Symphony No. 3 (Shostakovich)

The Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (Opus 20; subtitled First of May) by Dmitri Shostakovich was first performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra and Academy Capella Choir under Aleksandr Gauk on 21 January 1930.

Similar to the Second Symphony, it is an experimental choral symphony in four continuous sections:

Allegretto – Allegro
Andante
Largo
Moderato: 'V pérvoye, Pérvoye máya'

The symphony lasts around 25 to 30 minutes. The finale sets a text by Semyon Isaakovich Kirsanov praising May Day and the revolution. Interpretation is difficult: in a letter to Boleslav Yavorsky, Shostakovich said that the work "expresses the spirit of peaceful reconstruction"; on the other hand, most of the material preceding the finale is dark and sometimes sardonic in tone.

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for mixed chorus and an orchestra of 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horn, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, snare drum, cymbals, bass drum, tam-tam, glockenspiel, xylophone, and strings.

Notable recordings

Notable recordings of this symphony include:

Chorus	Orchestra	Conductor	Record Company	Year of Recording	Format
	Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra	Kirill Kondrashin	Melodiya	1965–1975 (for complete symphonies)	CD
London Philharmonic Choir	London Philharmonic Orchestra	Bernard Haitink	Decca Records	1981	CD
	Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	Vladimir Ashkenazy	Decca Records	1992	CD
London Voices	London Symphony Orchestra	Mstislav Rostropovich	Teldec	1993	CD
Bavarian Radio Chorus	Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra	Mariss Jansons	EMI Classics	2005	CD
Prague Philharmonic Chorus	Prague Symphony Orchestra	Maxim Shostakovich	Supraphon		CD
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir	Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra	Vasily Petrenko	Naxos Records		CD

Source: arkivmusic.com (recommended recordings selected based on critics reviews)

Operas and operetta

The New Babylon
Alone
Golden Mountains
Counterplan
The Tale of the Priest and of His Workman Balda
The Youth of Maxim
Girl Friends
The Return of Maxim
The Vyborg Side
Friends
The Great Citizen
Zoya
Simple People
The Young Guard
Pirogov
Michurin
Meeting on the Elbe
The Fall of Berlin
Belinsky
The Unforgettable Year 1919
The Gadfly
Five Days, Five Nights
Sofiya Perovskaya
Hamlet
King Lear

Vocal music

Chamber music

String quartets	No. 1 in C major No. 2 in A major No. 3 in F major No. 4 in D major No. 5 in B♭ major No. 6 in G major No. 7 in F♯ minor No. 8 in C minor No. 9 in E♭ major No. 10 in A♭ major No. 11 in F minor No. 12 in D♭ major No. 13 in B♭ minor No. 14 in F♯ major No. 15 in E♭ minor

Other	Cello Sonata in D minor Piano Quintet in G minor Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Quartet Movement in E♭ major (c. 1960s) Viola Sonata Violin Sonata

Piano music

Named for Shostakovich

Portal:Classical music

Symphonies by Dmitri Shostakovich

No. 1 in F minor No. 2 in B major (To October) No. 3 in E-flat major (The First of May) No. 4 in C minor No. 5 in D minor No. 6 in B minor No. 7 in C major (Leningrad) No. 8 in C minor No. 9 in E-flat major No. 10 in E minor No. 11 in G minor (The Year 1905) No. 12 in D minor (The Year 1917) No. 13 in B-flat minor (Babi-Yar) No. 14 No. 15 in A major

List of compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich

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