Shostakovich Symphony No. 4

Shostakovich Symphony No. 4

Author: Joshua Weilerstein August 15, 2024 Duration: 1:08:30

Shostakovich's 4th symphony is not for the faint of heart. It is a massive work, around an hour in length, and it calls for the second largest orchestra of any in Shostakovich's output. It is uncompromising, sometimes brutal, and it isn't nearly as lyrical that later Shostakovich has in spades. But with all that said, many people, including myself, consider this symphony Shostakovich's symphonic masterpiece. It has been described as the symphony containing the kernels of everything Shostakovich would ever write after. It also marks the final piece Shostakovich wrote before his 1936 denunciation that utterly changed the course of his life. Today, on this Patreon-sponsored episode, I'll take you through this monumental work, telling you the remarkable story of the conception and aborted first performance of the symphony. Then we'll dive into the music itself, talking about the large scope of the piece, it's unusual form, and of course the raw emotional core that is always so present in Shostakovich. Join us for a wild ride!


There’s a particular kind of curiosity that draws people to classical music, but the sheer scale of the repertoire can feel overwhelming. Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast, hosted by conductor Joshua Weilerstein, meets that curiosity right where it is. Think of it as a series of open conversations about the music itself, designed to be equally engaging for someone hearing a symphony for the first time and for a lifelong devotee. Episodes might feature a thoughtful interview with a performing artist, offering a glimpse behind the curtain, or they could focus entirely on a single piece, peeling back its layers to explore why it resonates. Weilerstein guides these explorations with clarity and enthusiasm, moving seamlessly from foundational concepts to more nuanced details about different musical eras. The entire premise of this podcast is built on a genuine belief that this music belongs to all of us. It’s about replacing any sense of intimidation with connection and understanding. While past seasons are gradually being re-released, each episode stands as its own invitation to listen more deeply.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 284

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:23
In a letter to Tchaikovsky's nephew Vladimir Davydov, Tchaikovsky wrote: "I'm very pleased with its content, but dissatisfied, or rather not completely satisfied, with the instrumentation. For some reason it's not coming…
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:44
The great and somewhat controversial conductor Leopold Stokowski said this about Tchaikovsky: "His musical utterance comes directly from the heart and is a spontaneous expression of his innermost feeling. It is as sincer…
Beethoven String Quartet, Op. 59, No.2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:56
I'm always tickled by composer trivia questions, like which standard canon works begin in a major key and end in a minor key? I'll give you one, but please comment others below: Mendelssohn's 4th Symphony. Well, how abou…
Brahms Symphony No. 2 LIVE w/ The Aalborg Symphony [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:32
Brahms spent much of his adult life battling with his ambition to write the next great symphony and his terror at the shadow of Beethoven standing behind him. Brahms tortured himself for 14 years with his first symphony,…
Zemlinsky: The Mermaid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:32
The story of Alexander von Zemlinsky's The Mermaid begins with a passionate love affair and ends in heartbreak of the most unabashedly big-R Romantic kind. In 1900, the young, fabulously talented, and famously beautiful…
Pergolesi Stabat Mater [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:02
Many aspects of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's life seem relatively normal when it comes to composers of the Baroque era. He was prolific, died young, and his music became very famous only after his death. However, all th…
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:41
We humans seem to love comeback stories, and there is no comeback quite as compelling in the classical music world as Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto. It was written three years after the disastrous premiere of his…
Handel Messiah w/ Aram Demirjian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:11
A piece that I have been asked to cover probably a dozen times is Handel's Messiah. It's a piece I love, but a piece that I've never conducted or played, and so therefore I don't know it incredibly well. There are plenty…
Gustav Holst: The Planets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:09
Mr. Holst, wherever you are, I apologize in advance for what I'm about to say. From my research, I know you resented this fact, but unfortunately, I think it's true. Here it is: despite the large catalogue of music Gusta…
Franck Symphony in D Minor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:57
In the 1960s, Leonard Bernstein famously helped to popularize the music of a then relatively obscure composer, Gustav Mahler. His work, as well as the work of other conductors, made Mahler into a classical-music househol…