Shostakovich began his Tenth Symphony shortly after Stalin died, and for many the work is a summary of the Stalin era. “An optimistic tragedy” is how the Soviet Composer’s Union finally described it, without suggesting any political portrait in it. “Let them listen and guess,” was all the composer said at the time about any extra-musical meaning.

Come for:

Vasily Petrenko’s recording of the Shostakovich Tenth with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has been widely praised.

And more:

Young Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski, who is quickly becoming a local favorite, plays one of the world’s favorite concertos.