Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975); RUS

Shostakovich, Dmitry (Dmitryevich) (b St Petersburg, 1906; d Moscow, 1975). Russ. composer and pianist. Had pf. lessons from his mother at age 9 and later at Glasser Sch. of Mus. 1916-18. Entered Petrograd Cons. 1919, encouraged and helped by Glazunov, and studied pf. with Nikolayev and comp. with M. Steinberg. Completed pf. course in 4 years and made several concert appearances. Gained ‘honourable mention’ in Int. Chopin Comp., Warsaw, 1927. His diploma work, the 1st Sym., was perf. in Leningrad and Moscow in 1926 and earned the composer world fame at the age of 20. As a convinced believer in Russ. socialism, he sought ways in which his mus. could serve the state. Prompted by the cond. Malko, he wrote for the stage and films, in the next decade producing his opera The Nose, the ballets The Age of Gold and The Bolt, and several cinema scores. These works, particularly The Nose, reflect the then-permitted influence of Western avant-garde music, but The Nose was regarded as a sign of ‘bourgeois decadence’ and withdrawn from the stage. His opera The Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and ballet Bright Stream had both been successfully prod. when on 28 Jan. 1936 the opera was savagely attacked in the official Soviet newspaper Pravda for ‘leftist distortion’, ‘petty-bourgeois sensationalism’, and ‘formalism’ in an article headed ‘Chaos instead of Music’ (Sumbur vmesto muzyki). This article is said to have been written (or at any rate inspired) by Stalin himself, who had hated the opera. Another article attacking the ballet Bright Stream appeared in Pravda 10 days later. It almost seemed that Shostakovich's career was at an end, and he withdrew his 4th Sym. after initial rehearsals. His response was his 5th Sym. (1937), described by an unidentified commentator as ‘A Soviet artist's practical creative reply to just criticism’, a work which became and has remained one of his most popular. Significantly he avoided the stage for many years and between 1938 and 1953 wrote 5 more syms. and 4 str. qts. He taught comp. at Leningrad Cons. 1937-41 and was a fire-fighter during Ger. siege of Leningrad in 1941. From these experiences came his 7th Sym. (the Leningrad), which had a tremendous wartime success not only in USSR but in Eng. and USA, although it is now suggested that the barbaric march in the 1st movt. depicts Stalinist brutality rather than the Ger. army's advance. His pf. quintet (1940) won the Stalin Prize. In 1943 he settled in Moscow, becoming prof. of comp. at the Cons. In 1948, with other leading Russ. composers, he was again in disgrace following the notorious Zhdanov decree against ‘formalism’ and ‘anti-people art’. He was relieved of his Moscow professorship and did not resume the post until 1960. He made an official recantation, but his published works from 1948 to 1953 (when Stalin died) were chiefly film music and patriotic cantatas, exceptions being the 24 Preludes and Fugues for pf. The first Vn. Conc. (1947-8, rev. 1955), the 4th str. qt., and the song-cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry were all withheld from performance until after Stalin's death, and the arrival, under Khruschev, of a relatively and temporarily more liberal political and cultural climate.

In 1953 the 10th Sym. appeared, a masterpiece which is one of several highly personal works using the motif DSCH (based on the initials of his name in Ger. notation). This sym. inaugurates the great final period of his career, 22 years in which he comp. some of his finest mus.—the 10th to 15th Syms., the 6th to 15th str. qts., 2 vc. concs., The Execution of Stepan Razin to a text by the poet Yevtushenko, the 2nd vn. conc., the vn. and va. sonatas, and the Suite on Verses of Michelangelo. He visited England in 1958 and 1974, becoming a close friend and admirer of Britten. He had heart attacks in 1969 and 1971 and was in fragile health thereafter.

