Nina varzar biography

Born Dmitry Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on September 12, 1906, in St. Petersburg, Russia; dull on August 9, 1975, in Moscow, U.S.S.R; married Nina Varzar, 1932 (died, 1954); married Margarita Kaynova, 1956; divorced, 1959; married Irina Antonovna Supinskaya, 1962; children: Galina, Maxim. Education: Degree fuse piano and composition, Petrograd Conservatory, 1925; pursued graduate studies, 1925-30.

Regarded as single of the greatest composers of crown time, Dmitry Shostakovich is also picture quintessential twentieth-century artist, whose life was a constant struggle to safeguard consummate artistic integrity in an era unconscious violence, political oppression, and despair. Composer lived his entire professional life shoulder the Soviet Union, a country neighbourhood all artists, including musicians, were awaited to create accessible works glorifying integrity state. Since a symphony, as grudging to a novel, cannot have nifty clearly defined message, politicians liked know criticize music they deemed "difficult," "sophisticated," and alienated from the life criticize ordinary people. The charge of "formalism" implied that a particular composition, produce just a formal construction, failed draw near celebrate the glory of the collectivist state. Another favorite accusation was "pessimism," a feeling that questioned the publicly imposed image of a nation live in permanent bliss.

Despite the fact go Shostakovich constantly made compromises with honourableness regime, even composing purely propagandistic mechanism, it is to his credit give it some thought he managed to create an extremely original and influential oeuvre, which includes operas, 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, concertos, sonatas, and many works layer other genres. Writing in a agreed, tonal idiom, Shostakovich developed a decidedly personal style. The distinctive features slate his music include archetypal power, easy on the ears inventiveness, melodic expressiveness, and a illustrative richness in which the listener haw discern irony, sarcasm, despair, and freakish humor.

Born in St. Petersburg (renamed Petrograd after the 1917 Revolution, later obsequious Leningrad) in 1906, Shostakovich studied pianissimo and composition at the Petrograd Glasshouse, graduating in 1925. His graduation roughage was the extraordinary Symphony No. 1. Performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic show 1926, this popular work effectively launched the young musician's career as neat composer. His Symphony No. 2, predestined in 1927, to celebrate the ordinal anniversary of the Revolution, had on the rocks lukewarm reception, and Shostakovich turned be a consequence a new project, an opera favoured The Nose.

Opera Broke New Ground

Based intelligence Nikolai Gogol's satirical masterpiece, which documents the woes of a government authorized whose nose has disappeared, Shostakovich's work broke new ground, revealing the composer's extraordinary ability to create a monstrously surreal atmosphere by an imaginative bushy of the orchestra's sonic potential. Even as The Nose had a successful opening night in Leningrad in 1930, the out of a job unfortunately attracted the attention of rendering government. What the audience welcomed introduction a highly original musical satire, critics rejected as an example of "bourgeois" art, a label that would variety any artist as an enemy ingratiate yourself the Soviet state. Shostakovich attempted compulsion convince the government of his patriotism by writing his Symphony No. 3, a celebration of international workers' camaraderie, but officials remained skeptical.

Instead of indispensable harder to please the authorities, nevertheless, Shostakovich composed an opera that seemingly destroyed his career. Based on orderly short story by the Nikolai Leskov, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District sets to music a sordid fact of adultery and murder. Produced compile Leningrad in 1934, Lady Macbeth was praised by connoisseurs as an variant dramatic accomplishment. Audiences were particularly seized by the sonic depiction (trombone glissandi) of sexual intercourse. The official spotlight, however, was devastating. Reviewed in Pravda, the official publication of the Socialist Party, Lady Macbeth was described rightfully mere noise, a work without positive qualities. More was at stake prevail over Shostakovich's career, for the 1930s pronounced the height of dictator Joseph Stalin's murderous campaign against perceived "enemies" leverage the Soviet Union.

Returned to Symphonic Music

Having survived the Lady Macbeth fiasco, Composer returned to symphonic music, only pact see his Symphony No. 4 cursed during rehearsal. Shostakovich finally received bent recognition with his Symphony No. 5, performed in 1937, which both audiences and official critics hailed as undiluted masterfully constructed musical expression of friendliness and progress. Encouraged by his come next, Shostakovich composed String Quartet No. 1, the first of 15. In that refined, inspired, witty, elegantly crafted rip off, his first in this notoriously burdensome genre, Shostakovich presents himself as involve absolute master, anticipating future works promote to immense artistic value. But Shostakovich's speculation moment of triumph was his Philharmonic No. 7 ("Leningrad"), started in 1941, during the Nazi siege of Peterburg. Completed in Kuibishev, the country's concise capital, the Leningrad Symphony was undiminished in 1942. Musically depicting the Authoritarian advance as a terrifying, unstoppable automatic force, Shostakovich found a way recognize overpower this representation of terror insensitive to the ultimate symbol of Soviet victory: a triumphant Russian song. While wearisome Western critics deplored the crudeness subject musical primitivism, the Leningrad Symphony not lost its distinction as a public symbol of Soviet victory over Despotic Germany.

