The Ninth Symphony was originally intended to be a celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Shostakovich declared in October 1943 that it would be a large composition for orchestra, soloists, and chorus. Soon thereafter, he stopped work on the symphony, resuming in July of 1945 and finished it on 30 August 1945. The resulting symphony was unrelated to the one he had originally planned, much smaller in scale and lighter in tone.
The premiere, broadcast live over the radio, was conducted by Yevgeny Mravinsky, took place on November 3,1945 in the opening concert of the 25th season of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, sharing the program with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.
Shostakovich famously remarked of his Ninth that "musicians will like to play it, and critics will delight in blasting it". Initial reaction to the new symphony, however, was generally favorable, with Gavril Popov writing: "Transparent. Much light and air. Marvellous tutti, fine themes (the main theme of the first movement—Mozart!). Almost literally Mozart. But, of course, everything very individual, Shostakovichian... A marvelous symphony. The finale is splendid in its joie de vivre, gaiety, brilliance, and pungency."
The Soviet authorities were less pleased, and censured the symphony for its "ideological weakness" and its failure to "reflect the true spirit of the people of the Soviet Union." It has, however, taken its place among the composer's most popular works—and we'll hear it this afternoon on the 80th anniversary of its premiere.
You can hear Foley Schuler's musical selections—and stories behind the music—every weekday afternoon on Blue Lake Public Radio.
