Symphony No. 12, The Year 1917, is a symphony by Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich composed in 1961, commonly issued on recordings together with his Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes. The music presents a large-scale, mid-20th-century orchestral language characterised by martial brass, sombre string sonorities and clear rhythmic gestures addressing historical subject matter, while the overture contributes a more folkloric, colourful use of Russian and Kirghiz material that reflects Shostakovich's late-career engagement with public, programme-driven works.
