Dmitri Shostakovich
Listen to, buy or share
Buy
7digital
iTunes
Amazon
eBay
-
3,006,211
scrobbles
-
364,311 listeners
Tags
Biography
St Petersburg, Russia (1906 – 1975)
Shostakovich had a complex and difficult relationship with the Soviet government, suffering two official denunciations of his music, in 1936 and 1948, and the periodic banning of his work. At the same time, he received a number of accolades and state awards and served in the Supreme Soviet. Despite the official controversy, his works were popular; he is now held to be, as Grove’s judges him, the most talented Soviet composer of his generation.
After a period influenced by Prokofiev and Stravinsky (Symphony No. 1), Shostakovich switched to modernism (Symphony No. 2 and The Nose) before developing a hybrid of styles with the opera “The Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk “and the ill-fated Fourth Symphony. This hybrid style ranged from the neo-classical (with Stravinskian influences) to the post-romantic music (with Mahlerian influences). His tonality involved much use of modality and some astringent neo-classical harmonies à la Hindemith and Prokofiev. His music frequently includes sharp contrasts and elements of the grotesque.
Shostakovich prided himself on his orchestration, which is clear, economical, and well-projected. This aspect of Shostakovich’s technique owes more to Gustav Mahler than Rimsky-Korsakov. His greatest works are generally considered to be his symphonies and string quartets, fifteen of each. Other works include operas, six concertos, and a substantial quantity of film music.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
Events
-
Prom 13: National Youth Orchestra of the United States of AmericaSunday 21 July 2013Dmitri Shostakovich and 3 others
London, United Kingdom1 going -
Listening Trend
Start scrobbling and track your listening history
Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.
Create a Last.fm profileShoutbox
-
Sooperglitcher
Can't wait for the new album.
-
amnesiacphlgm
stopped reading after "The Worst Classic Composer Ever (after Alfred Schnittke)"
-
Unknowny503
To be fair, my first acquintance with Shostakovich left much to be desired. At first steps I even dared to stigmatize him as The Worst Classic Composer Ever (after Alfred Schnittke) in my classical music chart. That was all because of listening to satirical cantatas such as The Little Antiformalistic Paradise (Anti-Formalist Rayok). I bet you'll know another Shostakovich once you hear it.
-
Unknowny503
Chumak_Bohdan, pretty well said! :)
-
TheDarthsala
Pure genius!
-
Chumak_Bohdan
He could become the second Mozart, but he choosed to be the first Shostakovich.
-
metalostalin
почему только советские исполнители не пишутся на родном языке? чем он хуже японских иероглифов?: -(
-
Xandoren
Heh. On tour.
-
HardKyu
fuderosíssimo
-
EshunsDeparture
loving on the string quartet no. 3 <3 check it out
-
lll__
yes, sooooo hardcore!
-
Le__Freak
#7 ♥ ♥ ♥
-
Tlalock
for all of you loving Shostakovich, check out this brilliant piece by his Ukrainian contemporary Boris Lyatoshynsky http://youtu.be/VRzeRlg_3BI
-
xspokkyx
So hardcore!
-
CamConnor
"Well, and now let's have some tea." ~ Rachmaninoff, on the Leningrad Symphony
-
nursevishous
"that was probably also a secret critique of the godless communists and their plans to drain precious american bodily fluids. " nice, someone to praise Jack D. Ripper more than I do.
-
Guy-Fawkes
Jhaidinszaev Probably just a true American or, perhaps, British like you could think about draining precious american body fluids while most musicians of Leningrad Orchestra were dead of cold and starvation. By the way, we called it Soviet Citizens and Capitalistic Countries of the West.
-
Jhaidinszaev
The Leningrad Symphony was one of Shostakovich's only pieces received as well in the East as in the West. To the Soviets it was a powerful statement of heroic resolve in the face of Nazi aggression, whereas to the Americans it was a powerful statement of heroic resolve in the face of Nazi aggression that was probably also a secret critique of the godless communists and their plans to drain precious american bodily fluids.
-
FaustFest
The "Leningrad"-Symphony just keeps getting more and more excitig every time I listen to it. +1 Interesting to note it wasn't particularly well received at the time.
-
TheDarthsala
The "Leningrad"-Symphony just keeps getting more and more excitig every time I listen to it.
All 1008 shouts
Listening Now
-
NCesareScrobbling from MusicBeeDmitri Shostakovich – Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor: II. Allegro con brio -
spreadblood4Scrobbling from SpotifyDmitri Shostakovich – Chm Sym for Strs, Op.110a: Largo: Attacca
Top Listeners
-
DemetriusXXI
Top Listener -
tdawe
Top Listener -
SkylineFugitive
Top Listener -
belle-de-noir
Top Listener
Email Newsletter
Get exclusive tour, release & promotion updates on Dmitri Shostakovich from Universal Music.
