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Life and Times of Dmitri Shostakovich

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  • Life and Times of Dmitri Shostakovich

    I've always found the life story of Dmitri Shostakovich a fascinating topic!

    Stravinsky Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 1 (1907) At age nine, Russian musician Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975) was already a music prodigy. His parents took him to his first opera performance when he was five, only to find him singing several songs from the show the next day. His talent was soon discovered after several piano lessons with his mother, when he displayed perfect pitch and a remarkable musical memory. His unusual talent often encouraged him to pretend to play a piece from score, when in actual fact he was reproducing it from memory. Soon, the young Shostakovich was effortlessly playing the Haydn andante, Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album, Mozart and much more. By the age of 13, Shostakovich had devoted his life to music. He studied composition and the piano during his secondary education at the [...] <a class="more-anchor" href="http://www.interlude.hk/front/an-unstoppable-talent/" title="Read more on An Unstoppable Talent">more >></a>
    Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
    Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
    ________________________________________

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  • #2
    I've tried many times to listen to my Shostakovich LP's, but I just don't understand his music. It always sounds like a strange mix of many different styles to me. I have a great deal of respect for him though, he stood up to Stalin during a very dangerous time.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by audioguy1958
      I've tried many times to listen to my Shostakovich LP's, but I just don't understand his music. It always sounds like a strange mix of many different styles to me. I have a great deal of respect for him though, he stood up to Stalin during a very dangerous time.
      I'm much more into his symphonies than other pieces. Will be seeing the BSO perform his 7th Symphony at Carnegie next month. Obviously the 7th is one of my favorite Shostakovich works along with the 13th (Babi Yar). What a story the 13th tells.
      Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
      Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
      ________________________________________

      -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
      -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
      -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
      -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
      -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
      -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
      -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
      -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
      -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
      -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

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      • #4
        Fascinating how S's music took on different meanings before and after publication of the Volkov memoirs (Testimony.)

        I enjoy the 12th, "The Year 1917". Step by ponderous step, the inexorable carapace of proletarian praxis rides athwart the imperial walker of historical inevitability.
        There is no joy here, only the inevitable crush of synthesis, the sledgehammer of history delivered in huge dynamic swings of massive timpani whacks and cymbal clashes.

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        • MylesBAstor
          MylesBAstor commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks Tim, I'll have to go back and listen to the 12th again now!

      • #5
        He was unique in that he was primarily the only major composer who was soviet, not Russian, his entire adult life.
        Magnepan 1.6 QR Loudspeakers, Amherst A-2000 MOSFET 150 WPC Amp, Conrad Johnson PV-10A Modded Tube Line & Phono Stage, Electrocompaniet MC II Class A Head Amp, Audio Technica AT-OC9XML Cart (Stereo) , Graham Engineering 2.2 Tonearm (Stereo) , VPI Aries-1 Turntable (Stereo) , VPI Clamp, Denon DL-102 Cart, (Mono) , Luxman Tonearm (Mono) , Kenwood KD-500 Turntable (Mono) , Michell Clamp, Marantz 20B Analog FM Tuner, Pioneer SACD, Onkyo DX-6800 CD Transport, DIY 24B/192K DAC, Sennheiser HD-650 Headphones, Headroom Max Balanced Headphone Amp, DIY Silver Interconnects

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        • Guest's Avatar
          Guest commented
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          Interesting observation JC. S may have had opportunities to leave, meaning he was out of Russia in his early 20's.

      • #6
        Originally posted by tima
        Fascinating how S's music took on different meanings before and after publication of the Volkov memoirs (Testimony.)

        I enjoy the 12th, "The Year 1917". Step by ponderous step, the inexorable carapace of proletarian praxis rides athwart the imperial walker of historical inevitability.
        There is no joy here, only the inevitable crush of synthesis, the sledgehammer of history delivered in huge dynamic swings of massive timpani whacks and cymbal clashes.
        Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
        Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
        ________________________________________

        -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
        -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
        -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
        -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
        -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
        -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
        -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
        -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
        -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
        -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

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        • #7
          Shostakovich is one of my favourite composers. I can't choose only one of his works I like the most but I listen to the 15th symphony regularly. J.Darlington with Duisburger Philharmoniker on Acousence Records from 2007 is one of more interesting "new" performances...

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          Source: Kuzma XL DC/Safir 9/CAR60; Phono: Zanden 1200 Signature; Tuner: Magnum Dynalab MD-108T Signature; Line Stage: Misho Myronov Wooden Pre; Power amp: Lamm 1.2 Reference; Speakers: AlsyVox Botticelli, Avalon Isis; Grounding: Tripoint Troy Elite NG; Cable system: Cardas Clear Beyond; Stands: Finite Elemente Master Reference & Master Reference Heavy Duty; Power strip: Cardas Nautilus; Power filter: P.I Audo: BUSS Depot; Acoustics treatment: Svanå Miljöteknik AB (SMT);

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          • #8
            Wish this was on vinyl. I bought it when it first came out. It went out of print and now its back.

            Imo the best modern collection.

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            • #9
              I haven't read Fay, knowing of her through articles like the one cited.

              I started reading this book from now-departed Ian MacDonald who has written extensively on the composer. Found it interesting though a bit dense in sentence structure.
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              Only to learn there is a second edition out with substantial corrections

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              ISBN 184595064X 9781845950644

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              • #10
                If you think his symphonic pieces are difficult to appreciate then I advise you to stay away from his string quartets!

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