Dmitri Shostakovich

By Megan West

BeginningsBeginnings

Dmitri Shostakovich was born in St. Dmitri Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia.Petersburg, Russia.

His entire family was musicalHis entire family was musical He began taking piano at the age of He began taking piano at the age of

nine and when he was 10, he was nine and when he was 10, he was invited to play for the director of the invited to play for the director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory.St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Family lifeFamily life

• He was the middle child or three. The other two were girls.

• His father’s job provided them luxuries not many families at the time had.

• They owned a piano, two cars, a summer house, and had a nanny and a tutor.

Musical BeginningMusical Beginning

At age nine Dmitri started formal piano At age nine Dmitri started formal piano lessons.lessons.

He had perfect pitchHe had perfect pitch He was already composing at the age of He was already composing at the age of

eleven.eleven.

Musical SchoolingMusical Schooling

In 1919, Aleksandr Glazunov In 1919, Aleksandr Glazunov recruited him for the Petrograd recruited him for the Petrograd ConservatoryConservatory

He was trained in violin, composing He was trained in violin, composing and conductingand conducting

Life grows harderLife grows harder

His father died in 1922His father died in 1922 He contracted tuberculosis and He contracted tuberculosis and

had an operation before his final had an operation before his final piano exam.piano exam.

Music, Life and School

• Shostakovich began his first symphony at age 17

• He had a brief affair with Tatyana Glivenko

• He was denied acceptance to his former conservatory

• He completed his first symphony at 19.

His music His music

• He had a very experimental He had a very experimental dissonant textures and spare counter dissonant textures and spare counter point musical style.point musical style.

• His music was chastised by the His music was chastised by the Soviet government.Soviet government.

Personal life and musical criticism

• In 1932, he married Nina Varzar• In 1936, his opera ‘Lady Macbeth’

was criticized by Stalin• His first child, Galina, was born in

1936 and his second, Maksim, in 1938.

Crippling musical decrees

The Communist Party passed a decree criticizing the works of many composers in 1942.

Despite the criticism, he moved to Moscow and became a full professor at the Moscow Conservatory.

Freedom from StalinFreedom from Stalin

Stalin died in 1953, and the criticized Stalin died in 1953, and the criticized composers took to performing their banned composers took to performing their banned works.works.

However, his wife died of cancer in 1954, However, his wife died of cancer in 1954, followed by his mother in 1955, he married followed by his mother in 1955, he married Margarita Kavanova, but divorced her and Margarita Kavanova, but divorced her and contracted polio.contracted polio.

The last yearsThe last years

He joined the Communist party in 1960He joined the Communist party in 1960 He married Irina Supinskava in 1962He married Irina Supinskava in 1962 He had a heart attack in 1966 and He had a heart attack in 1966 and

another in 1971another in 1971 He died of lung cancer on August 9, 1975 He died of lung cancer on August 9, 1975

at the age of 65.at the age of 65.

Symphony Number Five in D minor

The Piece

Dmitri Shostakovich began the Fifth Symphony on April 18, 1937 and finished it three months later on July 20.

Russia

The Communist government controlled every aspect of life for the composers and Shostakovich tried his best not to draw attention to him and his family.

Success after failure• The Fifth Symphony was first

performed in Leningrad, Russia on October 21, 1937

• Shostakovich complied with the government’s orders, but the Symphony was a big hit, nevertheless.

The Musical Style of the The Musical Style of the PiecePiece

Dmitri did not write the piece to Dmitri did not write the piece to please the government, as he please the government, as he infused a good deal of satire and infused a good deal of satire and parody in the piece.parody in the piece.

It has a completely different It has a completely different orchestral sound from the first four orchestral sound from the first four with dominate winds and broader with dominate winds and broader themes and more emotion.themes and more emotion.

The Piece ItselfThe Piece Itself

It is about 45 minutes longIt is about 45 minutes long It has four movements: Moderato, It has four movements: Moderato,

Allegretto, Largo and Allegro Non-Allegretto, Largo and Allegro Non-Troppo.Troppo.

Musicians argue the first movement Musicians argue the first movement is a cry of despair brought on by the is a cry of despair brought on by the opposition of the Soviet government.opposition of the Soviet government.

