Composed against a cataclysmic backdrop of Stalinist oppression and the Second World War, Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony is a deeply affecting poem of suffering. The composer described it as ‘an attempt to reflect the terrible tragedy of war’, and it contains some of the most terrifying music he ever wrote. 

Here, Gianandrea Noseda conducts the London Symphony Orchestra with intensity and understanding, allowing the music to tell its own story as it travels from darkness into light, yearning more for peace than for victory. 

One of the leading conductors of his generation, Gianandrea Noseda holds several high-profile international positions in addition to his role as Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, including Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC. His previous releases on LSO Live include acclaimed interpretations of the Verdi Requiem and Britten War Requiem, and this recording follows the digital release of Shostakovich: Symphony No 5, which will receive a full release in October 2019 coupled with the composer’s First Symphony.

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich
Conductor Gianandrea Noseda
Performers London Symphony Orchestra

Symphony No. 8 in C Minor
1. I. Adagio - Allegro non troppo
2. II. Allegretto
3. III. Allegro non troppo - attacca
4. IV. Largo - attacca
5. V. Allegretto

Release Date 5 October 2018
LSO0822 | 822231182221

Producer Nicholas Parker
Engineers Classic Sound Ltd
Recorded April 2018, Barbican, London

DSD (Direct Stream Digital) recording

Booklet in English, French & German

FLAC - 24bit 96kHz - Compatible with Windows and Android devices
MP3 - 320kbps - Universal compatibility
SACD - Compatible with all CD players