About the Author
Dmitri Shostakovich is the quintessential Soviet-era Russian composer, having scored dozens of films and created 15 Symphonies. You can use the blog search bar on the right to find our other posts about his work.
About the Music
Shostakovich’s 9th, like his 5th, is fraught with Stalinesque atmosphere. Having composed Stalin-pleasing No. 5 to return from official censure, Shostakovich [...]
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Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet
About the Composer: Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was one of the most prominent Twentieth Century Russian composers. Probably best known for his didactic children’s work Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev also invested his energies into creating symphonies, piano concertos, ballets, and numerous shorter pieces.
About the Music: I’m not averse [...]
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SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2
About the Composer:
Dimtri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was the preemminent Soviet-era Russian composer. New theories abound about his Communist orthodoxy, but having read 2 biographies and his letters to Isaak Glickman, I’m convinced he was more anti-Stalinist than anti-Communist (though the theroies about musical codes are interesting). His music is often [...]
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