English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas 

Shostakovich’s Symphony No.10 was composed between July and October 1953, but with sketches dating back as early as 1946. It was premiered on December 17 of 1953, performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yevgeni Mravinsky. It was well-received by audiences, but critics and authorities were much more reserved, deeming it as too subjective and individualistic. The piece was soon widely performed in the Soviet Union and abroad, all while everyone were still discussing its content and meaning.

An eight-year gap separates the tenth symphony from the previous one. In 1948, Shostakovich was denounced for the second time, being the first name in a list of six «formalist» and «anti-people» composers, whose music was blacklisted and were forced to recant in humiliating speeches. In addition, Shostakovich was expelled from his teaching post in the Moscow conservatory, was constantly harassed in newspapers and magazines, and friend and colleagues turned against him. However, Shostakovich barely reacted, instead watching stoically everything unfold in front of him as a grotesque spectacle. For several years, he had to live a triple life; composing film scores in order to earn money, official works in the socialist realist style to secure his rehabilitation, and his true music for the desk drawer, only to be revealed in safer times.

The first movement is loosely structured in sonata form. It begins with a slow introduction in which a sinuous six-note motive is introduced by low strings, being the foundation of the whole piece. Over this motive, a dramatic and expressive main theme is unfolded until reaching a declamatory climax. A more melodic second motive on clarinet is also introduced, which grows into a lyrical and melancholic theme. A flute solo presents a third theme in form of a rarefied waltz, taken by strings. The materials and elements are constantly evolving and shifting, with no real distinctive «development section». Shostakovich also quotes the second movement («What is in My Name?») of his «Four Monologues on Verses by Pushkin» for bass and piano.

This theme of personal identity is picked up again in the third and fourth movements. After a long and gloomy passage, the music gradually grows more intense, with the motive appearing constantly on low brass, woodwinds and strings. A desperate climax is unleashed, followed by a torrent of motives and themes interwoven in a dense counterpoint, only intensifying the dramatic scope of the music. A martial, relentless climax is reached with an inversion of the motive appearing on the horns. Slowly, the music calms down to return to the opening sobriety, the main themes being recapitulated in a varied and inverted manner, with the six-note motive underneath. A calm and pale coda ends the movement with a hint of hope, as the motive dissolves in the silence.

The second movement is a brief scherzo in ternary form. A biting and menacing main theme is introduced by clarinet over string figures, being derived from the six-note motive. It reaches a violent and ferocious climax, being followed by a deliriant and alarming second theme on strings, being hardly contrasting. The main theme is gnarly recapitulated by the brass in an augmented form. After a brief diminuendo, a wild coda ends the movement with an unstoppable outburst.

The third movement is structured as a sonata-rondo. It opens with an ambiguous waltz theme on low strings, again derived from the six-note motive. A key motive is introduced by the flute, which is Shostakovich’s own name (in German) as an acronym: DSCH. It is taken by strings and passes to multiple instruments. The main theme is recapitulated, leading us to a horn figure that represents Elmira Nazirova, a student of the composer with whom he fell in love. These two motives and their interplay become the key focus of the movement. After a brief recapitulation of the main theme and its motive, the music turns grotesque and bitter, reaching an intense climax with Nazirova and Shostakovich’s motives. Follows a distorted, fragmentary recapitulation of the material, slowly fading in the silence as the DSCH motive on piccolo brings the movement to a close.

The fourth movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a slow and ominous introduction, dominated by an oppressive lament of the oboe, which passes to flute and bassoon in a series of woodwind dialogues. The main allegro suddenly starts with a joyful figure on clarinet derived from the opening lament, which is transformed into a lively and cheerful main theme. A more vulgar, dance-like second theme is also introduced. Both themes are derived from the six-note motive. The development is frenetic and almost hysteric in tone. The scherzo’s theme feverishly reappears before the DSCH motive blasts from the brass, destroying it. Follows a recapitulation of the themes in a hushed, almost sombre manner. A bright and triumphal coda, built on a combination of the main themes, the scherzo’s theme, Shostakovich’s motive and the six-note motive ends the work with great vitality.

Now let’s proceed to analyse the meaning of the work. Originally, Shostakovich described it as purely abstract in nature, denying any extramusical associations beyond a vague portrayal of human feelings and passions. However, and with most of his public declarations about his music, that is not actually true. As we have seen, the work is largely autobiographical in nature, using musical references, motives and symbols to codify an extremely murky period of his life. This was perceived but not confirmed by many at the time, until Solomon Volkov’s book «Testimony» seemed to confirm most of the speculation surrounding the piece.

Even through that book is still very controversial, and even if we can not be fully sure of its veracity, the following paragraph dedicated to the piece is relevant: «But I did depict Stalin in music in my next Symphony, the Tenth. I wrote it right after Stalin’s death, and no one has yet guessed what the Symphony is about. It’s about Stalin and the Stalin years. The second movement, a scherzo, is, roughly speaking, a musical portrait of Stalin. Of course, there are many other things in it, but that’s the basis.»

The first movement is a long, drawn-out sonata structure that, as Symphonies No.5-8, seems to be a grim portrait of the reality of his time. It not only reflects the horrors of the Stalin era, but the suffering of the composer himself, who when was not being prosecuted, was being used as a propaganda tool. The second movement is, of course, a musical portrait of Stalin, incredibly unflattering in its violence and brutality. The third movement’s meaning is ambiguous, but the use of the DSCH and Nazirova’s motives reflect a very intimate setting. Apparently, Shostakovich’s marriage with Nina Varzar didn’t stop him from this one-sided affair. Perhaps it’s a depiction of this fruitless romance.

The meaning of the fourth movement seems to be very transparent; the introduction again references the oppression of the Stalin years as conveyed in the slow movements of Shostakovich’s Symphonies No. 5, 6 and 8. The ensuing allegro seems to present a more hopeful tone before Stalin, through scherzo’s theme, appears and seems to impose itself but being finally dissolved by Shostakovich’s motive. With the death of the dictator, it seemed a more hopeful future appeared in the horizon, even if the composer was fully aware that little would actually change. Whether the Tenth Symphony in fact portrays the triumph of Shostakovich over Stalin remains for the individual listener to decide. Regardless of the work’s extra-musical associations, the Shostakovich Tenth represents the welcome resurrection of a brilliant symphonic composer and dramatist, at the height of his powers.

Picture: Colourised photograph of the «Stalin Monument» (1955, demolished in 1962) by the Czechoslovak sculptor Otakar Švec.

Musical analysis partially written by myself.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/2y62onb5

To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/2277xe73