9 Shostakovich Symphony and its history

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich was born on September 25, 1906 in the city of St. Petersburg. He is to this day a world-famous Russian composer. In addition to composing, he also had the skills of a pianist, participated in musical and social activities and taught.

Proceedings

Since 1960 he was a member of the CPSU. From 1957 to 1974 he held high positions in the Board of the Unions of Composers of the USSR (Secretary and Chairman).

He was awarded the titles of Hero of Socialist Labor and People's Artist of the USSR.

He also had a huge baggage of awards: 5 Stalin Prizes, the Lenin Prize, State Prizes of the USSR and the RSFSR named after Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka.

All of the above merits were given to him thanks to numerous excellent compositions. This is:

• symphonies (15);
• concerts (6);
• ballets (3);
• opera (3);
• music for films ("The Young Guard", "Hamlet" and 26 other compositions) and cartoons ("The Tale of the Stupid Mouse", "Dance of the Dolls");
• music toperformances (8);
• chamber vocal, choral and instrumental music.

9 Shostakovich Symphony

In 1943, the composer was required to write a work that would sing of the country and its victory in the not too distant future. Shostakovich announced the creation of the work publicly. Critics and listeners expected a grandiose result from the premiere, praising the achievements of the people and the state.

Brief history of creation

Work on the work began in the first post-war months, but by 1945 writing the first part was hard. Shostakovich promised to write Symphony 9 in the spirit of Beethoven's last symphonic work with soloist, choir and orchestra.

At a meeting with students on January 16, 1945, the composer said that his work had begun, but then he interrupted his work for 3 long months. This happened as a result of the composer's refusal from the original idea. Work on a completely opposite work was resumed only in the summer, or rather, on July 26.

August 30 Shostakovich put an end to the symphonic composition. The result amazed everyone, because instead of a large-scale solemn scene, a score with hidden sarcasm and high spirits was born. Only part 4 was filled with the taste of tragedy.

The duration of the musical performance was no more than half an hour (26 minutes), which did not fit into the parameters of a large picture.

Premier and result

The debut took place in 1945 in the city of Leningrad. The symphony was performed by the Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Evgeny Mravinsky. Despite a different result from the promised result, the work was highly appreciated by critics and nominated for the Stalin Prize.

However, not everyone was of the same opinion, and in 1946 Shostakovich's 9th Symphony failed to win. The authorities were disappointed in the written work and accused the creator of formalism. All dissatisfaction resulted in a ban (Decree of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks)) on the performance of the symphony right up to 1955.

Structure

Even though small, the symphony consists of 5 parts, 3 of which are played in a row without interruption (3-4-5).

1. Allegro (briskly) personifies a light image with a touch of Mozart's or Haydn's sonata allegro. The melody has a carefree character and only loses it in the reprise.
2. Moderato (moderately) sounds in a lyrical mood. The movement is brimming with insight and concentration, thanks to a sad clarinet main part and an agitated side part played by strings.
3. Presto (fast) is the exact opposite of the previous part. The melody in the scherzo (fragment in rapid motion), initially of a carefree character, develops into something terrifying and swirls through number 4.
4. Largo (widely) forces to completely destroy the image of a lyric-comedy composition. The music is filled with deep tragedy. The theme played by the bassoon is the epitome of mourning.
5. Allegretto – allegro externallymay appear to be cheerful. However, the earlier bassoon, in the personification of sorrow, suddenly transforms into something comical, leaving behind a kind of sediment. The final coda sounds in the style of the finale of the 4th symphony by the composer Gustav Mahler (one of Shostakovich's favorite musical figures).

Instruments of the 9th Symphony by Shostakovich

The brass team includes the following representatives:

• flute (2);
• piccolo flute (1);
• oboe (2);
• clarinet (2);
• bassoon (2);
• horn (4);
• pipe (2);
• trombone (3);
• tuba (1).

I would like to note that the musical family is distinguished by a great variety of rhythmic group. The entire list of percussion instruments of the 9th Symphony by Shostakovich:

• timpani;
• bells;
• big and snare drums;
• triangle;
• plates;
• tambourine.

To support the above instruments, support from the string collective is also included.

Result

D. D. Shostakovich became known to the whole world at the age of 20, when his first symphony sounded on the stages of the USA, Europe and the USSR. A decade later, the composer's ballet and opera works were staged on the stages of the best theaters.

9 Dmitry Shostakovich's symphony is another proof that the composer's work was the result of the "great Russianera and world music".