# Shostakovich Symphony No. 10



## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Would some posters please leave some comments about it?

It's history, relevance, place, excellence (or not)....

Thanks


----------



## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

It's History HERE
A superb performance HERE.

Excellent? Sure, why not. Better than most symphonies written since 1950. It's a heck of a lot of fun to play! Great bassoon/contrabassoon parts anyway.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

At times I find it a bit too repetitive, so not really my favourite among his symphonies, but still a fine work, of course.

Fun fact: 
in the earlier LP days, the Colosseum label wrongly claimed to have released a recording with Shostakovich himself conducting; in reality, it is however a Mravinsky recording.









But there's a recording with Shosty at the piano in a piano arrangement:


----------



## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

The last time someone brought up the subject …

Dmitri Shostakovich

… I gave the answer below, in post #330. Discussion and further elaboration followed in the subsequent pages:

The Tenth is the most traditional in several respects and there is a consensus that it is one of the best of the fifteen. Structurally and in terms of narrative design, the first movement is in a direct line with those of Tchaikovsky (the Fourth and Sixth particularly) and Rachmaninoff, especially the Second Symphony, with which it shares its key and a number of other features. All of these movements begin with a dark introductory statement or motto theme that sounds like an external or extra-personal force. Tchaikovsky associated his opening mottoes with "Fate," while that of Rachmaninoff's First represents divine retribution. Shostakovich left no credible and verifiable hint about what the opening of the Tenth might signify, although those accepting Testimony at face value might hear it as the oppressive sense of impending doom before WWII. In any case, the principal theme proper, the clarinet melody after the introduction, is the first personal, lyrical statement to emerge onto the darkened stage set by the introduction. Throughout the movement it is flayed alive and pushed to expressions of extreme distress, ground between the opposing forces of the other themes. In the coda it is left disembodied as from a world beyond, the piccolo that revisits it hanging four octaves above the motto in the low strings. (perhaps a memory of the dead?) The balletic second theme in G major David Fanning described as "the ghost of a Tchaikovskian waltz" (think of the waltz second theme in the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Fourth) but in this case, "dance" takes on the more sinister meaning of a ritual with forced steps, as in dancing with the devil or cooperation with an irresistible force.

As for the overall design, it exactly follows the model of Beethoven's Fifth in several crucial ways: A theme of the scherzo, the principal theme in Shostakovich's case, derives from the symphony's opening motto, returns as a threat in the middle of the finale, and is subsequently overcome. In Shostakovich's Tenth it seems to be gaining the upper hand until the composer's signature motive is sounded fff by the whole orchestra, effectively writing it out of existence. Galina Vishnevskaya, a friend of the composer, described this as "Shostakovich's indictment of the tyrant [Stalin] which he signed with his musical monogram" (I am quoting from memory and might have gotten the wording a little off.)


----------



## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

eljr said:


> Would some posters please leave some comments about it?
> 
> It's history, relevance, place, excellence (or not)....
> 
> Thanks


Oh, honestly eljr, is that all? - Just its history, place, merit, etc, eh? - Sounds suspiciously to me as if this is nothing more than yet another thinly disguised attempt to trick us into doing your homework...

Do you want us to type your term paper single- or double-spaced, ya lazy ba$tard? - :lol:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._10_(Shostakovich)

https://www.markwigglesworth.com/notes/marks-notes-on-shostakovich-symphony-nos-5-6-10/

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/the-best-recordings-of-shostakovichs-symphony-no-10

http://www.musicweb-international.com/Programme_Notes/shost_sym10.htm

https://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/shostakovich-symphony-no-10-3

https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/about/archive/program-notes/shostakovich/symphony-no-10


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Recent musicological research has shown that Shostakovich's 10th Symphony was actually written by that two-fisted waiter-baiting brawler Alexander Mosolov, composer of the famous _Iron Foundry_, while he was serving time in the gulag for hooliganism.

Released, he wanted the work heard but, given the poisonous atmosphere at the time, feared that such a controversial work would place his life in danger. Finally he asked Shostakovich to put the music forth as if he himself had written it. Shostakovich agreed and submitted the work to the Composer's Union as his own.

But by then any danger had mostly evaporated because Stalin had unexpectedly died. So Mosolov changed his mind and demanded that credit for the symphony be returned to him. Shostakovich refused. Words were exchanged, and the two composers ended up on the banks of the Neva River on a cold winter morning in late 1953, armed with dueling pistols. The outcome of that contest is, of course, well known, although the cause of it has been a mystery until now. In any event, there's no need to describe subsequent events.


----------



## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

KenOC said:


> Recent musicological research has shown that Shostakovich's 10th Symphony was actually written by that two-fisted waiter-baiting brawler Alexander Mosolov, composer of the famous _Iron Foundry_, while he was serving time in the gulag for hooliganism.
> 
> Released, he wanted the work heard but, given the poisonous atmosphere at the time, feared that such a controversial work would place his life in danger. Finally he asked Shostakovich to put the music forth as if he himself had written it. Shostakovich agreed and submitted the work to the Composer's Union as his own.
> 
> But by then any danger had mostly evaporated because Stalin had unexpectedly died. So Mosolov changed his mind and demanded that credit for the symphony be returned to him. Shostakovich refused. Words were exchanged, and the two composers ended up on the banks of the Neva River on a cold winter morning in late 1953, armed with dueling pistols. The outcome of that contest is, of course, well known, although the cause of it has been a mystery until now. In any event, there's no need to describe subsequent events.


You sure? Might want to check your sources, I'm pretty positive it was the Volklov River.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

There's a recent biography by Pauline Fairclough that has received positive reviews. By coincidence I picked up Petrenko's recording of no.10 at the library today so I'll be listening this week.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

starthrower said:


> There's a recent biography by Pauline Fairclough that has received positive reviews. By coincidence I picked up Petrenko's recording of no.10 at the library today so I'll be listening this week.


There seem to be quite a few good recordings of the 10th. I'm fond especially of the Karajan, Shipway, Petrenko, Dudamel, and some others as well. Lately I've been listening to Nelsons, which may be among the best.


----------



## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

#10 is one of DS' best symphonies. Stokowski/CSO live from 1966 is the best I've ever heard...really gripping, exciting performance. Mitropoulos/NYPO, Solti and Mravinsky are good also.


----------