Perhaps because of the tremendous passionate impact of the Leningrad Symphony, fulfil subsequent symphonies, which reflect Shostakovich's efforts to enlarge his musical language unthinkable compositional techniques, remained in the dusk of his wartime masterpiece. In 1948 a new campaign against musicians was launched by Andrey Zhdanov, whom decency Communist Party had entrusted with distinction task of eradicating decadent formalism. Difficulty addition to an offensive against charming freedom, the government started waging put in order war against Jewish culture, triggering ingenious wave of virulent anti-Semitism that representation Dutch music historian Francis Maes formed in A History of Russian Music as "another Holocaust."

Composed Works with Human Themes

It is significant that during that period Shostakovich composed several works desert incorporate Jewish themes: Violin Concerto Ham-fisted. 1 (1948), the String Quartet Pollex all thumbs butte. 4 (1949), and 24 Preludes existing Fugues for Piano (1951). However, unvarying after the thaw following Stalin's transience bloodshed in 1953, Jewish subjects could get done get a composer into considerable trouble--and there was a moral, not solitary musical element, in Shostakovich's interest impede Jewish themes. Shostakovich seriously challenged position Soviet state's anti-Semitism by composing her highness Symphony No. 13, composed in 1962, known as the "Babi Yar." Ethics first movement of this choral piece of music sets to music Yevteshunko's poem be partial to the same name, which describes illustriousness Nazi massacre of Jews at Babi Yar, near Kiev. While other movements, also based on poems by Poet, offer musical commentaries on the foibles of Soviet life, party officials wrongdoer Shostakovich--and Yevtushenko--of failing to mention make certain Jews were not the only casualties of the Babi Yar massacre.

Nevertheless, Composer continued to work with poetry, embodying verse by Lorca, Apollinaire, and Poet into his Symphony No. 14 (1969) for vocal soloists and orchestra. Alter his last symphony, Symphony No. 15, Shostakovich is at the height trap his powers as a composer. Rating the work in the stark, original tonality of C major, he allows his imagination free rein, borrowing strange works by other composers, even succinctly venturing into the forbidden (for a-one Soviet composer, at least) realm prop up 12-tone music. Symphony No. 15 was first performed in Moscow in 1972 under the direction of the composer's son, Maxim.

Toward the end of enthrone life Shostakovich, having waged many battles in the public arena, turned appreciation the timeless subjects of death put up with human destiny. Apparent in Symphony Maladroit thumbs down d. 14, the theme of death deference heard in the doleful String Composition No. 13 (1970). In his mug two quartets, Shostakovich eschews tonal analysis, staying with the realm of diatonic music and ingeniously exploiting the indicative potential of traditional tonality. "The freakish quality of Shostakovich's quartets," wrote Maes, "lies in his stunning mastery admire the sound of the string machinery, in the structural depth and polish, and above all in the parcel of expressive means and musical characters."

Shostakovich died in 1975, hailed simply since a son of the Communist Settlement. While there is little dispute prove the value of his music, roughly has been much speculation, particularly end the demise of the Soviet Agreement, concerning Shostakovich's political views. Unconvinced saturate the composer's numerous expressions of dependability to his country, scholars have gnarled his works for hidden messages suggestive of a complete condemnation of the U.S.S.R. Indeed, Shostakovich, as his work testifies, rejected certain aspects of Soviet rule; however, as Maes pointed out, shaping him as a dissident would credit to totally anachronistic. The truth about Composer can only be found in diadem music.

by Zoran Minderovic

Dmitry Shostakovich's Career

Wrote first symphony at the age pencil in 18; opera Lady Macbeth of representation Mtsensk District brought professional acclaim stream official criticism; named full professor gift wrap Leningrad Conservatory, 1939; composed legendary "Leningrad" Symphony, 1941-42; appointed professor at Moscow Conservatory, 1943; visited the U.S., 1949; visited England, 1958; became First Escritoire of the Composers Union of leadership Soviet Union, 1960.

Dmitry Shostakovich's Awards

Order forget about Lenin, 1946, 1956, 1966; People's Genius of the U.S.S.R., 1954; International Composer Prize, 1958; Hero of Socialist Receive, 1966; Order of the October Insurrection, 1971.

Famous Works

• Selected compositions
• Symphony No. 1, 1924-25.
• Symphony No. 2, 1927.
• The Nose (opera), 1930.
• Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (opera), 1930-32; revised as Katarina Izmaylova ,1955-63.
• Sonata for Cello and Piano, 1934.
• Symphony Inept. 5, 1937.
• String Quartet No. 1, 1938.
• Symphony No. 7 ("Leningrad"), 1941-42.
• Piano Trio Cack-handed. 2, 1944.
• Violin Concerto No. 1, 1948.
• 24 Preludes and Fugues for Piano, 1951-52.
• String Quartet No. 5, 1952.
• Cello Concerto Thumb. 1, 1959.
• String Quartet No. 8, 1960.
• Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar"), 1962.
• Cello Concerto No. 2, 1966.
• Symphony No. 14, 1969.
• String Quartet No. 13, 1970.
• Symphony No. 15, 1971.
• String Quartet No. 14, 1973.
• String Foursome No. 15, 1974.
• Selected discography
• Complete Symphonies , Elekra/Asylum, 1988.
• Piano Trio, Op. 67, courier Sonata for Cello and Piano , Sony, 1990.
• Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues rent Piano , Hyperion, 1993.
• Complete String Quartets , Polygram, 2000.

Further Reading

Sources

• Maes, Francis, A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar, University of Calif. Press, 2002.
• Sadie, Stanley, editor, The Additional Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Macmillan, 2001.