The Cambridge Companion to Shostakovich [Hardcover]

A collection of essays investigating the life and work of the complex, important and iconic composer Shostakovich.Thanks to the ambiguities of Soviet cultural life, Shostakovich was regarded in the West with a mixture of admiration and suspicion. This study is a guide for all who wish to probe more deeply into this complex, important composer and his place in the history of music.Thanks to the ambiguities of Soviet cultural life, Shostakovich was regarded in the West with a mixture of admiration and suspicion. This study is a guide for all who wish to probe more deeply into this complex, important composer and his place in the history of music.As the Soviet Union's foremost composer, Shostakovich's status in the West has always been problematic. Regarded by some as a collaborator, and by others as a symbol of moral resistance, both he and his music met with approval and condemnation in equal measure. The demise of the Communist state has, if anything, been accompanied by a bolstering of his reputation, but critical engagement with his multi-faceted achievements has been patchy. This Companion offers a starting point and a guide for readers who seek a fuller understanding of Shostakovich's place in the history of music. Bringing together an international team of scholars, the book brings research to bear on the full range of Shostakovich's musical output, addressing scholars, students and all those interested in this complex, iconic figure.Chronology; Introduction; Part I. Instrumental Works: 1. Personal integrity and public service: the voice of the symphonist Eric Roseberry; 2. The string quartets: in dialogue with form and tradition Judy Kuhn; 3. Paths to the first symphony David Fanning; 4. Shostakovich's second piano sonata: a composition recital in three styles David Haas; 5. 'I took a simple little theme and developed it': Shostakovich's string concertos and sonatas Malcolm MacDonald; Part II. Music for Stage and Screen: 6. Shostakovich and the theatre Gerard l£J