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Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Symphony no. 7 ‘The Leningrad’
Writings
l David Hurwitz, Shostakovich, Symphonies and Concertos, An Owner’s Manuel (Amadeus Press, 2006).
l Anthony Phillips, Story of a Friendship, The letters of Dmitry Shostakovich to Isaak Glickman, (Faber and Faber, 2001).
l Shostakovich, About Himself and His Times, Progress Press 1980
Books on Shostakovich
l Fairclough, Pauline (2008) Cambridge Guide to Shostakovich
l Norris, Christopher (1982) Shostakovich, The Man and his Music
l Roseberry, Eric (1986) Shostakovich, His Life and Times
l Volkoff, Solomon (1979) Testimony
The Man Himself
Sixth Symphony – lecture no.2
l 1939: Bizarre succession of unrelated moods parallels the contradictory spirit of the times. Disappointed those that had loved the 5th. Three movements.
l Not a very successful symphony – enormous first movement – but actually a wonderful and interesting piece.
l After the 5th a disappointment for many.
War l Soviet Union not at war until attacked by
Hitler 22 June of 1941. Barabossa. 4 million attacked. Great majority died. 3 million russian POWS systematically starved to death.
l Stalin completely taken by surprise – few other people were so surprised.
l The war in the West was not doing so well after failing to win the Battle of Britain.
l War in Africa starting to go badly. l Hilter looking for his ‘living space’
The attack
Battle of Stalingrad l In 1942 the stalemate of Stalingrad and the
long protracted battle that turned the tide of the war began.
l Huge numbers of German and Russian soldiers died – of cold especially.
l Russians under Stalin fought with great determination – at whatever the cost in lives was.
l Moscow was saved.
Siege of Leningrad l The city was surrounded and attacked on all
sides for over 2 years (the 900 days). l People starved and froze. Ate each other! l Yet they did not give up. The Germans
could not take the city. l Shostakovich was in the city when the seige
started and became a focal point for foreign media.
The 7th Symphony ‘to the city of Leningrad’
l 1941: The `Leningrad' written in great haste during the siege of Leningrad – started in the city and completed in Moscow and had enormous propaganda impact - was broadcast and heard in the West - then taken up as played in the West as an act of solidarity with the Soviet cause. C major/minor. Symphonies 7-9 his war trilogy.
l A new kind of heroic symphony
Excerpt from ’Testimony’
The drama of the first mvt
l C major Minor – middle period first mvt sonata form set piece. Begins unclouded C major.
l However the development is replaced by a mechanical ostinato in E flat – carried through to a destructive climax in C minor.
l Bassoon solo in recapitulation transforming the ‘song’ of second subject into an expression of personal grief.
Features
l Starts with sturdy main theme in strings – woodwind- like a march. Rhythm in drums and trumpet after first 8 notes X.
l P.9 5 bars after 3 important passage. 4 notes phrase landing on repeated notes.
l Exposition quite short – ending with calm and solos.
l Development like Bolero set up by a snare drum rhythm.
Ostinato Development Each repetition is separated by 10-note refrain (2x5notes)
l 1. Gradual long crescendo of steady military rhythm on drum.
l 2. Orchestra plays a tacky little tune 12 times – adding instruments each time.
l 3. Each repetition is separated by 10-note refrain (2x5notes)
Development l Pizz strings (T and R) l Solo flute T – pizz strings refrain. l Flute and picc T – pizz strings refrain. l Oboe – bassoon T – pizz refrain (expanded rhythm. l Muted trumpet and trombones (T) –pizz strings R l Canon clarinets and oboes T – pizz strings l Violins T and strings R l Strings and clarinet T l Horns low strings woodwind T refrain full l Trumpets and trombones tune – strings and others R l Violins and high woodwind T full brass and more R l Brass T – Same plus horns and all R – abondoning rhythm
From exposition to development
‘Marching Nazis?”
l Elizabeth Wilson, A Life Remembered. Flora Litvinova ‘Oh course – facism. But music, real music, can never be literally tied to a theme. National Socialism is not the only form of slavery, the bondage of the spirit’. ‘For Shostakovich nothing was more hateful than vulgar banality’.
Recapitulation
l After huge crescendo – drum stops l First subject theme reappears. l Second changed – no-longer sweet theme –
but bassoon lament. l Large coda – lots of reference to past
themes and the ostinato rhythm,
Movement 2 – moderato (poco allegretto)
l Calm interlude. ABACDCABA – so ABA at start and end. String tune to start. Seconds then firsts. Echoes of Mahler.
l B section with pulsating accompaniment – solo oboe ( 1 minute in) and cor – then cellos – back to string theme.
l Central C episode erupts in triple time an quicker. Return of A is orchestrated differently
Movement 3 Adagio l Chorale for harps and woodwind section
(not flutes) alternate with violin recitative. l Repetitions of this idea are not identical –
ongoing dialogue. l Long 18 minutes and in sonata form. l After pizz transition to second subject –
flute melody in majr key l Development section more tense leading
into ff recap.
Fourth Movement: Allegro non troppo
l ABA form – linked to the Adagio without break.
l Main Theme – 6 note leaping figure on cellos and basses after violins.
l Build into a wild Cossack Dance. l B section Moderato. l Loud and bombastic – like Fifth. But not
controversial.
Finale – 4th Movement
Leningrad Performance l ‘With the city still under siege, only 14 members of the Radio Orchestra were
still alive and yet they decided to mount a performance of this monumental work. Posters were put up ordering every available musician to turn up for rehearsals. When this didn’t produce enough players, any soldier who could play an instrument was ordered back from the front line to join the orchestra. Such importance was attached to this symbol of resistance that the players were even given extra rations. For the performance itself, the army arranged a diversion to silence the enemy guns. The concert was broadcast live on the radio and all those who heard it were inspired to continue their defiance of the Nazis. Even a German General sat in his trenches listening. He later remarked: ‘When it finished I realized that never ever shall we be able to enter Leningrad. It is not a city that can be conquered.’ (Fairclough and Fanning, 2008)
l Toscanini performance heard live by 2 million. l Perhaps the most influential and defining serious musical work of the war.
