ADDITIONAL RELEASES
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LPO-0069
SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO. 8
36
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LPO-0034
SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO. 10
Gennady Rozhdestvensky conductor
Bernard Haitink conductor
Composed during the Second World War, Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony is a powerful work that juxtaposes music of unremitting bleakness and moments of shattering brutality, ending in a tentative expression of optimism. Today it stands not only as a chilling reminder of some of the darkest days of the 20th century, but also as a reminder of Shostakovich’s acute musical imagination and craftsmanship. Gennady Rozhdestvensky conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in this live 1983 concert recording from Royal Festival Hall. A BBC recording
Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony was first performed shortly after Stalin’s death in 1953. This was the first of his works to be completed without the restraints of strict communist artistic control hanging over him. A dark and tragic tone is projected throughout the Symphony and the distinct contrasts create a dramatic and intense work. Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall during the 1986 BBC Proms, Bernard Haitink and the London Philharmonic Orchestra give a compelling account of this monumental symphony. A BBC recording