17th Annual Student Research Conference
Interdisciplinary
Reflections of Shostakovich's Music on Soviet Society and Politics
Carlos A. Di Stefano
Dr. David McKamie, Faculty Mentor
The main primary sources of information about Shostakovich are the official Soviet promotion of him as a socialist hero and his memoirs as dictated to Solomon Volkov, a then un-established musicologist with an alleged anti-communist agenda. The trustworthiness of both sources is suspect, due to their intense ideological connections. Much of the current research on the composer is dominated by speculation about his use of music as a tool of political criticism. However, an alternative point of view is possible. Shostakovich’s music can be viewed in terms of its social implications without reliance on conjectures about his political sympathies. An examination of this view within the context of his Seventh Symphony, Op. 60 yields consistent results.
Keywords: music, Russia, Shostakovich, politics
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 6-1
Location: VH 1408
Time: 8:30