Shostakovich Essay

As noted by Robert Hughes, "Beethoven was not only the embodiment of all that was before him, but also of that which was yet to come" (Hughes 486). The truth of this may be seen by comparing Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor to Haydn, the father of Symphony, and his 95th in C Minor. While Haydn's symphony is both playful and dramatic, Beethoven's symphony is grander both in terms of scale and vision. He expands the size of the orchestra to incorporate the sounds swirling around, underlying, and depicting the arrival of Fate in a rhythm-driven, thematic symphony that takes Haydn's form and runs with it as though to the top of a mountain peak. This paper will analyze the symphonies by movement, according to form, size, structure, tonalities, melodies, orchestral sound and overall mood and effect.

The development of symphonic music during the Classical Period is greatly responsible for shaping today’s orchestral music landscape. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is often considered to be the cornerstone of the symphony genre evolution. While his grand gem is somewhat revolutionary and unique to a certain extent, such as ‘expanding the brass section in the final movement.’ [1] On the other hand Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is filled with minor references to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony

For the second and final concert report, I listened to the performance of Beethoven’s 9th symphony, as played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Beethoven lived in Germany during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and was an influential figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in western music. The performance requires a large number of instruments, with woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings, and even a choir during the 4th movement.

Composers have been writing nationalistic works for years but not many people know that some composers are using nationalistic techniques for a completely different reason. In an article in the New York Times written by Richard Taruskin entitled “Nationalism: Colonialism in Disguise”, Taruskin explains how musicians these days are using nationalism, strong patriotic feelings toward ones’ country, as a disguise for colonialism in order to be recognized as a well-known composer such as Beethoven or Brahms. One American composer, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, can also be seen as somebody who uses nationalism in order to disguise his colonialist views. In this paper, I hope to prove how Gottschalk’s Bamboula is really colonialism in disguise and

In Emily St. John Mandel’s novel, Station Eleven, a terrifyingly powerful virus called the “Georgia Flu” sweeps across the world taking out almost every victim it touches. A team of musicians, actors, and backstage members make their way across a pandemic stricken land while hunting, performing, and surviving. They call themselves the “Traveling Symphony”. They’ve been traveling since nearly the beginning of the pandemic, finding and losing members as they go. Throughout the novel, there are several plot lines which run in different directions throughout different time periods, but one consistent theme that ties each twisting plot together throughout the entire novel is that “survival is insufficient”, a quote adopted from Star Trek.

The symphony is less influenced by the surrounding environment. By looking at the CVF we see that the symphony takes its direction in a flexible and discretionary manner. As we discussed early this fact is represented that the employees (musicians) are empowered to make decisions about the operations of the symphony.

Vladek went through the various Nazi genocide stages as brought out by Raul Hilberg. According to Hilberg, the four distinct phases of the Holocaust were identification, economic discrimination, and separation, concentration, and extermination. Although Vladek was not eventually exterminated, his close relatives and friends did not survive the lethal last stage through the various sugar-coated tactics employed by the Germans. The essay will scrutinize these Holocaust stages and relate them to the life events of the Vladek, the main character in Maus 1 and 2 written by Art Spiegelman. The works of other scholars in predicting the impacts of the Holocaust will also be looked at.

One of the most prominent influences of art throughout history has been politics. The 50s through 70s in America are a great example of this, for so many of this era’s songs were arguments against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War and criticisms of American politics at the time. However, this phenomenon was prominent long before the Vietnam War and was not just an American trend; in fact, two of the most influential and famous pieces of the early 20th century were products of political oppression on the other side of the world. Both Paul Hindemith, under the Nazi Regime, and Dmitri Shostakovich, under the communist reign of Stalin, managed to fight political oppression through their music. The two composers had very different ways of doing so. Hindemith wrote two separate pieces, one that directly opposed the Nazi regime, and another that was so nationalistic he was forgiven for his previous ‘mistakes’, whereas Shostakovich wrote a single piece which seemed just as nationalistic as Hindemith’s symphony yet it had a deeper, much more rebellious underlying message. Even though their methods’ differed, both Hindemith and Shostakovich were able to express their true feelings about the totalitarian governments that were repressing their artistic ability.

My bow lifted off of my cello and froze midair after the final chord of Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival”, and I grinned at my stand partner. The audience rose to their feet, whooping and whistling as the conductor cued the orchestra for the encore.

began to incorporate ethnic influences in their music, and musicians looked at it as a calling rather

Beethoven contributed one of the most significant musical developments through his fifth and ninth symphonies. He used a musical motive as the basic of his entire piece. (Beethoven described the motive as “Fate knocks at the door”.) It was the first time in history that anyone had done such a thing for a multi-movement piece. Beethoven’s contribution has become a norm in the music world, even to this day.

To the members of the Traveling Symphony, “survival is insufficient” means that there is a bigger purpose in life other than just surviving. The purpose of the Traveling Symphony, as a whole, is to perform concerts and Shakespearean plays. And in doing so, they keep and pass on the art of the pre-collapse world to new generations. Furthermore, each individual character in the Traveling Symphony has a larger responsibility other than surviving that coincides with the symphony’s purpose. For example, the Conductor and Gil, the director, are the leaders of the Traveling Symphony; they guide the Traveling Symphony and make sure everyone is safe. And as a result, the symphony is able to perform and pass on the art.

I have never been personally a fan of the romantic orchestra music but going to listen to a concert live is breathtaking. I attended the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Masterpieces concert with music director Fouad Fakhouri performing Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No.1 in D major. There was a full stage of musicians and a complete choir to back it up.

Imagine being captive in a concentration camp for over eight years. Ivan Denisovich Shukhov has experienced just this. In analyzing only one day of Ivan’s life in a concentration camp, he displays many traits that show that he is a hero. Hero, can be defined in many different ways. The definition from Webster’s dictionary states: Hero- a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Shukhov definitely portrays courageous characteristics. He also has gained many abilities that people do not have, due to his experience in the concentration camp. Shukhov shows emotional, physical, and moral strength throughout this book. I believe this alone makes him a hero.

The general plan of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies includes a very 'pessimistic' first movement, a sad, peaceful second movement, an allegro movement (often in dance form) and a fourth movement full of vigor.  His 6th symphony, the Pathetique, is an exception.  The themes are broad, decorative, and striking. The orchestration is rich - but without any attempt at spectacular effects.  The last movement is slow and mournful, and recent research reveals the reason.  The Pathetique was only partly finished when news spread of a homosexual 'encounter' Tchaikovsky had with a fellow student. Some believe that the composer finished the symphony as a farewell to life. The scoring is for the standard symphonic orchestra with winds, brass, strings, timpani, and other percussion instruments. It was premiered in St. Petersburg with Tchaikovsky himself leading the orchestra.