Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra dir. Jonathan Darlington - Shostakovich Symphony No. 15 & Mozart Haffner-Sinfonie Studio Master

The Living Concert Series embodies, in a very special way, the basic concept behind Acousence's Philosophy label. The Symphony No. 15 in A major op. 141 is Dimitri Shostakovich's last orchestral work. It was written in 1971, four years before the composer's death, and although the symphony bears the distinct traces of a late work and Shostakovich had been struck by a serious illness, this is by no means his last musical creation. The "Haffner-Symphony" was written in a turbulent time: Only one year before, in March 1781, Mozart had given up his secure post at the court of the archiepiscopal court in Salzburg and he was now trying to build up a position as a self-employed musician. On July 16th the "Entführung aus dem Serail" had been premiered at the Viennese Burgtheater. It was the time when Mozart married Constanze Weber against the will of his father.