Symphony No 11. Op. 103. Score.

Form:

1. Palace Square   Adagio attacca
2. Ninth of January   Allegro—Adagio—Allegro—Adagio attacca
3. Eternal Memory   Adagio attacca
4. The Toscin   Allegro non troppo—Allegro—Moderato—Adagio—Allegro

The Eleventh Symphony is dedicated to the events of the first russian revolution of 1905. The symphony’s four movements convey the atmosphere of the storm brewing in St.Petersburg on the eve of the fatal day of 9 January 1905:
I. Palace Square—Adagio, the march of the deceived people on the Winter Palace and how they are fired upon by the Tsar’s troops.
II. Ninth of January—Allegro-Adagio-Allegro, mourning over those killed.
III. Eternal Memory—Adagio; and the revolutionary breakthrough, oath-taking over the graves of the victims, and confidence in imminent victory.
IV. The Tocsin—Allegro non troppo-Adagio-Allegro.
The symphony’s thematic material is based on popular songs of that time, most of them to music by anonymous authors, and two melodies from Shostakovich’s choral poem “Ninth of January” (No. 6 of the choral cycle a cappella on texts of Russian revolutionary poets, op. 88, 1951).
The finale of the symphony also features a melody from Georgy Sviridov’s operetta Ogon’ki (“Lights”, 1951).

Instrumentation:

Piccolo (= Flute III), 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, Cor anglais (= Oboe III), 2 Clarinets (B flat and A), Bass Clarinet (= B flat Clarinet III), 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon (= Bassoon III)

4 Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba

Timpani, Triangle, Side drum, Cymbals, Bass drum, Gong

Xylophone, Celesta, Orchestral bells

2–4 Harps

1st Violins (16–20), 2nd Violins (14–18), Violas (12–16), Cellos (10–14), Double-basses (10–12).

Duration:

Approx. 57 min.

Composed:

In the summer of 1957, at Komarovo village, Gulf of Finland, and completed on 4 August 1957. Written to mark the fortieth anniversary of the October Revolution.