Symphony No 15 in A Major, Op. 141 (1970-71)
Symphony No 6 in B Minor, Op. 54 (1939)

The Symphony No 6 in B Minor, Op. 54 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) sits in between two of the most acclaimed symphonic works of the 20th century, his own 5th and 7th symphonies. And yet it's often ignored or overlooked as irrelevant within his canon of works. The Penguin Guide to Classical Music only lists one recording as a recommendation, and the Rough Guide to Classical Music doesn't even mention it. As far as I'm concerned, I've always perceived it as one of his most idiomatic works, filled with genuine Shostakovich idiosyncrasies and trademark touches. And compared to some of his longer and more complex symphonies, it's the one I would recommend as a first foray into this composer's output to anyone new to Shostakovich.

It may be smaller in stature but just as potent in idealogical and emotive content. In typical Shostakovich fashion, it opens with a ponderous theme pregnant with potential, which conductor Gianandrea Noseda assuredly leads to a shattering climax at the 5:00 mark, the point where the music turns inward. After the 10:00 mark, Noseda perfectly conveys the mood shift. Quiet and tentative, as if under the cover of darkness, two woodwind instruments seem to be holding a private conversation but can't seem to shake the feeling that they are being eavesdropped by an entity lurking in the shadows, portrayed by the extremely soft shimmer of the stringed instruments. "Keep your voice down, the Soviet authorities are listening." A pervasive feeling of dread throughout that Noseda projects very well. The movement closes in hushed resignation.

On the flipside, and with typical sardonic wit, Shostakovich serves up a final movement that sounds more like "Rossini meets Circus Music" rather than his usual "triumph over evil" finales. After the success of his Fifth Symphony, the authorities expected him to deliver a work extolling the virtues of Soviet life, when instead, he flipped them the proverbial finger. And in this 'live' recording, you can tell that the conductor as well as the musicians of the orchestra, take every opportunity to enjoy themselves. It's the type of scoring that brings out an orchestra's virtuosity.

Because of all of the above, the Sixth pairs very well with Shostakovich's last symphony, the Symphony No 15 in A Major, Op. 141. It's opening movement contains snippets of Rossini's 'William Tell Overture' and plenty of circusy bustle and pandemonium. More in keeping with the frame of mind and body of a composer's final symphony, the Adagio movement which follows is stoically grim and leads to a passionate outcry and burst of dark energy, and concludes in typical enigmatic fashion, with one of Shostakovich's darkest moments. As if all of this was just a joke, the bassoons launch the third movement on a flippant and farcical jaunt, marked by an undercurrent of dark irony and wryness, as if propelled by the devil himself. The final movement opens with the same disquiet as the aforementioned adagio second movement. With quotes from the 'Annunciation of Death' from Wagner's Die Walküre, and a disturbing climax marked by limping percussion, the music leaves no doubt as to its intent. And once again in typical Shostakovich enigmatic fashion, the symphony ends with unanswered questions. Noseda and the players very well convey this quietly ambiguous ending, and the audio recording, especially considering that this is a 'live' performance, captures and projects all of its subtle nuances.