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Background:

• The Symphony was written in the summer of 1943, and first performed on 4 November of that year by the USSR Symphony Orchestra under Yevgeny Mravinsky, to whom the work is dedicated. It was briefly nicknamed the "Stalingrad Symphony" following the American premiere in 1944.
• Shostakovich's friend Isaac Glikman called this symphony his most tragic work. The work, like many of his symphonies, breaks some of the standard conventions of symphonic form and structure. Shostakovich clearly references themes, rhythms and harmonies from his previous symphonies, most notably Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 7.
• After the Zhdanov decree of 1946, the Symphony was effectively banned until eight years later. It was rehabilitated in October 1956, in a performance by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Samuil Samosud.
• Music critics have ranked it among the composer's finest scores.

Recordings:

• Symphonies.
  Symphony No. 8.
  WDR Sinfonieorchester.
  Rudolf Barshai.
  Brilliant Classics.
  Radio 3 Building a Library (2008): Budget Choice.

• The Symphonies.
  Symphony No. 8.
  London Philharmonic Orchestra.
  Bernard Haitink.
  Decca.

• Symphony No. 8.
  Concertgebouw Orchestra.
  Bernard Haitink.
  Decca.

• Under Stalin’s Shadow: Symphonies Nos. 5, 8 & 9.
  Boston Symphony Orchestra.
  Andris Nelsons.
  Deutsche Grammophon.

• Symphonies Nos. 1 – 15.
  Symphony No. 8.
  London Symphony Orchestra.
  Gianandrea Noseda.
  LSO Live.
  Presto Recordings of the Year (2019): Finalist.
  International Classical Music Awards (2022): Nominated Symphonic Music.

• Symphony No. 8.
  Berliner Philharmoniker.
  Kirill Petrenko.
  Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.

• The Symphonies.
  Symphony No. 8.
  BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
  Mark Wigglesworth.
  BIS.

About Coram Deo

Coram Deo — before the face of God. This blog reflects on Scripture, world events, science, music, psychology, and the human mind — always through the lens of Christian faith. All of life is lived before the face of God.