It just so happened that the famous seventh symphony of the great Soviet composer Dmitry Shostakovich was first performed in Kuibyshev. Its official premiere took place in Moscow. But it became known as Leningrad.
Soviet historians asserted that Dmitry Shostakovich began writing his famous Leningrad Symphony in the summer of 1941 under the impression of the outbreak of war. However, there is credible evidence that the first part of this piece of music was written before the outbreak of military events.
Premonition of war or something else?
It is now known for sure that Shostakovich wrote the main fragments of the first part of his Seventh Symphony approximately in 1940. He did not publish them anywhere, but showed this work of his to some colleagues and students. Moreover, the composer did not explain his idea to anyone.
Somewhat later, knowledgeable people will call this music a premonition of an invasion. There was something alarming about her, turning into absolute aggression and suppression. Considering the time when these fragments of the symphony were written, it can be assumed that the author did not create an image of a military invasion, but had in mind the overwhelming Stalinist repressive machine. There is even an opinion that the theme of the invasion is based on the rhythm of the Lezginka, highly revered by Stalin.
Dmitry Dmitrievich himself wrote in his memoirs: “While composing the theme of the invasion, I was thinking about a completely different enemy of mankind. Of course, I hated fascism. But not only German - all fascism."
Seventh Leningrad
One way or another, but immediately after the start of the war, Shostakovich intensively continued to work on this work. In early September, the first two parts of the work were ready. And after a very short time, already in besieged Leningrad, the score of the third was written.
In early October, the composer and his family were evacuated to Kuibyshev, where he began work on the finale. According to Shostakovich's idea, he was supposed to be life-affirming. But it was at this time that the country was going through the most difficult tests of the war. It was very difficult for Shostakovich to write optimistic music in a situation when the enemy was at the gates of Moscow. These days, he himself repeatedly admitted to those around him that with the finale of the Seventh Symphony he did not succeed.
And only in December 1941, after the Soviet counteroffensive near Moscow, the work on the finale went well. On New Year's Eve 1942, it was successfully completed.
After the premieres of the Seventh Symphony in Kuibyshev and Moscow in August 1942, the main premiere took place - the Leningrad one. The besieged city then experienced the most difficult situation during the entire blockade. The starving, emaciated Leningraders, it seemed, no longer believed in anything, did not hope for anything.
But on August 9, 1942, music resounded for the first time since the beginning of the war in the concert hall of the Mariinsky Palace. The Leningrad Symphony Orchestra performed Shostakovich's 7th Symphony. Hundreds of speakers, usually announcing air raids, now broadcast this concert to the entire besieged city. According to the recollections of the inhabitants and defenders of Leningrad, it was then that they had a firm faith in victory.
