The theme of war can consistently be found in the great works of music. In the first movement of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, written in 1806, the year of the historical battles at Jena-Auerstedt, in Lübeck and near Pultusk, the sounds of war – with the timpani and trumpets breaking through the unified harmony of the soloists and orchestra – can be heard. However, Shostakovich’s »Leningrad« is considered by definition a »war symphony«. The work was completed in 1942 during the siege of the Russian metropolis. The premiere became a triumphal success for the composer, who had written part of the music in the enclosed city. Soon afterward, conductors such as Toscanini, Kussewitzky and Ormandy showcased the piece with large orchestras worldwide. The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, led by Principal Conductor Paavo Järvi, now brings this work to the Elbphilharmonie. read less