Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 15 (Santtu-Matias Rouvali)

Information

Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich

• Symphony No. 15 in A Major, Op. 141

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor

Date: 2023/2025

Label: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

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Dmitry Shostakovich’s Fifteenth is perhaps the most enigmatic symphony of the twentieth century. In this work, the composer goes in search of his (and our) relationship with the musical past. He quotes musical predecessors like Rossini and Wagner, in addition to himself. These quotations raise profound musical and philosophical questions: where does it all come from, how far have we come, and where does it all go? The bare, withering ending is one of the most poignant passages in the symphonic repertoire, which Shostakovich, then a sixty-five-year-old heart patient, composed knowing the end was nigh.

Santtu-Matias Rouvali (b. 1985) has been Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra since 2021, only the sixth to hold the post since its founding in 1945. A Finnish conductor and former percussionist, Santtu leads the orchestra across its UK residencies and major international tours, with highlights including a 2025 US tour to mark the Philharmonia’s 80th anniversary. Renowned for dynamic programming and charismatic performances, he has championed Nordic and American repertoire and even performed on drum kit and percussion with the orchestra. He was Chief Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony (2017–2025) and is Honorary Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic.

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