The Secret MeaningsThe Secret Meanings

The government was highly unaware The government was highly unaware of the truth behind the music. of the truth behind the music.

The third movement of the piece is The third movement of the piece is probably the most despairing piece probably the most despairing piece of music ever written. of music ever written.

It testifies of and is seen as a witness It testifies of and is seen as a witness of one man’s struggle to escape the of one man’s struggle to escape the rule of a vicious tyrant.rule of a vicious tyrant.

A Closer LookA Closer Look

Now we will take a closer look at the Fifth Now we will take a closer look at the Fifth Symphony in D minor. Symphony in D minor.

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0:02 The Symphony opens with the Cello and Contrabass playing Theme 0:02 The Symphony opens with the Cello and Contrabass playing Theme 1 at a Mezzo Forte. 1 at a Mezzo Forte.

0:04 The Violins I and II come in with a round-like approach and follow the 0:04 The Violins I and II come in with a round-like approach and follow the lower instruments melody. lower instruments melody.

0:16 The violins continue with the melody supported by the bass notes. 0:16 The violins continue with the melody supported by the bass notes.

0:31 The violas appear, playing along with the Cello and Contrabass in a 0:31 The violas appear, playing along with the Cello and Contrabass in a bridge that lasts a measure and a half. bridge that lasts a measure and a half.

0:36 The first violins come in with the melody that decrescendos slowly. 0:36 The first violins come in with the melody that decrescendos slowly.

1:08 The bass and cello drop out and the violins continue playing the 1:08 The bass and cello drop out and the violins continue playing the melody for another two measures. The melody they play is minor with a melody for another two measures. The melody they play is minor with a very disjunctive and atonal center. very disjunctive and atonal center.

1:15 The first violins stop playing the melody as the second violins come 1:15 The first violins stop playing the melody as the second violins come in with a tremolo at piano. in with a tremolo at piano.

1:18 The oboes play theme II at mezzo piano while the violins continue 1:18 The oboes play theme II at mezzo piano while the violins continue tremolo and the cello and bass pizzicato a counter melody. tremolo and the cello and bass pizzicato a counter melody.

1:30 The second violins play theme I at mezzo forte and are joined by the violas, cellos and bass.

1:50 The first violins play a variation of theme II and are supported by the second violins and violas.

2:31 The melody ascends and increases to a forte at it's climax.

2:35 The melody descends and decrescendos

2:37 The melody hits a piano dynamic.

2:48 The first violins play an extremely high note while the second violins play a melody similar to that of the first theme.

2:54 The fist violins resume playing the melody

3:09 The oboe begins the melody by playing an ascending scale while the clarinet supports it with a lower melody played at a piano dynamic.

3:23 The violins repeat the theme heard at the beginning of the piece with a support of ascending five-note scales in the cellos.

3:38 The brass instruments, specifically the oboes, play the theme II melody while the coronets I and II play an echo of the oboe in chords.

4:01 The first violins and the flutes play a series of high E's while the coronets, trombones, second violins, violas and cellos play essentially the same ascending scale in quarter notes.

4:04 The violins and flutes play an almost fanfare-like melody while the supporting instruments change from a minor key to a major key.

4:14 The key once again changes from major to a very discorded minor characterized by atonal chords and bizarre rhythms.

4:25 The melody once again returns to as it was in the beginning with the cello and bass copying the melody set by the violins and violas.

4:34 The brass section once again comes in with the melody at a piano dynamic.

4:46 The string instruments minus the first violins play a pattern of quarter, eighth, eighth, quarter notes at a piano dynamic.

4:49 The first violins play a melody line similar to that of the second theme.

4:54 The key changes from minor to major as a result of the melody played by the first violins.

5:26 The flute plays the melody of the first violin at a lower pitch and volume.

5:33 The dynamic of the supporting strings increases to a forte.

5:51 The violas take over, playing the melody in a division of high half notes and low eight notes at a piano dynamic.

5:58 The cellos echo the viola melody.

6:23 The melody decrescendos to a pianissimo

6:29 The brass section once again plays a supporting chord of half notes at pianissimo.

6:36 The flute begins a solo at a piano dynamic.

7:05 The violin I begin to play with the flute melody.

7:11 The second violins, cellos and bass tremolo in unison.

7:16 The music increases in dynamic and tempo in preparation for the climax of the phrase.

