Conductor David Danzmayr

Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

Fri Oct 13 — Sat Oct 14, 2023

Orchestra Hall

~2 hours, including intermission

The scene: Moscow, 1937. It’s the height of the Stalinist purge and Shostakovich’s life is on the line. He’s been sleeping in the stairwell to spare his family the trauma of his impending arrest. A composer held hostage both artistically and literally, Shostakovich writes his Fifth Symphony—music that would fulfill the Soviet regime’s populist and “heroic” requirements and provide his political salvation. David Danzmayr will join the Minnesota Orchestra to lead this monumental and dramatic symphony that will have you on the edge of your seat with its many twists and turns.

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A Few Things to Know

We are pleased to welcome David Danzmayr, who will be conducting the October 13 and 14 concerts. We regret that Juraj Valčuha is unable to appear due to a family emergency. Jolas’ A Little Summer Suite will be replaced with Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture. The remainder of the program is unchanged.
James MacMillan’s Trombone Concerto is dedicated to and was premiered by today’s soloist Jörgen van Rijen; the work is also composed in memory of MacMillan’s granddaughter Sara Maria.

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Date & Time

Program

MENDELSSOHN

The Hebrides Overture
1 min note

One Minute Note

Impressions of swirling waters and crashing waves unfold in The Hebrides Overture, as Felix Mendelssohn paints pictures of the dramatic sea and the haunting scenery on the islands off the Western coast of Scotland.
MACMILLAN

Trombone Concerto
1 min note

One Minute Note

While mourning his late granddaughter, James MacMillan worked with trombonist Jörgen van Rijen to craft a virtuosic and emotionally impactful concerto for him. Cast in a single half-hour movement, the concerto navigates various moods and themes, including a foundational seven-note motif, a dance-like scherzo and a hymn-like close.
SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No. 5
1 min note

One Minute Note

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth, the most frequently performed of his 15 symphonies, is forceful and questioning. It imitates the form of a classical symphony until its icy third movement, scored without brass, as gorgeous melodies rise and fall. Dueling critics have interpreted the finale as either triumphant or a bitingly sarcastic rebuke of Joseph Stalin’s authoritarian regime.

Full Program Notes

Artists

Minnesota Orchestra

Plan your visit

Pre-concert activities
Valet Parking
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Directions & Parking
Helpful Tips

Pre-concert talk

When: Fri Oct 13, 7:15pm | Sat Oct 14, 6:15pm
Where: Target Atrium

Join Nicholas Landrum, an award-winning composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and educator, as he unpacks Shostakovich's role in the Soviet State in his pre-concert talk A Response to Just Criticism: Shostakovich and the Soviet State.

Exhibit by The Museum of Russian Art

When: Fri Oct 13, Sat Oct 14
Where: Mezzanine

The Museum of Russian Art presents an exhibition in conjunction with the performance of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, featuring artifacts from the 1930s that give historical context for the Symphony's creation. A rare piece on display is the 1937 Soviet Art newspaper with Dmitry Kabalevsky’s review of the Symphony, composed after harsh governmental criticism of Shostakovich’s earlier works that put him on the verge of destruction.

Know Before You Go

An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.

Directions & Parking

All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.