's a fascinating work. Definitely not one of his best, but certainly one of his most original.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

It's kind of interesting, but I feel that the closing chorus feels out of place, both tacked-on and tacky.


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## revdrdave (Jan 8, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


> It's kind of interesting, but I feel that the closing chorus feels out of place, both tacked-on and tacky.


I agree completely. The best thing about this and Shostakovich's Third is that they make the leap to the amazing Fourth that much more astonishing.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

revdrdave said:


> I agree completely. The best thing about this and Shostakovich's Third is that they make the leap to the amazing Fourth that much more astonishing.


I think the experience gained from writing Lady Macbeth, ballets and film scores, the cello sonata, and the first piano concerto gave him a lot more to work with than when he had written the Third. He had free rein to make the most of his facility, and he certainly made a good deal of it in those six years.


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

It's a little weird, for sure. Not one of his best, I think. When I listen to it, I find parts of it interesting, but it doesn't really move me.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I received it by mistake and the seller let me keep it and refunded my money, too  I had it hanging around here for a couple of months and finally put it on last summer. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised! The first couple (?) of movements, the instrumental ones, were great. I was not so taken by the final one with the singing. I have since gotten into DSCH's 13th Symphony, a marvellous work that is all songs, so I ought to revisit the 2nd sometime soon.


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

brotagonist said:


> I received it by mistake and the seller let me keep it and refunded my money, too  I had it hanging around here for a couple of months and finally put it on last summer. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised! The first couple (?) of movements, the instrumental ones, were great. I was not so taken by the final one with the singing. I have since gotten into DSCH's 13th Symphony, a marvellous work that is all songs, so I ought to revisit the 2nd sometime soon.


I really don't think there's much similarity at all between DSCH's 2nd and 13th symphonies. If you love the 13th (I do too) and you expect something similar in the 2nd, I think you may be disappointed!


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I realize that. The Second is a very early work. Still, the orchestral movements were very appealing.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Sure, I can listen to it, but the 'agitprop' section does make the work somewhat disjointed. Remove that and you have a good stand-alone movement which could have provided the foundation for something more substantial - however, the work was commissioned to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Revolution so perhaps DSCH felt obliged to provide something that could be clearly associated with the event. But I'm more than willing to cut DSCH some slack here - he was still finding his feet and writing for chorus was, I think, also new to him. So, all part of the learning curve, then.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I've considered DSCH's second and third symphonies quite a lot and have come to see them like the first is more like "study symphonies". He tacked on those revolutionary choral finales just to make them acceptable for the soviet authorities! (Both of the poem's are sub par in the history of Russian poetry and his setting is done much in the sleep!)

It is with Lady Macbeth and the fourth Symphony he reach maturity just to have his ground demolished by the said authorities!

/ptr


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

Vasks said:


> This is the only Shosty symphony I don't own.
> 
> I hope posters mention their favorite recordings of it.


This is my favorite










Rudolf Barshai, WDR Sinfonieorchester

Moreover, there is a general enthusiasm for the Vasily Petrenko edition










I listened only to his recording of the 10th, which I found stunning.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I have the Barshai & Kondrashin recordings of Symphony 2. 

It's not my necessarily my favorite, but do like to listen to it and and it certainly is interesting to hear if you're not used to that style of composition.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

apricissimus said:


> It's a little weird, for sure. Not one of his best, I think. When I listen to it, I find parts of it interesting, but it doesn't really move me.


That was pretty much my reaction, kind of like Prokofiev's second [though that symphony is more interesting to me]. Except the chorus at the end really turned me off


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

The new Naxos recording by Petrenko (see pic above in post #13) is very good and well worth picking up. 
Also well worthy of hearing is this 2-CD set from Melodiya / BMG Classics with Rozhdestvensky conducting the USSR MoC SO.









If you want to hear the 'October' symphony done by someone who really doesn't get Shostakovich at all, then this disc from BBC Music has curio value. The Shostakovich symphony is one thing, but the performance of Prokofiev's 20th Anniversary Cantata is truly awful.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

Shostakovich's 2nd is certainly an odd one and very experimental. And yes, the closing chorus seems more like propaganda than a sincere work of art, but I love the use of the sirens in the piece--that was something I had never heard before. Jarvi is my favorite recording of this work.


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