Many consider that Shostakovich is the greatest 20th-cent. composer. In his 15 syms., 15 qts., and in other works he demonstrated mastery of the largest and most challenging forms with mus. of great emotional power and technical invention. Nearly all the significant features of his mus. are present in the 1st Sym.: sectionalized structures, with themes built up into a mosaic, and frequent use of solo instr. in their highest and lowest registers. All his works are marked by emotional extremes—tragic intensity, grotesque and bizarre wit, humour, parody, and savage sarcasm (the scherzo of the 10th Sym. is said to be a portrait of Stalin). He frequently uses quotation, of himself and others. After his illness his mus. seemed preoccupied with death, and the great final works have an extraordinary and alarming power and tension. His admiration for, and knowledge of, Mahler is evident in his symphonic works, and he follows the Mahlerian precedent of juxtaposing the banal and the sublime. His student days in the decade following the Revolution were a time of comparative liberalism in Leningrad and it is evident from his 1st Sym. that he had studied the Western avant-garde of the time (Berg, Hindemith, and Krenek). The influence of Berg's Wozzeck, perf. in Leningrad, 1927, may be discerned in the Lady Macbeth opera. It is apparent now that Shostakovich soon became disillusioned with the Soviet system and that the intensifying darkness and bitterness of his work reflect a spiritual misery connected with external events (his attributed memoirs, published in the West in 1979, give convincing proof of his attitude). The tensions within him produced a succession of masterpieces. Prin. works:

OPERAS: The Nose (Nos), Op.15 (1927-8); Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (Ledi Makbet Mtsenskovo uyezda), Op.29 (1930-2) rev. 1955-63 as Katerina Izmaylova, Op.29/114; Moskva, Cheryomushki, musical comedy (ov. and 39 nos.), Op.105 (1958); The Gamblers (Igroki), Op.63 unfinished (1941; concert perf. Leningrad 1978; completion by K. Meyer perf. Wuppertal 1983).

BALLETS: The Age of Gold (Zolotoy vek), Op.22 (1927-30); The Bolt (Bolt), Op.27 (1930-1); Bright Stream (Svetytoly ruchey), Op.39 (1934-5); The Dreamers, mus. drawn chiefly from The Age of Gold and The Bolt, with some new material (1975).

SYMS.: No.1 in F minor, Op.10 (1924-5), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Malko, 1926; No.2 in B major (October) with ch. (text by A. Bezymensky), Op.14 (1927), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Malko, 1927; No.3 in Eb (First of May) with ch. (text by S. Kirsanov), Op.20 (1929), f.p. Leningrad, cond. A. Gauk, 1930; No.4 in C minor, Op.43 (1935-6) (withdrawn during rehearsal), f.p. Moscow, cond. Kondrashin, 1961; No.5 in D minor (A Soviet Artist's Practical Creative Reply to Just Criticism), Op.47 (1937), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Mravinsky, 1937; No.6 in B minor, Op.54 (1939), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Mravinsky, 1939; No.7 in C major (Leningrad), Op.60 (1941), f.p. Kuibyshev, cond. S. Samosud, 1942; No.8 in C minor, Op.65 (1943), f.p. Moscow, cond. Mravinsky, 1943; No.9 in Eb, Op.70 (1945), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Mravinsky, 1945; No.10 in E minor, Op.93 (1953), f.p. Leningrad, cond. Mravinsky, 1953; No.11 in G minor (The Year 1905), Op.103 (1957), f.p. Moscow, cond. N. Rachlin, 1957; No.12 in D minor (1917), Op.112 (1961), f.p. Moscow, cond. Kondrashin, 1961; No.13 in Bb minor (Babi-Yar), Op.113, bass, bass ch., orch. (poems by Y. Yevtushenko) (1962), f.p. Moscow, V. Gromadsky (bass), cond. Kondrashin, 1962; No.14, sop., bass, str., perc., Op.135 (11 poems by Lorca, Apollinaire, Küchelbecker, and Rilke) (1969), f.p. Leningrad, G. Vishnevskaya (sop.), M. Reshetin (bass), cond. Barshay, 1969; No.15 in A major, Op.141 (1971), f.p. Moscow, cond. M. Shostakovich, 1972.

CONCS.: pf.: No.1 in C minor, pf., tpt., str., Op.35 (1933), No.2 in F, Op.102 (1957); vn.: No.1 in A minor, Op.77 (1947-8, f.p. 1955 and orig. pubd. as Op.99), No.2 in C# minor, Op.129 (1967); vc.: No.1 in Eb, Op.107 (1959), No.2 in G, Op.126 (1966).

