Shostakovich is clearly regarded as one of the small group of the twentieth century’s most significant composers. Yet, on no other of his peers has more ink been spilt attempting to understand what thought processes and motivations reveal a composer’s own true self than that on Shostakovich. Was he a musically gifted, but incredibly naïve, tool of the worst instincts of Stalinism–or, a...
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, op. 102
Delving into a major artist’s mind, seeking to relate the art that we see and hear with the contradictions and complexities inherent in us all is clearly problematic. And Shostakovich is a particularly knotty case in point. He left a maddeningly ambiguous record of his inner thoughts. On the one hand, he was capable of...
Symphony No. 1 in F Minor, op. 10
Shostakovich is probably the most successful of those who sought to continue to write symphonies in the twentieth century–long after most had abandoned the form for other attractions. To be sure, others wrote symphonies as well during this time, but generally not with the long-term commitment or at the same high level of quality in a truly...
Symphony No. 5 in D minor, op. 47
On no other major recent composer has more ink been spilt attempting to understand what thought processes and motivations reveal the true inner self, than on Shostakovich. The evidence is fought over, sifted, and re-sifted to build the case that he was a musically-gifted, but incredibly naïve, tool of the worst instincts of...
Symphony No. 7 in C Major, op. 65
Will the real Dmitri Shostakovich please hold up his hand—or at least the composer of Symphony No. 7? On no other major recent composer has more ink been spilt attempting to understand what thought processes and motivations reveal the true self than that on Shostakovich. The evidence is fought over, sifted, and...
Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major, op. 70
Will the real Dmitri Shostakovich please hold up his hand—or at least the composer of Symphony No. 9? On no other major recent composer has more ink been spilt attempting to understand what thought processes and motivations reveal the true self than that on Shostakovich. The evidence is fought over, sifted, and re-sifted to build the case that he was a musically-gifted, but incredibly naïve...
Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, op. 99
On no other major recent composer has more ink been spilt attempting to understand what thought processes and motivations reveal the true self than that on Shostakovich. The evidence is fought over, sifted, and re-sifted to build the case that he was a musically-gifted, but incredibly naïve, tool of the worst instincts of...