The piccolo solo in the first movement of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6 brings a bright, biting edge to the whirlwind piece, masterfully played here by piccoloist Erica Peel. Premiered in 1939, the Symphony surprised audiences with its somber opening Largo, followed by two lively, witty movements—a striking contrast that reflects the tension between melancholy and irony in Shostakovich’s music under Soviet rule. The Philadelphia Orchestra gave the United States premiere of the piece in 1940 unde