Shostakovich - Music Banter Music Banter

Go Back   Music Banter > The Music Forums > Classical
Register Blogging Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Welcome to Music Banter Forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with over 70,000 other registered members. After you create your free account, you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 1,100,000 posts.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-22-2009, 03:02 AM   #1 (permalink)
Groupie
 
Bibliological's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1
Default Shostakovich

Shostakovich: a Russian, soviet-era composer who wrote one of my favorite pieces.

For me, Piano Concerto #1 in C minor is the best. I like the stark contrast between the very haunting/sad parts and the sections which are joyous or carefree.

Anyone else like Shostakovich (or perhaps a different Russian composer..?) ?

As an aside, I find this quote from him (as he was nearing the end of his life) interesting:

"Target achieved so far: 75% (right leg broken, left leg broken, right hand defective). All I need to do now is wreck the left hand and then 100% of my extremities will be out of order."
__________________
"The Real World is just a special case of the theoretical"
Bibliological is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2009, 07:02 AM   #2 (permalink)
The Music Guru.
 
Burning Down's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Beyond the Wall
Posts: 4,858
Default

Symphony No. 5, Op. 47

I like the second movement, but the whole piece is great.
Burning Down is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2010, 03:20 AM   #3 (permalink)
Groupie
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 7
Default

I like the quote...

Also a fan of symphony number 5, but think one of my favourites of his has to be the Second Waltz.
OperaticRosie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2010, 12:18 PM   #4 (permalink)
Music Addict
 
CosmicPrimitive's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Echo Parks Department
Posts: 53
Default

saw something of his performed by a seemingly unusually large orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. quite enjoyed it to my surprise. (free tix, pleasant night in the high seats, don't have to expect much from the entertainment) ... the orchestra was either too big and powerful for the sound system and there were phasing issues, or else Shostakovich composed in stereo ... either way I liked the results
__________________
Backatcha, Pod People!!
CosmicPrimitive is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2010, 02:30 AM   #5 (permalink)
Music Addict
 
Monk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 77
Default

I'm in love with Symphony 8, 3rd movement, so eerie and disconcerting
Monk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2010, 09:55 AM   #6 (permalink)
Music Addict
 
PartisanRanger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 156
Default

I just bought a copy of his 5th symphony, really interesting stuff.
PartisanRanger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 11:40 AM   #7 (permalink)
Groupie
 
jakub's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8
Default

Piano trio in E min is awesome!!
__________________
[links and banner removed by mod, no advertising]
jakub is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 01:05 PM   #8 (permalink)
The Music Guru.
 
Burning Down's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Beyond the Wall
Posts: 4,858
Default

I also like his Jazz Suite. Here's my favourite movement - Jazz Suite No. 2: VI. Waltz II. This is the piece featured at the beginning of the movie Eyes Wide Shut.

Burning Down is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2010, 08:16 PM   #9 (permalink)
Groupie
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Burning Down View Post
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47

I like the second movement, but the whole piece is great.
Agreed... I love this symphony, especially the emotion and intensity in the first movement. Though I must say that I've always viewed the fourth movement as a bit too... triumphant, I guess. However, I've read somewhere that Shostakovich may have been mocking Stalin's expectations..

Either way, IMO his best is String Quartet No. 8. Unparalleled in despair but also in beauty.. a piece of music that I'm truly amazed by every time I listen to it.
kamusik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2010, 04:28 AM   #10 (permalink)
Groupie
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 16
Default

As great as so many "Shosty" symphonies are (5, 7, 8, and so on) there is quite simply nothing to compare with his daring and monumental Symphony No.4.

He withdrew it on the eve of its planned premiere (1936), and shrewdly so, as it was so wild and anti-Soviet he may have ended up in the Siberian labour camps, having already been severely criticized in Pravda for a recent opera. It waited a quarter of a century for its first performance, which happened in late 1961. The climax of the symphony is quite simply devastating.

Several performances on YouTube. folks.

Last edited by davey75; 09-28-2010 at 04:29 AM. Reason: Emphasise certai words !!!!
davey75 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes



© 2003-2024 Advameg, Inc.