"Dmitry Shostakovich was one of the most successful composers of the twentieth century - a musician who adapted as no other to the unique pressures of his age. By turns vilified and feted by Stalin during the Great Purge, Shostakovich twice came close to the whirlwind of politic…
Dmitry Shostakovich was one of the most successful composers of the twentieth century--a musician who adapted as no other to the unique pressures of his age. By turns vilified and feted by Stalin during the Great Purge, Shostakovich twice came close to succumbing to the whirlwin…
This very distinctive new work on Tchaikovsky uniquely combines a lively biography of Russia's best-loved composer witha chronologi cal guide to his music. Essential reading for anyone with an interest in Tchaikovsky, his music and the culture of his time.
"Because of the nature of Soviet society, Prokofiev's life has received little attention from biographers. This survey of his life and work contains several hitherto unpublished illustrations of him and much essential reference material.̣"--Amazon.
The versatile composer and pianist Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953) is among the most significant and individual figures in twentieth-century Russian music. Best known for the ballet Romeo and Juliet and his piece for children Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev wrote primarily for the st…
"This interdisciplinary volume seeks to present Shostakovich and his music in many different contexts, in order to establish a more rounded picture of the composer's legacy. The authors of the articles collected here are leading scholars in Russian music and literature who have …
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…
This collection of essays goes far in expanding the traditional purview of Shostakovich's world, exploring the musician's creativity and art in terms of the expectations--historical, cultural, and political--that forged them. The collection contains documents that appear for the…
"Dmitry Shostakovich's memoirs, Testimony, 'related to and edited by Solomon Volkov', have been the subject of fierce debate since their publication in 1979. Was Testimony a forgery, made up by an impudent impostor, or was it the deathbed confession of a bent, but unbroken, man?…
What were Dmitri Shostakovich's views about his homeland? Until 1979 the Soviet Union's official composer was considered a staunch supporter of Joseph Stalin and his successors. This assumption was then challenged with the publication of Testimony, ostensibly the composer's memo…
