4.8.25: Dmitri Shostakovitch

[Serial_Apologist]

Young would-be communist composer in bid to stave off encroaching fascism somehow seems timely.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ggf6

[smittims]

There has of course been endless speculation about what Shostakovitch's music 'means'. For instance the seventh symphony has been said variously to have been a depiction of the sufferings of Leningrad in the Great Patriotic War, a criticism of the Satlin regime before the war, and a symphony about the Psalms, as the composer said to a friend .

I've always listened to it simply as music, and find that quite satisfying. But I know many people like to have a 'story' behind the music.

[LMcD]

There has of course been endless speculation about what Shostakovitch's music 'means'. For instance the seventh symphony has been said variously to have been a depiction of the sufferings of Leningrad in the Great Patriotic War, a criticism of the Satlin regime before the war, and a symphony about the Psalms, as the composer said to a friend .

I've always listened to it simply as music, and find that quite satisfying. But I know many people like to have a 'story' behind the music.

As it happens I've just bought, from a local charity shop, a book by Brian Moynahan entitled 'Leningrad - Siege and Symphony'. It has 558 pages including the Index, so it might be a while before I get back to you.

What I can recommend unreservedly is Helen Dunmore's wonderful 2001 novel 'The Siege'.

[Serial_Apologist]

There has of course been endless speculation about what Shostakovitch's music 'means'. For instance the seventh symphony has been said variously to have been a depiction of the sufferings of Leningrad in the Great Patriotic War, a criticism of the Satlin regime before the war, and a symphony about the Psalms, as the composer said to a friend .

I've always listened to it simply as music, and find that quite satisfying. But I know many people like to have a 'story' behind the music.

I think that with the Seventh, I would have to ask, what is it with this outwardly banal march being repeated over and over again, which the music alone would not explain or satisfy? Some programme music doesn't stand up on its own. I remember being at a lecture Michael Garrick gave before a class of mainly American students on Holst's Planets, in which he played a recording of Mars, then asked "What does this music make you immediately think of?", to which one of the male students, after a brief pause, said "War".

[richardfinegold]

As it happens I've just bought, from a local charity shop, a book by Brian Moynahan entitled 'Leningrad - Siege and Symphony'. It has 558 pages including the Index, so it might be a while before I get back to you.

What I can recommend unreservedly is Helen Dunmore's wonderful 2001 novel 'The Siege'.

I read that, or most of it. Everything you could ever want to know about seventh

[LMcD]

I read that, or most of it. Everything you could ever want to know about seventh

Most of the Moynahan? Mind you, I learnt a lot from HD's novel as well. as well.

[richardfinegold]

I think I inadvertently left it behind in a hotel with about 50 pages to go. I’d already felt it was about 209 pages to long by then

[Serial_Apologist]

I think I inadvertently left it behind in a hotel with about 50 pages to go. I’d already felt it was about 209 pages to long by then

The book, not the score of the symphony!

[smittims]

Another good novel about Shostakovitch is Julian Barnes' The Noise of Time.

It's a departure for Barnes who normally writes pure fiction : The Sense of an Ending is perhaps his best known book. I regrad him as one of the few current novelists whose work has something to offer the intelligent male reader.

[richardfinegold]

The book, not the score of the symphony!

Good one!

[Serial_Apologist]

Well that series turned out to be one of the best among recent COTWs, proving there was so much additional to learn from this programme, particularly, for me, about Shostakovitch, not previously a composer I have investigated in detail. That opening movement from the first violin concerto... phew! Any other views in the wake?

[Roger Webb]

Well that series turned out to be one of the best among recent COTWs, proving there was so much additional to learn from this programme, particularly, for me, about Shostakovitch, not previously a composer I have investigated in detail. That opening movement from the first violin concerto... phew! Any other views in the wake?

Only that Shostakovitch died 50 years ago today! BR Klassik are marking it with couple of programmes with the 7th Sym. at 1900 UK time tonight....followed by the two piano concertos and 2nd Sym.

https://www.br.de/radio/live/br-klassik/programm/2025-08-09/3654307

[Petrushka]

Only that Shostakovitch died 50 years ago today!

Remember well hearing the news on TV and radio. His death was announced on the Sunday morning, the 10th. I'd only got into Shostakovich about a year or so before, my first DSCH LP being the Kondrashin recording of the 11th Symphony.

When I went to Moscow in 1982 we visited Novodevichy Cemetery and I asked our Intourist guide if I could see Shostakovich's grave but I was told it wasn't allowed, though I never did find out why. If the Russians said it wasn't allowed that was that, no reason forthcoming!

[eighthobstruction]

Well that series turned out to be one of the best among recent COTWs, proving there was so much additional to learn from this programme, particularly, for me, about Shostakovitch, not previously a composer I have investigated in detail. That opening movement from the first violin concerto... phew! Any other views in the wake?

....it was indeed a very coftw....i listened to some of it and was really stopped in my tracks....3 pieces on thursday in particular

[eighthobstruction]

....I must admit my ignorance (some obviously expect it)....and my interest is being mostly in his Quartets....never read a biography : my only info really is that BBC biography of the 7th (and very good that was)....but 2 things, the absolute incredible poverty of the DS family and his dreadful diet....and secondly that opera by Fleishman sounds really interesting, has anyone heard it's entirety...??