Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 (Complete Symphonies Vol. 2) – Alain Altinoglu

‘Basically, I only have two symphonies: the Fourth and the Eighth.’ Shostakovich is said to have remarked. Yevgeny Mravinsky, to whom Symphony No. 8 is dedicated, wrote in his diary: ‘I spent the whole evening reflecting on and sketching out the form and dramatic arc of Shostakovich’s Eighth. It moves me ever more deeply each time. Especially the “Great Terror” section of the first movement!!’. The themes of martyrdom and the transformation of the human being into a manipulable puppet run through this unsettling and monumental work. This recording constitutes the second volume of the complete Shostakovich symphonies by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by its music director, Alain Altinoglu.