Karl Eliasberg

Karl Eliasberg wasn't a composer or a performing musician like a pianist or violinist, but he was a crucial figure in musical history, specifically during the Siege of Leningrad. He was the conductor who led the premiere of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, the "Leningrad" Symphony, in the besieged city in 1942. This performance, under incredibly difficult circumstances, became a powerful symbol of resilience and hope for the people of Leningrad and the Soviet Union. Eliasberg gathered the remaining musicians of the Radio Orchestra, many of whom were starving and weak, and painstakingly rehearsed the complex symphony. The performance was broadcast across the city and even over loudspeakers to the German lines, a defiant act against the Nazi forces.

While Eliasberg continued conducting after the war, leading the Leningrad Radio Orchestra for many years, he's primarily remembered for this single, extraordinary event. He didn't achieve the widespread fame of some other conductors, and information about his life and career outside of the Leningrad Symphony premiere can be difficult to find. However, his contribution to music and history remains significant, a testament to the power of art in the face of adversity.

Genres

Experimental

Folk

Classical

Contemporary Classical

Avant-garde

Chamber Music

Orchestral Music

Symphonic Music

Latest Release

Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor

Felix Mendelssohn•

Karl Eliasberg

Single - Released October 19, 2021