Shostakovich's Tenth

[Ernesto]

Am soon going to watch a performance of Shostakovich's 10th symphony, but I have never been to a live performance of Shos, nor have I heard the tenth in any way. Are there any things I should look forward to?

[shostakovich]

Hi Ernesto. I'd describe Shostakovich's 10th as a combination of Mahler and Tchaikovsky with a touch of Bruckner. And I'm sure that doesn't help except to think there will be emotion, brooding, vitality, and straightforward structure. <BR>Shostakovich's work has to be seen in terms of Soviet politics to get extramusical meaning out of it. He was on and off the S-list during the period late 1920s to early 1950s. Stalin dominated the arts during that period. He was its iron dictator. Writing "decadent western" music could, and did, cost composers their lives. Luckily for Shostakovich, he was Stalin's fair-haired boy, and a showpiece to the "west" (a great composer who could flourish under communism). It wasn't easy, but Shostakovich was able to dodge the bullet by writing what was wanted of him for public consumption, and writing music of private dissatisfaction if it were disguised. <P>After Shostakovich's death a re-evaluation of his music took place. The 10th Symphony, written just after Stalin died, was an outpouring of the tragedy of the Soviets under their "great leader". The brooding first movement represents the despair caused by Stalin's oppression. The second movement was a devlish caricature of the feared and hated Stalin. The last movement was a mock joyous paean to "Soviet Realism" dictated under Stalin. One can take the symphony as pure music, without the history, and enjoy it, but there's so much more meaning if you know the circumstances the composer had to endure. Here's a quote from the Time-Life set of records on Shostakovich.<P>"The tenth is one of his masterpieces and it is not about anything but the beauty of certain combinations of sound. The mood it communicates is somberly personal, despite a lively finale that helped it past the censors. (Someone has said that Soviet officials will swallow anything provided it ends with plenty of fortissimo major triads.)"<P>You'll probably get much of what's here in the program notes, but a little extra preparation can't hurt. If you can find it in your libe for an advance listen, so much the better. Enjoy.<BR>Shos

[Ernesto]

Hello Shos! I am very happy to say thank you for taking some time to help me obtain an advanced understanding of Shostakovich's symphony number 10. I am now more inclined with the ability of how to evaluate a composer's music through his livelihood. <P>On the other hand I gave you the wrong information about the symphony I went to see, it was symphony number 8, as opposed to symphony number 10. It was my first time ever watching an orchestra perform a symphony. A little advice for the listeners of Classical music, there is a 360 degree difference about the quality of a performance when compared to a compact disk, record, tape; it is must more invigorating to be in the presence of the whole orchestra. <BR>

[shostakovich]

Hi Ernesto. I don't think anyone will argue that a CD is better than the live experience. The 8th has plenty of brooding, too. The 2 "wild ride" movements are in the middle, rather than saving one for the finale. I think the work was not successful with the critics (not sure about that). Maybe following the tremendously popular 7th was a disadvantage. Maybe, as the quote I gave you suggests, it failed to END with joyous major triads. That reminds me of the real estate agents' motto to those buying a house. "The three most important considerations are LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION."<BR>Shos