Shostakovich under Stalin's Shadow - Symphonies Nos. 5, 8 & 9; Suite from "Hamlet" (Live)

Nelsons and the BSO examine the Soviet composer’s mighty and dramatic Fifth Symphony. Written as a response to his denouncement by the Soviet newspaper Pravda following a poorly received opera, Shostakovich’s Fifth takes heroic spirit in the face of existential turmoil to the next level. Nelsons’ diligent attention to dynamic shifts and tempo markings greatly amplify the drama and tumult of this inspiring work, while the crisp, inspired intonation of the brass and woodwinds of the world-class Boston Symphony Orchestra bring the Suite from Hamlet to life in glamorous detail. Their edge-of-your-seat performance of “The Hunt” from Hamlet invokes the theatricality and richness of both Verdi and Mahler.