Leningrad and the Orchestra That Defied Hitler - BBC2 2/01/16 9.10 p.m.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

An interesting programme relating to the first performance of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony in 1942.

[Serial_Apologist]

An interesting programme relating to the first performance of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony in 1942.

Thanks EA.

V much looking forward to seeing this.

[EdgeleyRob]

Many thanks EA.

[Petrushka]

Thanks from me too. Due to the Christmas festivities I've forgotten to buy the Radio Times for next week and could easily have missed this.

[mahlerei]

Slightly off topic, but I'm really looking forward to The Noise of Time, Julian Barnes's novel about Shostakovich and Stalin. Out on 28th Janusry.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+noise+of+time

[BBMmk2]

This does look rather a good programme. I read this an hour or so ago and thought a "must watch" programme.

[Serial_Apologist]

This does look rather a good programme. I read this an hour or so ago and thought a "must watch" programme.

... or you'll be forcibly taken to the Abergavenny salt mines and subjected to re-education!

[ahinton]

... or you'll be forcibly taken to the Abergavenny salt mines and subjected to re-education!

Oh, dear! I don't know exactly where they're located but it must be no so very far from where I am; this is rather worrying!

[Serial_Apologist]

Oh, dear! I don't know exactly where they're located but it must be no so very far from where I am; this is rather worrying!

Happy New Year ahinton - but from now on beware of mole hills in the district!

[P. G. Tipps]

Oh, dear! I don't know exactly where they're located but it must be no so very far from where I am; this is rather worrying!

Don't worry, ahinton ... as always, just a figment of S_A's ever-vivid imagination!

[Stunsworth]

Enjoyed the programme. Congratulations to all concerned.

[ahinton]

Happy New Year ahinton - but from now on beware of mole hills in the district!

Thank you - and the very same to you - but, believe me, I try my best to avoid most things in this district, not just molehills or what might seem to be such things!...

[ahinton]

Don't worry, ahinton ... as always, just a figment of S_A's ever-vivid imagination!

With SAS operations around these parts, I wouldn't be so sure of that...

[Petrushka]

Enjoyed the programme. Congratulations to all concerned.

Fully agreed. I've long had a major interest in the history of the Second World War as well as classical music, have been to Leningrad (1979) and met Maxim Shostakovich (in London 1981) so this combined all of my interests in one excellent programme.

You can quibble till the cows come home about various interpretations of what this music means and lots of ink has been spilled on the matter but as the programme centred mostly on the siege and the performance in the city it seemed right not too go too strongly into any alternative interpretations as in Testimony.

Good to have a BBC programme that doesn't treat its audience like idiots. More please!

[EdgeleyRob]

Fully agreed. I've long had a major interest in the history of the Second World War as well as classical music, have been to Leningrad (1979) and met Maxim Shostakovich (in London 1981) so this combined all of my interests in one excellent programme.

You can quibble till the cows come home about various interpretations of what this music means and lots of ink has been spilled on the matter but as the programme centred mostly on the siege and the performance in the city it seemed right not too go too strongly into any alternative interpretations as in Testimony.

Good to have a BBC programme that doesn't treat its audience like idiots. More please!

Well said Pet.
I was in St Petersburg in 2005,I listened to a little chunk of The Leningrad on a portable cd player whilst walking round the city.
Silly I know,but I had to do it.

Super programme,well done BBC,and Tom S wasn't half as annoying as I feared.

I still think this is DSCH's masterpiece.