Dmitriy Shostakovich
September 25, 2012
On this date in 1906, Dmitriy Shostakovich
was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a heritage of proud Siberian
roots. Dimitriy's family initially welcomed Lenin and the revolution as a
chance for real freedom and equality. Although he became privately
disillusioned with the excesses of Stalin, Shostakovich had little
choice but to "go through the motions," eventually joining the Communist
Party and fulfilling many official functions as a representative of the
government, due to his celebrity status as a great composer. He didn't
care about politics, except when he could use his connections to truly
help people. "For me there is no joy in life other than music,"
Shostakovich wrote to a friend. "All life for me is music." The prolific
and tireless Shostakovich wrote nine operas and ballets, 37 film
scores, 15 symphonies, hundreds of works for choral, solo, piano,
concerti, incidental music, chamber and instrumental music. He is one of
the most admired composers of the 20th century.
When
asked if he believed in God, Shostakovich replied: "No, and I am very
sorry about it." His Eighth Symphony (which he was forced to declare a
"war symphony") was a celebration of life: "I can sum up the
philosophical conception of my new work in three words: life is
beautiful," he said during a 1943 interview. "Everything that is dark
and gloomy will rot away, vanish, and the beautiful will triumph."
(Source: Fay, Laurel E., Shostakovich: A Life, Oxford University Press, 2000.) D. 1975.
Compiled by Annie Laurie Gaylor - www.ffrf.org
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