Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
00:06 I. Andante
08:26 II. Lento
16:25 III. Allegro con fuoco
19:32 IV. Allegro
USSR State Symphony Orchestra, cond. Yevgeny Svetlanov
Vissarion Shebalin (1902-1963) was a notable Soviet composer and teacher of the mid-20th century. Shebalin made such an impression at the musical college in his hometown of Omsk that, at the age of 20, he was recommended to go to Moscow to show his compositions to Reinhold Glière and Nikolai Myaskovsky, his professor's former teachers and two of the most renowned composers of their time.
Both received his music very positively; in 1928, Shebalin graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under Myaskovsky's tutelage, dedicating his graduation work, his first symphony, to his new professor. A member of the Association for Contemporary Music founded by Nikolai Roslavets in the early 1920s, Shebalin assumed a professorship at the conservatory immediately after graduating and later also taught at the Gnessin State Musical College and Moscow Central Musical School.
Shebalin's growing reputation as a composer and teacher was abruptly halted in 1948 when, along with the likes of his close friend Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Aram Khachaturian, he was accused by the Zhdanov decree and removed from his teaching position.
In a sad twist of fate, one of Shebalin's students, Tikhon Khrennikov, would be one of those most responsible for the continuing persecution of Soviet artists who did not toe the party line. Along with Khrennikov, Shebalin's notable students included the Estonian composers Veljo Tormis and Ester Mägi as well as the well-known postwar avant-gardist Edison Denisov.
Shebalin was reinstated to his teaching post in 1951, but in that decade he suffered two strokes, the first in 1953 leaving the right side of his body partially paralyzed (after which he learned to write with his left hand) and the second in 1959 rendering him unable to speak. Nevertheless, until his passing from a third stroke in 1963, Shebalin continued to compose large-scale works including the fifth symphony, which I present here.
Shebalin's fifth symphony, completed in 1962, is a tour de force described by Shostakovich as "a brilliant creative work, filled with highest emotions, optimistic and full of life." I find it a piece of very fine craftsmanship when it comes to both form and orchestration, one of Shebalin's defining characteristics as a composer which places him similarly to his professor Myaskovsky (indeed, this symphony is dedicated to Myaskovsky's memory.)
While some of Shebalin's symphonies have received modern recordings, the fifth still seems to be waiting its turn; I hope some conductors will give it a chance to speak soon and get this fascinating composer's music its due!
00:06 I. Andante
08:26 II. Lento
16:25 III. Allegro con fuoco
19:32 IV. Allegro
USSR State Symphony Orchestra, cond. Yevgeny Svetlanov
Vissarion Shebalin (1902-1963) was a notable Soviet composer and teacher of the mid-20th century. Shebalin made such an impression at the musical college in his hometown of Omsk that, at the age of 20, he was recommended to go to Moscow to show his compositions to Reinhold Glière and Nikolai Myaskovsky, his professor's former teachers and two of the most renowned composers of their time.
Both received his music very positively; in 1928, Shebalin graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under Myaskovsky's tutelage, dedicating his graduation work, his first symphony, to his new professor. A member of the Association for Contemporary Music founded by Nikolai Roslavets in the early 1920s, Shebalin assumed a professorship at the conservatory immediately after graduating and later also taught at the Gnessin State Musical College and Moscow Central Musical School.
Shebalin's growing reputation as a composer and teacher was abruptly halted in 1948 when, along with the likes of his close friend Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Aram Khachaturian, he was accused by the Zhdanov decree and removed from his teaching position.
In a sad twist of fate, one of Shebalin's students, Tikhon Khrennikov, would be one of those most responsible for the continuing persecution of Soviet artists who did not toe the party line. Along with Khrennikov, Shebalin's notable students included the Estonian composers Veljo Tormis and Ester Mägi as well as the well-known postwar avant-gardist Edison Denisov.
Shebalin was reinstated to his teaching post in 1951, but in that decade he suffered two strokes, the first in 1953 leaving the right side of his body partially paralyzed (after which he learned to write with his left hand) and the second in 1959 rendering him unable to speak. Nevertheless, until his passing from a third stroke in 1963, Shebalin continued to compose large-scale works including the fifth symphony, which I present here.
Shebalin's fifth symphony, completed in 1962, is a tour de force described by Shostakovich as "a brilliant creative work, filled with highest emotions, optimistic and full of life." I find it a piece of very fine craftsmanship when it comes to both form and orchestration, one of Shebalin's defining characteristics as a composer which places him similarly to his professor Myaskovsky (indeed, this symphony is dedicated to Myaskovsky's memory.)
While some of Shebalin's symphonies have received modern recordings, the fifth still seems to be waiting its turn; I hope some conductors will give it a chance to speak soon and get this fascinating composer's music its due!
![EDUARD TUBIN - Symphony No. 11 [unfinished] (Score Video)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l-vYcU8buKo/mqdefault.jpg "EDUARD TUBIN - Symphony No. 11 [unfinished] (Score Video)
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvo Volmer
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor, his countrys most prolific and arguably greatest symphonist. Having completed his studies under another very prominent Estonian composer, Heino Eller (whose music I also plan to upload), in independent Estonia, Tubin fled following the Soviet reoccupation of his country in 1944. He settled permanently in Sweden for the rest of his life, writing many of his most important works, being elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and becoming a Swedish citizen in 1961. In addition to an impressive eleven symphonies, Tubin wrote two operas, the first Estonian ballet (Kratt), concerti for double bass and balalaika, choral music, art songs, and chamber and solo works (particularly violin and piano music.)
For those unacquainted with Tubin, his orchestral music - particularly the symphonies of his middle and later period - shares some common elements with Shostakovich, often marrying relatively rigid formal structures like fugues with rather astringent harmonic ideas and an unexpected emotional intensity. He also brought Estonian folk music into several of his works. Although Tubins work was initially somewhat unrecognized outside Estonia (even in Sweden), it has gained prominence in the last few decades due to the efforts of Estonian conductors including Neeme and Paavo Järvi.
The eleventh symphony, which Tubin was working on when he passed away in 1982, combines the aforementioned characteristics with a rather bright orchestration typical of his later music. The last minute or so of the first movement was completed by the Estonian-Canadian composer Kaljo Raid, resulting in the recording here; the score I have available is a copy of Tubins manuscript and thus does not contain this completion.
I now have scores of all of Tubins symphonies except the first; some of them are scans of old and battered copies, so they will take a little longer to upload - especially as most of his symphonic works are quite substantial in both musical material and length. I also plan to post his balalaika concerto soon, so if you enjoyed this work, stay tuned for more!")
