MUSIC

20th-Century Classical Music 6 / 7

Dmitri Shostakovich

1906- 1975

A talented composer of his time, Dimitri Shostakovich had quite difficult moments during all his life that inspired him towards several wonderful masterpieces, all of which show us how music can reveal all the ups and downs in the modern times. Whenever you want to discover some unique beautiful music of the XX century, you will find his works present in the top ranked musicians who have followed the development of a unique composer.

We can understand the pressure he must have felt during all his life, but at the same time, one may also feel those hard days as the promoters of some new approaches towards compositions which enable us to try to understand how and why he could survive under strict regulations that helped him to create marvelous works that are now cherished by orchestras and soloists on today's scenarios.

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (25 September [O.S. 12 September] 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded as a major composer.

Shostakovich achieved early fame in the Soviet Union, but had a complex relationship with its government. His 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was initially a success but later condemned by the Soviet government, putting his career at risk. In 1948, his work was denounced under the Zhdanov Doctrine, with professional consequences lasting several years. Even after his censure was rescinded in 1956, performances of his music were occasionally subject to state interventions, as with his Thirteenth Symphony (1962). Nevertheless, Shostakovich was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1947) and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (from 1962 until his death), as well as chairman of the RSFSR Union of Composers (1960–1968). Over the course of his career, he earned several important awards, including the Order of Lenin, from the Soviet government.

Shostakovich combined a variety of musical techniques in his works. His music is characterized by sharp contrasts, elements of the grotesque, and ambivalent tonality; he was also heavily influenced by neoclassicism and by the music of Gustav Mahler. His orchestral works include 15 symphonies and six concerti (two each for piano, violin, and cello). His chamber works include 15 string quartets, a piano quintet, and two piano trios. His solo piano works include two sonatas, an early set of 24 preludes, and a later set of 24 preludes and fugues. Stage works include three completed operas and three ballets. Shostakovich also wrote several song cycles and a substantial quantity of music for theatre and film.