State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR

The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR, often called the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, was one of the Soviet Union’s most prestigious orchestras. Founded in 1936 by conductor Alexander Gauk, it became a cultural powerhouse, known for championing works by Russian composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Tchaikovsky, as well as international classics. With a bold, rich sound, the orchestra premiered major Soviet compositions and collaborated with legendary soloists like pianist Sviatoslav Richter, whose fiery Beethoven performances (like the *Choral Fantasy* and cello sonatas) remain iconic. Over the decades, conductors like Evgeny Svetlanov and Mark Ermler shaped its dynamic style, captured in recordings of Tchaikovsky’s *Serenade for Strings*, Rimsky-Korsakov’s *Scheherazade*, and Beethoven’s *Eroica* Symphony. Though renamed the Russian State Symphony Orchestra after the USSR’s dissolution, its legacy lives on as a defining force in 20th-century classical music.

Genres

Classical

Contemporary Classical

Opera

Baroque

Choral

Chamber Music

Latest Release

Sviatoslav Richter Plays Piano Works by Beethoven: Choral Fantasy, Op. 80 / Cello Sonatas: No. 1, Op. 5 & No. 2, Op. 5

Ludwig van Beethoven•

Sviatoslav Richter•

Mstislav Rostropovich•

State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR•

Kurt Sanderling

Album - 7 Tracks - Released September 17, 2021