Russia: World To Mark Centenary Of Shostakovich's Birth

RFERL ^ | September 22, 2006 | Claire Bigg

[sergey1973]

MOSCOW, September 22, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Russian audiences next week will get the chance to rediscover Dmitry Shostakovich and his music with a series of new recordings, concerts, and films to mark the centenary of his birth.

Born in St. Petersburg in 1906 to a family of Polish origin, Shostakovich remains one of the 20th century's most popular composers -- and also one of the most prolific.

He composed 15 symphonies, two operas, six concertos, 15 string quartets, three ballets, as well as film music.

Oksana Dvornichenko met Shostakovich in 1974, one year before his death, while shooting a documentary film about him.

One of Russia's leading experts on Shostakovich, Dvornichenko says that the composer, despite suffering from lung cancer, continued to write music until his death in 1975.

"He was gravely ill, he used one hand to hold the other when he shook someone's hand, he had difficulty writing down music,'' Dvornichenko says. "But he exemplified the body's demise and the soul's immortality. It was frenzied labor, frenzied creative work. Even during his last year, he composed a huge number of new works, he had great plans to write quartets and an opera based on [Anton] Chekhov's 'Black Monk.' Unfortunately, he ran out of time."

[sergey1973]

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[JennysCool]

I've always found him refreshing!

[GSlob]

"Sumbur vmesto muzyki", as one Joseph Stalin had it commented by his lackeys.

[Publius]

Unfortunately, he ran out of time.

Four packs a day will do that to you.

His Trio for Piano, Violin & Cello in E minor, Op. 67, is one of the great chamber works. After hearing it, you want to go home and slit your wrists. Written in 1944, it's about death -- not just the death that Hitler wreaked on Mother Russia, but the homegrown Stalinist variety, too. The last movement is a genuine dance with death. It's depressing, but brilliant.

[Grut]

First movement of his Seventh symphony is a brilliant satire on somebody, too.

[Publius]

I'm fond of the 14th, which is more of a song cycle than a symphony. I saw it performed by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in English translation back in 1980 with Daniel Lewis conducting.

The song about suicide -- "Three lilies grow over my grave" -- was hair-raising, as was the song about the prisoner pacing in his cell before execution. It's an amazing work.

[grellis]

ping

[sitetest]

Dear grellis,

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[EveningStar]

Finally we're getting Shostakovich threads! His 100th birthday is Monday! :)

[onedoug]

"We're going to a concert by Shostavocich."

"It may interest you to know it's pronounced, Shostakovich."

"Oh, yes, he's good too." -from The Patty Duke Show, which seems like a hundred years ago.

Happy Birthday!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Click here for a video/sound clip of the Phantom Regiment playing "Defiant Heart: The Music of Dmitri Shostakovich"

[aristotleman]

Thanks for the ping.

His music is superb and really speaks to me. It's not for everyone, many people may find it dark and difficult to digest. I recommend to anyone wishing to get to know this great composer, to start with his film, and ballet music. Check out the Ballet Suite, and the score from the movie "The Gadfly", for example.

[sitetest]

Dear aristotleman,

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