Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93
Dmitri Shostakovich
Work background
Researched classical background
Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony places a vast opening movement beside a short, fiercely concentrated scherzo. Later movements prominently use the composer's four-note musical signature, while the third also includes a horn motif associated with Elmira Nazirova. Claims that the scherzo portrays Stalin depend on disputed testimony. The audible motives are firmer evidence than a single asserted secret program.
A listening guide
Track the four-note signature through the later movements and notice when it becomes an emphatic public statement.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Orchestra
Composition: 1953 (customary dating)
Some accounts point to earlier material; the complete symphony premiered in 1953.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Date, title and version notes
The Stalin portrait interpretation is contested.
The history of some early material is less secure than the 1953 completion and premiere.
Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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