Marc Taddei Photo: Screenshot SOUNZ
Publicly, this was a symphony mourning the 27 million Russian casualties of war.
Privately, it was Shostakovich's response to Stalin's atrocities. The authorities found it 'anti-Soviet' and by 1948 it was censored. Attempts were made to destroy all copies.
"Everyone had someone to cry over, but you had to cry silently, under the blanket, so no one would see ... I had to describe the horrible extermination machine and express protest against it. The seventh and eighth symphonies are my Requiems." ~ Dmitri Shostakovich, Testimony.
Symphony No 8 was written in the summer of 1943, and first performed on November 4 of that year by the USSR Symphony Orchestra under Yevgeny Mravinsky, to whom the work is dedicated. There are five movements.
Recorded 30 November 2019, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Darryl Stack
