Composed over a period of nearly 50 years, Dmitri Shostakovich's 15 symphonies are astonishingly diverse in conception and expression, reflecting the composer's personal experiences, the history of the 20th century and the tensions and struggles of an artist under the Soviet regime. These recordings fulfil a promise that Mstislav Rostropovich made to the composer, a close and long-standing friend, before he left Russia as an exile in 1974. 'These symphonies mark fifteen stages in our lives,' he said. 'The emotional history of our country, my history, his history, our history.'
1 CD 1- Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: I. Allegretto
2 Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: II. Allegro
3 Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: III. Lento
4 Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10: IV. Allegro Molto
5 Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70: I. Allegro
6 Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70: II. Moderato
7 Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70: III. Presto
8 Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70: IV. Largo
9 Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 70: V. Allegretto
10 CD 2- Symphony No. 2 in B Major, Op. 14, "To October": I. Largo
11 Symphony No. 2 in B Major, Op. 14, "To October": II. Crochet
12 Symphony No. 2 in B Major, Op. 14, "To October": III. Poco Meno Mosso - Allegro Molto
13 Symphony No. 2 in B Major, Op. 14, "To October": IV. Chorus "To October"
14 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": I. Allegretto
15 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": II. Più Mosso, Allegro
16 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": III. Andante
17 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": IV. Allegro, Allegro Molto
18 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": V. Andante, Largo
19 Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 20, "First of May": VI. Chorus "V Pervoye Maya... "
20 CD 3- Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43: I. Allegretto Poco Moderato
21 Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43: II. Moderato Con Moto
22 Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43: III. Largo - Allegro
23 CD 4- Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: I. Moderato
24 Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: II. Allegretto
25 Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: III. Largo
26 Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: IV. Allegro Non Troppo
27 CD 5- Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54: I. Largo
28 Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54: II. Allegro
29 Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54: III. Presto
30 Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Op. 112, "The Year of 1917": I. Revolutionary Petrograd
31 Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Op. 112, "The Year of 1917": II. Razliv
32 Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Op. 112, "The Year of 1917": III. Aurora
33 Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Op. 112, "The Year of 1917": IV. the Dawn of Humanity
34 CD 6- Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, "Leningrad": I. Allegretto
35 Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, "Leningrad": II. Moderato - Poco Allegretto
36 Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, "Leningrad": III. Adagio
37 Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, "Leningrad": IV. Allegro Non Troppo
38 CD 7 - Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65: I. Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo
39 Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65: II. Allegretto
40 Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65: III. Allegro Non Troppo
41 Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65: IV. Largo
42 Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65: V. Allegretto
43 CD 8 - Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93: I. Moderato
44 Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93: II. Allegro
45 Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93: III. Allegretto
46 Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93: IV. Andante - Allegro
47 CD 9- Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103, "The Year 1905": I. Palace Square
48 Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103, "The Year 1905": II. Ninth of January
49 Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103, "The Year 1905": III. in Memoriam
50 - Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103, "The Year 1905": IV. the Toscin
51 CD 190- Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat minor, Op. 113, "Babi Yar": I. Babi Yar - Adagio
52 Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat minor, Op. 113, "Babi Yar": II. Humour - Allegretto
53 Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat minor, Op. 113, "Babi Yar": III. in the Store - Adagio
54 Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat minor, Op. 113, "Babi Yar": IV. Fears - Largo
55 Symphony No. 13 in B-Flat minor, Op. 113, "Babi Yar": V. a Career - Allegretto
56 CD 11- Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: I. de Profundis
57 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: II. Malagueña
58 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: III. Lorelei
59 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: IV. the Suicide
60 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: V. on Watch
61 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: VI. Madam, Look!
62 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: VII. at the Santé Jail
63 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: VIII. the Zaporozhian Cossack's Answer to the Sultan of Constantinople
64 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: IX. O Delvig, Delvig!
65 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: X. the Poet's Death
66 Symphony No. 14 in G minor, Op. 135: XI. Conclusion
67 CD 12- Symphony No. 15 in a Major, Op. 141: I. Allegretto
68 Symphony No. 15 in a Major, Op. 141: II. Adagio - Largo
69 Symphony No. 15 in a Major, Op. 141: III. Allegretto
70 Symphony No. 15 in a Major, Op. 141: IV. Adagio - Allegretto
Composed over a period of nearly 50 years, Dmitri Shostakovich's 15 symphonies are astonishingly diverse in conception and expression, reflecting the composer's personal experiences, the history of the 20th century and the tensions and struggles of an artist under the Soviet regime. These recordings fulfil a promise that Mstislav Rostropovich made to the composer, a close and long-standing friend, before he left Russia as an exile in 1974. 'These symphonies mark fifteen stages in our lives,' he said. 'The emotional history of our country, my history, his history, our history.'
