Shostakovich's Second String Quartet in A Major, Op. 68

Author: (Soviet) Shostakovich
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: Shostakovich (Dmitry Dmitrievitch Shostakovitch, 1906-1975) was a prominent composer of the former Soviet Union. Born in St. Petersburg, he began composing at the age of eleven and entered the Leningrad Conservatory at thirteen. In 1925, his graduation work, the Symphony, garnered attention both domestically and internationally. Throughout his life, he created works in a wide range of genres, producing an enormous number of compositions. The premiere of his Fifth Symphony in 1937 revealed his distinctive compositional style: tension-filled melodies, diverse and complex rhythms, intense emotions, bold creativity, and philosophical depth. Many of his works exhibit certain modernist characteristics, which once sparked controversy. His major works, such as the Leningrad Symphony, the oratorio Song of the Forest, the film scores West Bank of the Elbe, the opera Katerina Izmailova, the ballet The Golden Age, and the vocal cycle Selections of Jewish Folk Poetry, have had a significant impact. After 1960, he became one of the leaders of the Union of Soviet Composers.