Sadness, for example, penetrates the sarcasm of the Shostakovich symphony, sending us home with full but heavy hearts.

He is conducting all 15 Shostakovich symphonies over the course of the year, not once but twice.

Or completely different questions could be asked of the Shostakovich symphony and of other works.

His commercial recordings of Shostakovich symphonies were Nos. 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13 and 15.

Bernstein seems to have limited himself to only conducting certain Shostakovich symphonies, namely the numbers 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 14.

He led the first performances of several Shostakovich symphonies, and No. 8 is dedicated to him.

The Philharmonic has played only six Shostakovich symphonies in its history (Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9).

Many of that same subscription audience stayed away this time, faced with the prospect of yet another (nearly) hourlong Shostakovich symphony.

A less than shattering experience simply won't pass muster in this of all Shostakovich symphonies.

At about 70 minutes, it was longer than any previous Shostakovich symphony.