Symphony No 1 in F minor with an Opus number of 10 was written during his teenage years but the symphony showed no sign of childishness or undefinedness due to biological hormonal transformation that plague many teenagers. Maturity and insight into larger social and political issues seems to underline the symphony against a backdrop of social and political transformation under the newly minted Soviet communist regime and power transition from Lenin to Stalin. The minor scale of a dark canvass belies the piece. This was punctuated by many mysterious and surprising corners through clever plays of the timpani and inter-plays between brass and woodwind sections.
The drum roll that begins the four movements gives one an expectation of the start of a triumphant or regal piece but it quickly blends in with the first 3 movements of mystery and surprises with the repeated drum roll making a few rounds before ending on a note of what seems like an end of a significant event that is neither jubilant or dark. This suspenseful insignia of Shostakovich was to follow his many pieces that left both political intrigue or the largest politico-musical scandal of the communist regime as it begin to unfold before modern day Shostakovich interpreters.
There is also a hint of romantic era influence in between the mystery shrouded piece. The composer was said to be under the weather emotionally and was institutionalized in an asylum and thought to have attempted suicide during the 1-2 years of writing this symphony.
Although he was poor, Shostakovich is believed ( not by his contemporaries but modern day scholars ) to be a firm believer of the merits of the democratic/capitalist system and the devil that underlies the communist regime. Although nothing much is known about his religious beliefs, Karl Marx maxim that religion is the opium of capitalism is not likely to be one of them. Some say that they hear a cry for justice out of a summary execution and you be the judge.
The piece was premiered by the Leningrad Philharmonic in 1926.
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