Name:
Group Name:
Piece Title:
1.
Who
(any people or groups associated with this piece)
Dmitri Shostakovich, composer
Alexander Pushkin, poet
Russian Orthodox church/religion
2.
What
(description, categorization, genre, etc. of piece)
Symphony No. 5 is an autobiographical account of Shostakovich’s experience
regarding personal suffering and rebirth and then a shift back to optimism. The
piece begins dark and as it progresses it indicates a sense of victory in escaping
said darkness.
3.
Where
(any spaces—geographical or social—associated with this piece)
Russian orthodox funeral music was especially prevalent in the third movement,
and it evoked emotional responses in the audience. This piece was composed in
the 1930s and many people in the audience may have lost a loved one due to
famine and disease therefore having a tearful reaction to this music was
understandable.
They also hadn’t heard this music in a long time because the
government abolished Russian Orthodox religion and the closed the churches.
4.
When
(any dates or eras associated with this piece)
This piece is associated with the 20
th
century, and it premiered in Leningrad in
1937.
5.
Why
(what was it for, dancing? celebrating? mourning? etc.)
This piece was meant to be sorrowful and triumphant. The beginning movements
were intended to mimic the sadness that comes along with feeling lost. Then as
the movements go on, it is intended to be victorious and positive even if false or
a façade display of victory. Although it isn’t completely a fact that this is what
Shostakovich meant to convey with this piece, this is the general consensus
because of the ties to his personal life and inspirations that seem to make it true.
