The Music of Dmitry Shostakovich

Dmitry Shostakovich was one of the most important Russian composers at the beginning of the twentieth century. After the great success of his first symphony, written at age nineteen, Shostakovich achieved international fame as one of the most prominent Soviet composers of his era. After the premiere of his opera, Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk, the Communist Party’s newspaper, Pravda, attacked his musical work and he spent most of his career composing under the intense scrutiny and fear of the Soviet government. In this course, we explore some of Shostakovich’s most important compositions, especially his symphonies, vocal works, chamber music, and piano music. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to the video for 30 days.