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The Life and Music of Dmitri Shostakovich
By Laura Knoy on Monday, September 26, 2005.
This week marks the 99th birthday of Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the best known composers of the Soviet era. Shostakovich's repertoire includes 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets and many other works from chamber pieces to operas. But it was the composer's relationship with his country's communist government and its leader Joseph Stalin that inspired his music the most and that people still discuss and debate today. Sometimes Shostakovich's music seems to praise his country, sometimes even lifting up Stalin and yet other times his music speaks out loudly to the persecution of his home people and the social injustices he saw around him. Today we look at the life and the music of Dmitri Shostakovich and explore the love/hate relationship music has historically had with the world's politics. Laura's guest is Harlow Robinson, Professor at Northeastern University in Boston, author of two books on Sergei Prokofiev and a regular contributor for the Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts and lecturer for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Shostakovich Playlist
Symphony No. 1 in F. minor - performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Polka from The Age of Gold, Op 22, - performed by Andre Kostelanetz and his Orchestra
Piano concerto No. 1, for piano, trumpet & strings, in C minor, Op. 35 - performed by Dmitri Shostakovich
Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk - performed by Mstislav Rostropovich, Dimiter Petrov, Nicolai Gedda and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Galina Vishnevskaya.
Symphony No. 5 in D minor Op. 47 from the CD “Shostakovich: Symphony Nos. 5 & 9 - performed by the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Leonard Bernstein
Symphony No. 7 in C major Op. 60“The Leningrad Symphonyâ€â€“ perfomred by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeny Svetlanov, condouctor
Quartet No. 8 - Performed by the Manhattan String Quartet from the CD “Shostakovich String Quartets 3 and 8 – Manhattan String Quartet
Symphony No. 13 in B flat minor Op. 113 “Babi Yar†- From the CD “Shostakovich: Symphony No13, Op113; Yevtushenko: Babi Yar [Recitation] performed by the New York Philharmonic and the Men of the New York Choral Artists, conducted by Kurt Masur
Excerpt “The Ghost†from the film score of “Hamlet†- composed by Dmitri Shostakovich
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Rande Neukam
Amherst, NH
Hello -- Great show! Back in the '70s following detente, there was a collaboration between Angel Records (US) and Melodiya (USSR). Two wonderful Prokofiev pieces resulted that I enjoy on vinyl to this day: "Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution, Op.74" and "Alexander Nevsky, Op.78" Both are extremely moving pieces which, I believe, make ample use of the Red Army chorus. To my mind, the resulting vocal richness has rarely been equaled on recordings. While the works may have been comissioned by Stalin, it is hard to believe that Prokofiev's heart was not in this work. Your comments are welcome. A small question: does the Red Army Chorus still record and does Melodiya still exist in 2005?
Rande Neukam
Amherst, NH
Opps, My previous comment called out Prokofiev, but applies to Shostakovich in his "The Sun Shines Over Our Motherland, Op. 90" Seems like his heart is truly in this piece comissioned by Stalin. Also, does the old USSR/Melodiya record label still exist, and does the Red Army Chorus still record?