September 25 - Dmitri Shostakovich (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 25th are here: Jean-Philippe Rameau; Glenn Gould (2019), Dmitri Shostakovich (2020), Jean-Philippe Rameau (2021), Glenn Gould (2022), and Glenn Gould; Will Smith (2023)

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Dmitri Shostakovich (25 September [O.S. 12 September] 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a great Soviet-Russian composer and pianist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comradeship

 

In 1948 Shostakovich was violently criticised and humiliated at the Soviet Composers' Congress. As in 1938 he became persona non grata. His works were banned and he was politically and artistically isolated. -- www.boosey.com

Dmitri Shostakovich and

   The Soviet authorities

Disagreed about his brand

    And musical priorities.

They wanted him to be more bland,

    With pleasanter sonorities

And positive appeal planned

   For Marxian majorities.

 

 

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