After spending a few weeks thinking about and intending to do a Shostakovich entry: The thrust of which was to be; a comparison of what I felt was “Bombastic and Frantic” – stuff that I don’t like – and his “Sweet Stuff” that I do like. I finally bit the bullet today and spent about three hours composing the blog. When I thought it was almost finished I went in to have lunch and turned the TV on. There was a Documentary on Shostakovich!
I almost fell off my chair. Instead I watched the whole thing! … and decided I wasn’t worthy to compose a “music commentary blog” on him.
Imagine living in Soviet Russia during the harshest repressive years under Stalin. Having Joseph Stalin watching your every move and trying to decide whether to kill you or persecute your family or ban your music. A desperately unhappy man constantly tormented by fear – that’s the music he mostly composed. He expressed in music what would have led to an instant firing squad if it were written or spoken. (*Stalin – being no dummy could hear the collective despair of the Russian people in the music and he didn’t like it*) Hearing the ‘heavy stuff’ now – knowing the background of his life – it all sounds different.
If you want to hear what led to Stalin’s ban – Go here
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/2008/02/05/i-dont-like-this-music/