Dmitri Shostakovich
(1906-1975)

Symphony No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 10

Composed 1924-1925

Dmitri Shostakovich’s first symphony stands as one of the most remarkable debuts in classical music. Written when the composer was just 18, the symphony served as his graduation project at the Leningrad Conservatory. Though initially composed to meet an academic requirement, it quickly drew wider attention and announced the emergence of a striking new voice in 20th-century music.

Shostakovich’s early years were shaped by intense personal and societal upheaval. Born in 1906 in St. Petersburg, he lived through the 1917 Russian Revolution and its aftermath, witnessing the instability that followed the collapse of the Romanov dynasty. By the time he entered the conservatory at 13, his family faced financial difficulties: his father had died, his mother worked long hours, and young Dmitri played piano in silent movie theaters to help support the household. He later described the job as exhausting and artistically stifling, but it honed his instincts for irony, dramatic timing, and abrupt shifts—traits that would permeate his music. 

At the conservatory, Shostakovich studied with Maximilian Steinberg, a traditionalist who discouraged modernist experimentation. Nevertheless, he absorbed contemporary influences—particularly from Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Mahler, and Russian late-romantics—blending them with his own sharp wit and sense of theatre. The first symphony channels these influences into a work of striking originality, notable for its orchestral color, structural confidence, and emotional range.

The symphony begins with a whimsical dialogue between muted trumpet and bassoon, setting a tone of unpredictability and dry humor. The first movement contrasts angular gestures with lyrical passages, and moments of satire with sincere expression. The second movement, a scherzo, is propelled in part by piano—rare in a symphony—and filled with frenetic rhythms, grotesque waltzes, and flashes of near-cinematic brilliance. Beneath its brilliance lies an undercurrent of unease.

The third movement introduces a darker, more introspective world. It opens with a haunting oboe solo answered by cello, evoking a sense of solitude and quiet sorrow. As fragments of themes drift through the orchestra, muted trumpet calls and soft dissonances create a feeling of suspended time. Without pause, the finale begins with a hushed snare drum roll—an ominous gesture that launches a movement of mounting tension and drama. Earlier themes return in altered, shadowed forms. A stark timpani passage marks the symphony’s emotional peak, leading to a coda that combines resolve with lingering ambiguity.

Premiered in 1926 by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Nikolai Malko, the symphony was a resounding success. It quickly attracted attention beyond Russia, with leading conductors such as Bruno Walter, Leopold Stokowski, and Arturo Toscanini performing it abroad. By his early twenties, Shostakovich had achieved international recognition.

Today, Symphony No. 1 endures as both a dazzling achievement of youth and a revealing introduction to one of the 20th century’s most important composers. Its blend of satire, vulnerability, inventive orchestration, and emotional depth foreshadows the qualities that would define Shostakovich’s mature voice—music that reflects not only personal struggle but also the turbulence of its time. It is a symphony born of hardship, intelligence, and restless imagination: fragile yet defiant, humorous yet deeply human—a portrait of Shostakovich already fully himself from the very beginning.

Instrumentation – three flutes and two piccolos, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, piano, and strings

Duration – 35 minutes

~ Kenneth Bean 
Georg and Joyce Albers-Schonberg Assistant Conductor
Princeton Symphony Orchestra