7:19 The climax is reached by the first violins and flutes. The melody begins to decrescendo.

7:23 The oboe begins a solo

• 7:43 The cello and contrabass begin a pattern of long-short-short-long notes similar to those played by the lower string instruments at 4:46.

7:46 The violas play the melodic line

8:17 The melody line switches from the violas to the cellos.

8:20 The melody switches from the cellos to the bass and decrescendos.

8:21 The piano is introduced playing an ascending version of the melody that just descended through the lowest string instruments.

8:24 The coronet once again plays a supporting melody derived from theme II while the piano continues the melody. The whole is at a mezzo forte.

8:33 The piano begins to ascend in melody. The coronets stay forte playing half notes and whole notes.

8:45 The trombone plays a descending contour similar to the melody of theme I. The piano is diminished to a piano dynamic, the coronet to a mezzo piano.

9:00 The cello and bass begin to play the same rhythm as the piano at a different pitch in pizzicato.

9:04 The flute, clarinet and oboe play the same ascending melody at a forte as the piano, cello and bass continue the staccato supporting melody.

9:19 The violins and violas play an ascending melody at forte.

9:22 The violins begin to descend and decrescendo in the melodic line.

• 9:32 The violas begin a supporting melody of eighth notes as the brass section plays the same rhythmic ascending melody. The whole is forte.

9:38 The violins once again take the melody as the dominant instrument in the group playing a really dissonant and disjoint melody.

9:45 The violins switch to a supporting melody of eighth notes and the brass section takes the melody. The whole is forte.

9:54 The brass section begins a trumpet march and the violins play the melody, all at a forte

10:03 The trumpet melody switches to the violins and the brass section begins to play the melody.

► 10:14 The contrapuntal scheme of the piece is really evident 10:14 The contrapuntal scheme of the piece is really evident as the brass plays a swinging melody, the lower strings play a as the brass plays a swinging melody, the lower strings play a simple quarter note and eighth note melody and the higher simple quarter note and eighth note melody and the higher strings play a quick melody similar to that of the swinging strings play a quick melody similar to that of the swinging brass section. The whole is, once again, loud. brass section. The whole is, once again, loud.

10:26 The climax of the piece is reached as the symbols clash, 10:26 The climax of the piece is reached as the symbols clash, the swinging melody stops and the dynamic drops to mezzo the swinging melody stops and the dynamic drops to mezzo forte. The trombone play theme I and the snare drum plays a forte. The trombone play theme I and the snare drum plays a repeating pattern. repeating pattern.

10:57 The higher strings play an ascending variation of theme 10:57 The higher strings play an ascending variation of theme II. II.

11:01 The cello and bass play quarter notes at a forte while 11:01 The cello and bass play quarter notes at a forte while the violins play eighth and sixteenth notes at a mezzo forte. the violins play eighth and sixteenth notes at a mezzo forte.

11:15 The descending melody is played by both the strings 11:15 The descending melody is played by both the strings and brass section. The dynamic does not change. and brass section. The dynamic does not change.

11:24 The recapitulation of theme II occurs in the strings and 11:24 The recapitulation of theme II occurs in the strings and brass at a forte. brass at a forte.

12:05 The melody starts to decrescendo. 12:05 The melody starts to decrescendo.

• 12:19 The string instruments play the melody in synchronization at a forte.

12:35 The timpani plays an increasing drum roll until the climax of the phrase.

13:13 The brass section plays the melody at a forte. The timpani supports the instrument, also at a forte.

13:20 The whole begins to decrescendo.

13:36 The piece takes on a major tone, the strings play the supporting melody, and the tempo is increased. The dynamic of the whole is mezzo piano.

13:38 The flute begins a solo at mezzo forte.

13:43 The coronet supports the flute solo.

14:07 The key changes from major to atonal minor again.

14:22 The clarinet plays an ascending scale that leads into 14:22 The clarinet plays an ascending scale that leads into the next section. the next section.

14:24 The clarinet takes over the melody with the flute as a 14:24 The clarinet takes over the melody with the flute as a support. The strings continue to play at a piano, and the support. The strings continue to play at a piano, and the two instruments with the melody play at a mezzo piano. two instruments with the melody play at a mezzo piano.

