Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 11 • Overture - Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1983)

Shostakovich 's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54 was written in 1939, and first performed in Leningrad on 21 November 1939 by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra under Evgeny Mravinsky. The Sixth Symphony was originally said to be a large-scale "Lenin Symphony" - a project which was often announced, but never materialised. Shostakovich had announced once in September 1938 that he was anxious to work on his Sixth Symphony, which would be a monumental composition for soloists, chorus and orchestra employing the poem Vladimir Ilyich Lenin by Vladimir Mayakovsky, but the declamatory nature of the poem made it difficult to set. He later tried to incorporate other literature about Lenin in his new symphony, but without success. In January 1939, he spoke about the Sixth Symphony in a radio address, with no mention of Lenin or any extramusical associations.

Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 in G minor (Op. 103; subtitled The Year 1905) was written in 1957 and premiered by the USSR Symphony Orchestra under Natan Rakhlin on 30 October 1957. The symphony was conceived as a popular piece and proved an instant success in Russia—his largest, in fact, since the Leningrad Symphony just over a decade earlier.

This recording was made in the series which Haitink undertook between 1977 and 1984, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam. These particular recordings were done with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (which received a Royal endorsement a decade later, hence being renamed the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra). For this recording of the 11th Haitink was awarded an Edison. This is the original CD-doubler of the 6th and 11th symphony and the "Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes" as a filler. Again, a must hear recording!


Tracklist:

Disc 1:
1. Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes, op. 115
2. Symphonie Nr. 6, op. 54 - 1. Largo
3. Symphonie Nr. 6, op. 54 - 2. Allegro
4. Symphonie Nr. 6, op. 54 - 3. Presto

Disc 2:
1. Symphonie Nr. 11, op. 103, "The Year 1905" - 1. The Palace Square: Adagio
2. Symphonie Nr. 11, op. 103, "The Year 1905" - 2. The Ninth of January: Allegro
3. Symphonie Nr. 11, op. 103, "The Year 1905" - 3. In Memoriam: Adagio
4. Symphonie Nr. 11, op. 103, "The Year 1905" - 4. The Tocsin: Allegro non troppo




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