Shostakovich was the Beethoven of the XXth century. Lived through horrible age, in the midst of Stalinist terror and also saw the II. WW. His work reflected the horrors, terror and fear of his age. Sometimes he used double speech and referred not only the tremendous crimes committed by one revolutionary regime, but the other one also. This particular symphony is about the crimes committed by the Nazis against Jewish people. Today is the day of remembering on Holocaust, the day when the Auschwitz camp was liberated in 1945. Be here the magnificient work of Shostakovich for this occasion.
While Shostakovich was indeed a major composer of the 20th century( whose music I enjoy BTW)
I disagree about the "Shostakovich was the Beethoven of the XXth century" analogy.
Shostakovich's accomplishments, stature and influence simply do not measure up to Beethoven IMO.
While Shostakovich was indeed a major composer of the 20th century( whose music I enjoy BTW)
I disagree about the "Shostakovich was the Beethoven of the XXth century" analogy.
Shostakovich's accomplishments, stature and influence simply do not measure up to Beethoven IMO.
"Of the XX century" is the key phrase. The author of the part of Genesis about Noah described him as "perfect in his generations," viz., the best of the worst.
"Of the XX century" is the key phrase. The author of the part of Genesis about Noah described him as "perfect in his generations," viz., the best of the worst.
Maybe I was not enough clear. Of course, Shostajkovich is not as pathbreaking, monumental figure in the history of classical music as Beethoven. On the contrary, certain extent he is the last representativ of a dying tradition. But I meant that Shostakovich in his music protrayed, reflected the major questions of his age, like Beethoven and both hoped a better society, and both composed music also to convey this massege to their audience.
My apologies. I mean that just as Noah was called the best of a bad generation, Shostakovich might be considered the best of an (overall) bad period. I would say either him or late Bartok, but I seldom listen to anything later than Brahms anymore. It's too unsettling.
My apologies. I mean that just as Noah was called the best of a bad generation, Shostakovich might be considered the best of an (overall) bad period. I would say either him or late Bartok, but I seldom listen to anything later than Brahms anymore. It's too unsettling.
My personal view is different;
I consider the 20th century to be a fertile, productive and relevant period musically.
Yes, 20th century music can be unsettling and challenging but it can also be relevant and interesting to me(and many others).
In addition, I don't personally believe Shostakovich represents the "best' of his period.
This is only my opinion of course.
Other than Shostakovich writing in the same types of forms and for similar types of ensembles,I still can't find many parallels between Beethoven and Shostakovich.
Maybe I was not enough clear. Of course, Shostajkovich is not as pathbreaking, monumental figure in the history of classical music as Beethoven. On the contrary, certain extent he is the last representativ of a dying tradition. But I meant that Shostakovich in his music protrayed, reflected the major questions of his age, like Beethoven and both hoped a better society, and both composed music also to convey this massege to their audience.
Ellington was awesome but no.
Different galaxy IMO.
I'm still not sure what "so-and-so is the Beethoven of the 20th century" means.
Therefore I could be wrong.
It amazes me the lack of understanding of Ellington's music in the so-called "serious music" community even today.
Ellington's music was possibly better understood by musicians(of all types) during his lifetime than Beethoven's was though...
"Of the XX century" is the key phrase. The author of the part of Genesis about Noah described him as "perfect in his generations," viz., the best of the worst.
I'm not denying Beethoven's influence on music after him, I'm talking about how I hear his music compared to Shostakovich's. When I say I feel that Shostakovich's music is more visionary, I don't necessarily mean it has greater foresight. I mean it sounds more visionary in its aesthetic. Shostakovich uses a broader palette than Beethoven did. His works are more varied and IMO more dramatic and vivid on the ears. Of course, being more modern, his harmonic language and instrumentation is more complex, yet he manages to maintain a distinctive and recognisable voice in the just the way Beethoven did.
Shostakovich's influence can be heard far and wide too, with much film music being directly derivative of his sound and techniques.
Shostakovich pictured the human condition of the time through his music in a way so visionary that few have come close to matching. Shostakovich's output is like a history lesson without words and the bleakness and horror portrayed in works like the 8th symphony have few comparisons with any other composer. I think you underestimate the importance of good old Dmitri!
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