What Opportunities Does The Music Of Essay Example

Stalin's recognition of music as a form of propaganda, Shostakovich moved away from expected traditions by experimenting with stage music. His Opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsenk District was his first prominent work to dissent from tradition, causing outcry due to its deviation from expected rousing music.

According to Fiona Richards' book "Tradition and Dissent in Music: Dmitri Shostakovich", the initial impact of Shostakovich’s opera is the intentional use of discordant and chaotic sounds, influenced by the oppressive Stalin regime and society. His Symphony No. 5 marked a return to more structured symphonies but some critics argue that he was using traditional Russian techniques to convey an alternate meaning. Throughout the 1940s, Shostakovich composed symphonies in response to various events such as World War II and his wife's death. The 8th, 9th, and 10th Symphonies were seen as dissenting against Stalin's ideals and musical traditions with somber endings that defied expectations. Despite traditionally having grand finales, Symphony No. 9 broke from this convention. Shostakovich explored traditional music further through his string quartets.

The utilization of traditional Sonata form is evident in Shostakovich's String Quartet 2, although he also deviates from it towards the end. The typical Sonata contains 3 segments namely the Exposition, Development and Recapitulation. In the Exposition, the two primary melodious concepts are introduced, followed by the Development of these ideas through various rhythms and keys before ending with a buildup to the Recapitulation where original melodic ideas are reiterated. However, Shostakovich's Quartet 2 disregards this convention by rearranging the melodies differently in the Recapitulation. Similarly, in Quartet 3, he subverts habitual practice by making variations in instrument usage within the composition. Normally, each instrument

in a string quartet has a distinct individual part, with the first violin playing the lead melody while others provide accompaniments. In contrast, in Quartet 3's third movement, Shostakovich offers each instrument more equal chances to play.

Shostakovich diverges from the typical Scherzo in his Quartet by using two Scherzi for the 2nd and 3rd movements, with only the 2nd movement in 3 time. The 3rd movement is in 2 time and much more lively than expected. Shostakovich also protests against Stalin's political ideas by incorporating strong Jewish elements, such as Klezmar, into some of his compositions, including Piano Trio 3. This demonstrates his support for Jewish culture and opposition to Stalin's anti-Semitic policies.

Shostakovich utilized a Jewish poem as the Libretto in his 13th Symphony during a time when ant-Semitism was an unofficial state policy. This sparked a great deal of conversation regarding both tradition and dissent within Shostakovich's music. The ways in which he used tradition to develop music are varied and complex. Shostakovich was highly deliberate in determining when to comply with traditional musical form and genre and when to reject it in order to express his own views relating to both his personal situation and that of his society. Due to the potential danger posed by challenging Stalin's regime, there were times when Shostakovich had to use tradition as a means of appeasement.

The debate surrounding whether Shostakovich followed tradition is ongoing due to the influence of Stalin's Regime, which has been discussed in various books since his death. According to "The Testimony," all of Shostakovich's music was composed with a dissident agenda and what may seem like Soviet Kitsch

is actually sarcasm, allowing both censors and dissidents to find what they want within it (Volkov, Solomon, Testimony). Conversely, some believe that Shostakovich was a true traditionalist and saw himself as a realist, with his style deriving from the late 19th-century romantic tradition and influences from Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler (Edwards, Robert. www. FindaGrave).

Shostakovich, as stated on (co. uk), both utilized and progressed established ways of music but also rebelled when he deemed it appropriate, ultimately becoming a tradition himself.