ORCH. (except for syms. and concs., listed above): Scherzo in F# minor, Op.1 (1919); Theme with Variations, Op.3 (1921-2); Scherzo in Eb, Op.7 (1924); Prelude and Scherzo, str. octet or str. orch., Op.11 (1924-5); Tahiti Trot (Tea for Two), Op.16 (1928); 2 Scarlatti Pieces, transcr. for wind, Op.17 (1928); Suite, Age of Gold, Op.22a (1929-32); Suite, The Bolt (Ballet Suite No.5), Op.27a (1931); Suite, Golden Mountains, Op.30a (1931); Hamlet, suite of 13 movts., small orch., Op.32a (1932); Suite for Jazz Orch., No.1 (1934), No.2 (1938); 5 Fragments, small orch., Op.42 (1935); Fragments from Maxim Film-Trilogy (assembled by L. Atovmyan), Op.50a (1938, 1961); Suite from Pirogov (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.76a (1947); Suite from Young Guards (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.75a (1947-8, 1951); Suite from Meeting on the Elbe, Op.80a (c.1948); Ballet Suite No.1 (1949), No.2 (1951), No.3 (1952), No.4 (1953); Fragments from The Memorable Year 1919 (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.89a (1951, ?1955); Festival Overture, Op.96 (1954); Fragments from The Gadfly (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.97a (1955); Suite in 5 scenes from Katerina Izmaylova (1956); Novorossiysk Chimes (1960); Suite from 5 Days, 5 Nights (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.111a (1961); Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes, Op.115 (1963); Suite from Hamlet (film mus.) (assisted by Atovmyan), Op.116a (1964); Chamber Symphony (arr. of 8th Str. Qt. for str. by Barshay); Symphony for Strings (arr. of 10th Str. Qt.); Funeral-Triumphal Prelude, Op.130 (1967); October, sym.-poem, Op.131 (1967).

CHORUS & ORCH. (excl. syms.): Poem of the Motherland, cantata, Op.74, mez., ten., 2 bar., bass soloists (1947); The Song of the Forests, oratorio, Op.81, ten., bass soloists, children's ch. (1949); The Sun Shines over our Motherland, cantata, Op.90, with children's ch. (1952); Fragments from the 1st Echelon, Op.99a (1956); The Execution of Stepan Razin (Kazn’ Stepana Razina), cantata, Op.119, bass soloist (1964).

UNACC. CHORUS: 10 Poems on Texts by Revolutionary Poets, SATB, Op.88 (1951); 2 Russian Folksong Adaptations, SATB, Op.104 (1957); Loyalty, 8 ballads for male ch., Op.136 (1970).

SOLO VOICE(S) & ORCH.: 2 Fables of Krylov, Op.4, mez. (also with pf., 1922); Suite, The Nose, Op.15a, ten., bar. (1927-8); 6 Romances on Words by Japanese Poets, Op.21, ten. (1928-32); 8 English and American Folksongs, low v. (1944); From Jewish Folk-Poetry, Op.79, sop., cont., ten. (1963, with pf. 1948); 7 Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok, Op.127, suite, sop., pf. trio (1967); 6 Romances on Verses of English Poets, Op.140, bass (1971, with pf., Op.62, 1942); 6 Poems of Marina Tsvetayeva, Op.143a, cont. (1973, with pf., Op.143, 1973); Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Op.145a, bass (1974, with pf., Op.145, 1974).

VOICE & PIANO: 2 Fables of Krilov, Op.4, mez. (1922); 4 Romances on Verses of Pushkin, Op.46, bass (1936); 6 Romances on Verses of English Poets, Op.62, bass (1942); Vow of the People's Commissar, bass, ch. (1942); 2 Songs (texts by Svetlov), Op.72 (1945); Homesickness (1948, arr. by composer 1956); From Jewish Folk-Poetry, Op.79, sop., cont., ten. (1948); 2 Romances on Verses by Lermontov, Op.84, male v. (1950); 4 Songs to words by Dolmatovsky, Op.86 (1951); 4 Monologues on Verses of Pushkin, Op.91, bass (1952); 5 Romances (Songs of our Days), Op.98, bass (1954); 6 Spanish Songs, Op.100, sop. (1956); Satires (Pictures of the Past), 5 Romances, Op.109, sop. (1960); 5 Romances on texts from Krokodil Magazine, Op.121, bass (1965); Preface to the Complete Collection of my Works, and Brief Reflections à propos this Preface, Op.123, bass (1966); Spring, Spring (Pushkin), Op.128, bass (1967); 6 Poems of Marina Tsvetayeva, Op.143, cont. (1973); Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Op.145, bass (1974); 4 Verses of Capitan Lebyadkin, Op.146, bass (texts by Dostoyevsky) (1974).

CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qts.: No.1 in C, Op.49 (1938), No.2 in A, Op.68 (1944), No.3 in F, Op.73 (1946), No.4 in D, Op.83 (1949. also arr. for 2 pf. by composer), No.5 in Bb, Op.92 (1953), No.6 in G, Op.101 (1956), No.7 in F# minor, Op.108 (1960), No.8 in C minor, Op.110 (1960, arr. for str. orch. by Barshay as Chamber Symphony), No.9 in Eb, Op.117 (1964), No.10 in Ab, Op.118 (1964, arr. for str. orch. by Barshay as Symphony for Strings), No.11 in F minor, Op.122 (1966), No.12 in Db, Op.133 (1968), No.13 in Bb minor, Op.138 (1970), No.14 in F# major, Op.142 (1972-3), No.15 in Eb minor, Op.144 (1974); pf. trio No.1, Op.8 (1923), No.2 in E minor, Op.67 (1944); 2 Pieces (Prelude and Scherzo) for str. octet, Op.11 (1924-5); pf. quintet in G minor, Op.57 (1940).

PIANO: sonatas: No.1, Op.12 (1926), No.2 in B minor, Op.61 (1942); 8 Preludes, Op.2 (1919-20); 5 Preludes (1920-1); 3 Fantastic Dances, Op.5 (1922); 10 Aphorisms, Op.13 (1927); Polka (Age of Gold) (1935, arr. for 4 hands 1962); 24 Preludes, Op.34 (1932-3) (No.14, orch. Stokowski); Children's Notebook, Op.69 (1944-5); 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op.87 (1950-1); 7 Dances of the Dolls (1952-62).

2 PIANOS: Suite in F# minor, Op.6 (1922); Polka (Age of Gold) (1962); Prelude and Fugue No.15 from Op.87 (?1963); Concertino, Op.94 (1953); Tarantella from The Gadfly (?1963).

INCIDENTAL MUSIC FOR PLAYS: The Flea (Klop) (Mayakovsky), Op.19 (1929); Rule, Britannia! (Pyotrovsky), Op.28 (1931); Conditionally Killed, Op.31 (1931); Hamlet (Shakespeare), Op.32 (1931-2); The Human Comedy (Sukotkin, after Balzac), Op.37 (1933-4); Salute to Spain (Apinogenov), Op.44 (1936); King Lear (Shakespeare), Op.58a (1940); Native Country, Op.63 (1942); Russian River, Op.66 (1944); Victorious Spring, Op.72 (1945).

FILM MUSIC: New Babylon, Op.18 (1928, score missing: suite reconstructed by Rozhdestvensky, 1976); Alone, Op.26 (1930-1); Golden Mountains, Op.30 (1931, lost, new version 1936); Encounter, Op.33 (1932); Love and Hate, Op.38 (1934); Maxim's Youth (The Bolshevik), Op.41 (i) (1934-5); Girl Companions, Op.41 (ii) (1934-5); The Tale of the Priest and his worker Balda, Op.36 (1936, not released); Maxim's Return, Op.45 (1936-7); Volochayev Days, Op.48 (1936-7); Vyborg District, Op.50 (1938); Friends, Op.51 (1938); The Great Citizen (Part I), Op.52 (1938); Man at Arms, Op.53 (1938); The Great Citizen (Part II), Op.55 (1939); Zoya, Op.64 (1944); Simple Folk, Op.71 (1945); Pirogov, Op.76 (1947); Young Guards, Op.75 (1947-8); Michurin, Op.78 (1948); Meeting on the Elbe, Op.80 (1948); The Fall of Berlin, Op.82 (1949); Belinsky, Op.85 (1950); The Memorable Year 1919, Op.89 (1951); Song of a Great River, Op.95 (1954); The Gadfly, Op.97 (1955); The 1st Echelon, Op.99 (1956); Five Days—Five Nights, Op.111 (1960); Cheryomushki (1962); Hamlet, Op.116 (Shakespeare, trans. Pasternak, 1963-4); A Year Like a Life, Op.120 (1965); Sofya Perovoskaya, Op.132 (1967); King Lear, Op.137 (1970).

ARRS. OF OTHER COMPOSERS: Scarlatti: 2 Scarlatti Pieces for wind orch., Op.17 (1928); Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov, re-orch., Op.58 (1939-40, f.p. 1959); Khovanshchina, ed. and orch., Op.106, (1959, for film version, f. stage p. 1960); Songs and Dances of Death (orch. 1962); Davidenko (1899-1934): 2 Choruses, arr. for ch. and orch., Op.124 (1962); Schumann: vc. conc., re-orch. (1963); Youmans: Tea for Two, orch. as Tahiti Trot, Op.16 (1928).

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