As it seems, the Viennese classicist's Symphony No. 1 in C major was 'commissioned' by himself. The ambition to tackle a form that the soon-to-be Romantic aesthetic revolution was to treat as a laboratory for absolute music would have suited Ludwig van Beethoven's character. The completed work, on which he worked meticulously for many years, the increasingly distinguished 30-year-old dedicated it to Gottfried van Swieten, the protector of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was the achievements of these kind-hearted young Beethoven composers - whose output he would hardly have dared to rival at the time - that served as the starting point in his debut and supremely successful symphony.

Symphony No. 1 by the 20th century classicist Dmitry Shostakovich was his graduation piece in the composition class of the Leningrad Conservatory, from which he graduated at the age of 19. The work, which is characterised by the composer's typical play of predatory motifs, march-like rhythms and clear textures, quickly left the university walls, bringing its young author international acclaim. Subsequent anniversaries of the symphony's first performance at the Leningrad Philharmonic in 1926 were later celebrated by Shostakovich for the rest of his life. In turn, the famous institution, remembering the premieres of his other works, later repaid the composer by taking him as its patron.

Performers:
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Jacek Brzoznowski Conductor

Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 [27′].
... pause [20′].
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10 [28′].