Composed in 1970/1, this is Shostakovich’s final symphony, and immediate reaction in the Soviet Union was positive, but mixed elsewhere.
It’s famous for quoting other works, such as the William Tell Overture by Rossini, a song by Glinka, and from the operas Götterdämmerung (last of the Ring Cycle) and Tristan und Isolde by Wagner.
He composed the work as a 65th birthday present to himself – he was exhausted due to suffering from poliomyelitis, and he suffered a second heart attack before the premiere.
The symphony is in four movements, with a link between movements two and three
- Allegretto
- Adagio – Largo – Adagio – Largo segue
- Allegretto
- Adagio – Allegretto – Adagio – Allegretto
The first starts with glockenspiel, then flute, pizzicato strings, and a motif on the trumpet using all 12 notes of the chromatic scales, and starts to include the William Tell overture.
The second starts with a brass chorale, then a cello solo, then flutes, then a solo trombone. A timpani roll introduces the bassoons which start the third movement which is scherzando.
The last movement quotes Wagner and Glinka, using a passacaglia as in the previous Symphony 7 creating a climax. It concludes with a repeat of the opening, then part of Symphony 4, ending on a C sharp.
The Listening Project Blog 