provided by the clarinet. As other instruments enter, the meter continues to shift, throwing off the feel of the waltz.  Each part seems to be almost clashing with one another making the entrances increasingly dissonant before giving way to another fanfare reminiscent of the culmination point of the first movement.  One could interpret this as the aftermath of the battle as it paints an image of almost confusion and shell shock. Gradually the movement manages to organize itself into a very haunting waltz just after rehearsal 82 with a solo melody provided by the clarinet. As other instruments enter, the meter continues to shift, throwing off the feel of the waltz.  Each part seems to be almost clashing with one another making the entrances increasingly dissonant before giving way to another fanfare reminiscent of the culmination point of the first movement.  Shostakovich used the Seventh Symphony to portray images of both the events occurring around the World War II siege of Leningrad and his view of the Stalin regime.

The Seventh Symphony was highly regarded in the Soviet Union as a statement of the suffering and deaths attributed to Nazis and the resilience of its citizens. The first performances were greeted with ovations and tears as the country mourned the many losses received at the hands of their oppressors.     Alexei Tolstoy recognized the unconstrained outpouring of emotion the symphony evoked.  He wrote an admirable review of the work in the Soviet paper, Pravda.    In his evaluation of the symphony, Tolstoy projected the acceptable views of nationalism and patriotism espoused by Stalin.   The Seventh Symphony became part of a propaganda campaign as it was played throughout the Soviet Union.  The staging of the Leningrad performance at the Astoria Hotel was on August 9, 1942, this was the day that Hitler had selected to celebrate the capitulation of Leningrad if it had occurred.  The performance was transmitted through the city and out to the Nazis on the front lines in order to discourage the troops.    In the United States, the symphony was also part of the war propaganda to sell the alliance between the Soviet Union and the West in fighting the Nazis as a united front.   The first performance in the United States was in July 1942.  The performance was by the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by  Toscanini.  Overall, the Seventh Symphony was performed 62 times from 1942 -1943 symphony season.

In conclusion, Shostakovich adapted his musical style to the requirements of the Stalin