Shostakovich's Music:


Personal Opinions and Favorite Performances/Recordings

I love almost everything that Shostakovich composed. Besides his 15 symphonies, 15 quartets, and 2 operas discussed elsewhere, the treasure chest also contains other jewels and enjoyable trinkets.
(still under construction)

Orchestral music (other than symphonies)

First, there are several orchestral pieces with vocals (solo and/or chorus). Some of them are blurring the lines with some "vocal symphonies" such as #13, #14. In some recordings, they are called Orchestral Songs. I guess the similar problem exists between Mahler's vocal symphonies and orchestral songs, with Das Lieder Von Der Erde really a symphony instead of an orchestral song cycle. Well, no matter what we call them, they are serious work to be regarded to and listened to as if they are symphonies.

There are two groups, one serious ones (and sometimes not so serious ones, such as those based on comic characters from Dostoyevsky, but all initiated internally(?) instead by the party). The group include Execution of Stephen Razan, Michaelangelo Songs, and song for poems by Blok, Shakespeare, etc. Indeed they are great "symphonies" too. The second group may have a bit less a artistic origin than an external one, including pieces for celebration, propaganda, and purposes like that. Well, they are enjoyable music nevertheless. I particularly enjoyed listening to "the Song of the Forest".

Festival Overture is quite enjoyable too, and I have heard it played by several student orchestras -- great piece for budding musicians.

Several people also orchestrated Shostakovich's string quartets. However, I found them always losing something here or there of the original and prefer the original quartet much better.

Chamber music (other than quartets)

Piano music

24 Prelude and Fugue, op.87, dominates Shostakovich's piano music, and is a worthy 20th century counterpart to Bach's original two sets. I have three complete sets, by Nikolayeva, Ashkenazy, and Jarret. I love the Nikolayeva set and enjoyed Ashkenazy set too. Jarret set served its purpose of introducing me to this wonderful work admirably too.

There are some "Shostakovich plays Shostakovich" CDs other there, on Russian Revelation and EMI. Although not complete sets, they include some wonderful performances by the composer himself. Truly "must-have" for Shostakovich afficinados.

There are some small pieces for piano. They are quite enjoyable as well. But they usually come as fillers in other disks or as a collection of some theme CDs (like Russian piano pieces and the like).

Stage (other than operas) works, films, and other "lighter" pieces

Shostakovich's light stuff, such as his "jazz suites", ballet, film music, and patriotic/propaganda pieces such as "October", "Forest Songs", and the like, are quite enjoyable too.

List of Shostakovich works on the Internet


Prepared by Jeff Tian (tian@engr.smu.edu).
Created April 14, 2008. last update May 17, 2008.
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