The Complete Symphonies - Shostakovich"s music is the music of 20th century Russia, from the turbulent Revolution, through the horrors of war to the communistic repression. It is the cry of a soul in torment, expressing grief, despair in a highly personal way, through irony or bitter truth. The symphonies span Shostakovich"s whole life, and form a milestone in the symphonic repertoire. They are frequently played, and have gained nearly the same popularity as Mahler"s symphonies. A stupendous recording by Russian conductor Rudolf Barshai, an authority in this repertoire, as he has worked closely together with the composer for a long time, and premiered the 14th symphony.