14:39 The strings cease to play The oboe and clarinet 14:39 The strings cease to play The oboe and clarinet compliment each other in a solo. compliment each other in a solo.

15:32 The violas play the melody with the clarinets. 15:32 The violas play the melody with the clarinets.

15:54 The violas play the melody with the cellos and the 15:54 The violas play the melody with the cellos and the bass supports with a held whole note. bass supports with a held whole note.

16:00 The flute once again begins a solo at piano. The 16:00 The flute once again begins a solo at piano. The melody it plays is an inverted version of theme I. melody it plays is an inverted version of theme I.

16:31 The first violin plays an almost 16:31 The first violin plays an almost indistinguishable ascending scale. The melody in indistinguishable ascending scale. The melody in the lower strings grows to a mezzo piano. the lower strings grows to a mezzo piano.

16:56 The cello and bass play the melody heard 16:56 The cello and bass play the melody heard at the beginning at pianissimo. at the beginning at pianissimo.

17:19 The celesta plays the first ascending scale, 17:19 The celesta plays the first ascending scale, supported by tied eighth notes in the string supported by tied eighth notes in the string section and held whole notes in the brass section. section and held whole notes in the brass section. The whole is at a pianissimo. The whole is at a pianissimo.

17:25 The celesta plays the second ascending 17:25 The celesta plays the second ascending scale, the music is slowing and growing softer. scale, the music is slowing and growing softer.

17:30 The brass section plays a final two note 17:30 The brass section plays a final two note tribute to theme I, the celesta begins it's final tribute to theme I, the celesta begins it's final ascending scale. ascending scale.

CitationsCitations Music Files Ltd, “Dmitri Shostakovich – an overview of the classical composer”. 1999-2000. Music Files Ltd, “Dmitri Shostakovich – an overview of the classical composer”. 1999-2000.

<http://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/Dmitri-Shostakovich.htm> <http://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/Dmitri-Shostakovich.htm>

Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Russiapedia: Those Russians" 2005-2010. Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Russiapedia: Those Russians" 2005-2010. <http://rt.com/Russia_Now/Russiapedia/Those_Russians/sdmitry-shostakovich.html> <http://rt.com/Russia_Now/Russiapedia/Those_Russians/sdmitry-shostakovich.html>

Fay, Laurel E. “Shostakovich: A Life.” New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Fay, Laurel E. “Shostakovich: A Life.” New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. <http://www.musicacademyonline.com/composer/biographies.php?bid=133> <http://www.musicacademyonline.com/composer/biographies.php?bid=133>

Simms, Bryan R. Music of The Twentieth Century. New York: Schirmer Books, 1986 Simms, Bryan R. Music of The Twentieth Century. New York: Schirmer Books, 1986

Grout, Donald J. A History of Western Music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1980 Grout, Donald J. A History of Western Music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1980

Clavier. “Dmitri Shostakovich” Piano Explorer March 2009 Clavier. “Dmitri Shostakovich” Piano Explorer March 2009 Shostakovich(?) and Volkov, Shostakovich(?) and Volkov, Testimony: The Memoirs of Dmitri ShostakovichTestimony: The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich as related to and edited by Solomon Volkov, as related to and edited by Solomon Volkov,

translated from the Russian by Antonina W. Bouis Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1979translated from the Russian by Antonina W. Bouis Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1979

Kuenning, Geoff “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor” Geoff Kuenning. 1997 Kuenning, Geoff “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor” Geoff Kuenning. 1997 <http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prognotes/shostakovich/symphony5.html> <http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prognotes/shostakovich/symphony5.html>

Brown, Royal. “Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 op. 47” Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 Leonard Bernstein, New York Brown, Royal. “Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 op. 47” Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 Leonard Bernstein, New York PhilharmonicPhilharmonic

Amazon. "Amazon.com: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op.47 / Ballet Suite No. 5 from "The Bolt" Op. 27A - Amazon. "Amazon.com: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op.47 / Ballet Suite No. 5 from "The Bolt" Op. 27A - Neeme Järvi /." �Neeme Järvi /." � Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & MoreAmazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & More. Web. 17 July . Web. 17 July 2010. <http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-Scottish-National-Orchestra/dp/B000000AHZ>. 2010. <http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-Scottish-National-Orchestra/dp/B000000AHZ>.

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