Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (Russian: Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович) (… Read Full Bio ↴Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (Russian: Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906, (St Petersburg, Russia) – August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period.
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 Nikolai 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. David Fanning concludes in Grove that, "Amid the conflicting pressures of official requirements, the mass suffering of his fellow countrymen, and his personal ideals of humanitarian and public service, he succeeded in forging a musical language of colossal emotional power." Shostakovich is now regarded as "the most popular composer of serious art music of the middle years of the 20th century".
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 Nikolai 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. David Fanning concludes in Grove that, "Amid the conflicting pressures of official requirements, the mass suffering of his fellow countrymen, and his personal ideals of humanitarian and public service, he succeeded in forging a musical language of colossal emotional power." Shostakovich is now regarded as "the most popular composer of serious art music of the middle years of the 20th century".
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The Age of Gold Op. 22: Polka
Dmitri Shostakovich Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
Michael Conway Baker
If there is a stunning example of humour in music, this certainly would get the prize. Wonderfully quirky.
Mason Guy
This is the best song! You can play it so many different ways all in their own right correct and funny. I'm playing it on the Tuba, and when I get good enough to play at performance level, I'll probably do it quite differently due to what the Tuba can offer.
William Bunter
This is amazing. A lighthearted gift from a genius!
0boecase
This piece is so bipolar!! Love it!!!
The Rainforest
I love this!!! :-)
Jamie Jobb
An excellent example of the unexpected in music. So excellent, Leonard Bernstein used it as an example in his Young People's Concert series.
Samuel Faulkner
It has such disdain immersed within the peice and its wonderful
graciez 123
I'm learning this and I dont sound ANYTHING LIKE THIS. How is their sound so light and airy where mine sounds like BOOM BOOM BOOM BITCH keyboardSMASH
Dauntless chicken
@graciez 123 I do relate and that's fascinating! I'm sure that you have become more intelligent after being familiar with the melody of this piece haha! It's so complicated.
graciez 123
Toby Que i guess after just hearing it a couple times it still sounded like noise to me. but i’ve been learning it for months and i guess i’m more familiar with the melody? if that makes sense? the longer i work on a piece the more i understand it i guess