The Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 by Soviet Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
The symphony was composed on the basis of classical sonata form. It premiered in 1953 just after the death of Stalin.
It is filled with dark, tragic pathos and passion. One of Shostakovich’s most popular and famous symphonies, along with No. 5 and No. 7.
It consists of four movements: the long and slow first (moderato), the stormy and scherzo-like second (allegro), the third (allegretto), and the fourth (andante – allegro). The third and fourth ones show a strong influence of Mahler. The DSCH motif (a musical monogram of the composer’s name “Dimitri SCHostakowitsch” in German transliteration) is heavily used in the third and fourth ones.
Herbert von Karajan conducts Berliner Philharmoniker. Recorded in 1981 and released in 1982 on Deutsche Grammophon.
This is Karajan’s only recording of Shostakovich’s symphony. He recorded this symphony twice (1966 and 1981). This is the second one.
