Music
The work has five movements, the last three played without interruption:
- Allegro
- Moderato
- Presto
- Largo
- Allegretto - Allegro
A typical performance lasts for around 26 minutes, which makes this symphony one of the shortest by Shostakovich. (Only his Second is shorter.)
The symphony is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, triangle, tambourine and strings.
The symphony is a playful and vivid musical work, with a neo-classical air that has led to comparisons to Haydn's symphonies and to Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. Shostakovich himself considered it "a joyful little piece".
Read more about this topic: Symphony No. 9 (Shostakovich)
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