This music was published in 1953, after Stalins death. But partly written before Stalins death. Can you imagine how it was to be out of favour by Stalin? I have read a little about it in the book "The Noice of Time" by Julian Barnes. Shostakovich had almost all his life to struggle against the dictator Stalin. Also a dictator about music. And I think this struggle also can be heard in his music.
Your comment nailed it! The book was also really good. Poor Shostakovich... The symphony is one his greatest and one of my favorites. And at the end it repeats the D(E)SCH motive which resembles Dmitri Shostakovich. It's like: Stalin is dead. I have survived along with my music, along with my art!
