Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony in C Minor Op.110a – Allegro Molto | Rudolf Barshai

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Barshai’s arrangement of Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony in C minor (Op. 110a), performed by the Dmitri Ensemble, feels like a confessional whispered through clenched teeth. The opening sways between resignation and protest, its mournful strings threading Shostakovich’s own DSCH motif like a secret signature. Each movement tightens the emotional vice — glassy tremolos, icy harmonics, and sudden bursts of raw defiance — until the finale dissolves into a hollow, lingering sigh. This isn’t just music; it’s testimony, intimate yet unflinching.

Rudolf Barshai conducts the Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op. 110a — his own arrangement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8. This performance captures the searing urgency of the Allegro Molto, with its relentless drive and biting orchestration.

Originally composed in 1960 during Shostakovich’s visit to war-torn Dresden, the work is one of his most autobiographical creations, filled with his musical monogram D–E♭–C–B (DSCH). Barshai’s orchestration heightens the drama, transforming the intimate quartet texture into a symphonic statement.

Movement:
I. Allegro Molto

Conductor: Rudolf Barshai
Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe (or specific orchestra if known)