TRACKLISTING

Symphony No.7 in C major, op.60 “Leningrad”
1 I Allegretto
2 II Moderato (poco allegretto)
3 III Adagio
4 IV Allegro non troppo

Kirov Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Valery Gergiev

Live recording

RECORDING INFORMATION

Click here to see a special video about this recording

The Kirov and Rotterdam Philharmonic orchestras join forces under Valery Gergiev for a live recording of Shostakovich's mighty symphony known as the “Leningrad” — a fitting celebration of the 300th year of that great city, which is now known once more as St Petersburg.

This is another key release in The Year of Celebration of Valery Gergiev's 50th birthday.
This release follows the outstanding recording of Sheherazade (470 840-2) and showcases both the Kirov Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, under their music director Valery Gergiev, in more great Russian orchestral music.

This recording was made live in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in September 2001.

The Music
Shostakovich began work on his Seventh Symphony in September 1941 at a time when Leningrad was under siege and over 600,000 people perished. Shostakovich endured these terrible conditions until he finally agreed to be evacuated to Moscow a month later. By then he had completed the first three movements of the work and being evacuated once more, this time to Kuybïshev, he completed the symphony in December of that year.

The first performance of the work was on 5 March 1942 in Kuybïshev, by the Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre; a Moscow performance soon followed on 29 March and Leningrad heard the work for the first time on 9 August 1942.

Numerous performances were given in the United States during the 1942–43 concert season and until the end of the 1940s the work enjoyed great popularity. This symphony has now become a regular part of concert seasons given by many orchestras throughout the world.