Album insights
Throughout Shostakovich's life, the totalitarian communist regime sometimes directly influenced his work. While his chamber music and instrumental solos generally remained free from such interference, there were moments when it seemed like his art was conforming to the official line. Despite this, his genius was evident in how he remained true to himself and even turned the dictates to his creative advantage.
Soon after World War II, Stalin, the absolute dictator of the Soviet Union, extended the rule of the Communist Party over Eastern European countries in the Soviet sphere of influence. He tightened the Party's grip on life within Russia, including the arts. Under Stalin's directives, the belief that art should not be elitist was fervently advocated. Russian literature, music, paintings, sculptures, and architecture of the distant past were widely understood by all sections of society. In this atmosphere, contemporary Soviet art should also have been appreciated.
In September 1946, Marshal Zhdanov subjected two prominent Russian writers, Mikhail Zoschenko and Anna Akhmatova, to censorship. This marked the beginning of attacks on modern Russian films, dramas, and even on G.F. Alexandrov, whose history of Western philosophy was highly regarded. As a consequence of Zhdanov's assaults on literature, Alexander Fadeyev's novel, "The Young Guard", was praised, leading to its widespread popularity. Within six months, two million copies were sold. Shostakovich, fortunate at the time, was asked by the Moscow Gorky Film Studio to compose music for this work.
Shostakovich had just completed his patriotic cantata, "Song of the Homeland", before being tasked with composing music for "The Young Guard". He continued in the vein of creating music for mass audiences. Subsequently, he produced more patriotic music for the film "Pirogov", including a waltz that became very popular. However, due to political purges, Shostakovich was unable to release his Violin Concerto Op. 77 until 1955, two years after Stalin's death.
The Fourth String Quartet in D major Op. 83, another work by Shostakovich, came to completion between April and December 1949 but was only premiered four years later. The quartet showcases remarkable thematic unity and emotional depth, with the music unfolding through intricate structures and poignant melodies. Shostakovich's next work, the Sixth String Quartet in G major Op. 101, composed in 1956, reflects a more positive political and cultural climate. This piece, created for his fiftieth birthday, is a notable masterpiece characterized by its exploration of tonal relationships and intricately developed motifs.
In 1960, during his stay in Dresden to work on film music, Shostakovich was struck by the devastation caused by bombing raids on the city, inspiring his Eighth String Quartet Op. 110—composed in just three days. This deeply personal and emotionally charged composition features intricate musical references, including themes from various works from his oeuvre. The quartet, marked by a significant thematic unity rooted in the DSCH motif, artfully weaves together excerpts from Shostakovich's symphonies, concertos, and operas, making it a compelling and introspective piece laden with poignant self-references.