Search - Shostakovich, Kitaenko, Frankfurt Rso :: Suites for Jazz Orchestra 1 & 2 / Ballet Suites

Genius Under Pressure

John D. Steyers | San Diego, CA, USA | 07/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a compilation on the "lighter" ,usic of the 20 Century Russian maaster Dmitri Shostakovitch. Most, if not all of this music was composed on commission from one or another soviet "cultural" bureau dealing with variety entertainment. The music was used for popular dance programs, circuesses, musical theatre, etc. Why did the usuallky serious, solemn, master accept such commissions? In a word, to stay off the Gulag. Shostakovitch fell precipitously from favor with Stalin because of the form and content of his ooera "A Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk".

He felt threatened by the enmity of the paranoid Stalin (as did countless others) for the remainder of the dictator's lengthy reign. He felt (probably quite correctly) that he had to prove, by appearances at least, his commitment to Marxist/Stalinist notions of art and the masses again and again, hence his accptance of commissions for "popu;ar" music. What this album demonstrates, however, is, that whatever his conscious motivation was, Shostakovitch remained a dedicated composer with very high standards even in this "lighter" area. The little pieces which make up the "Jazz Suites" and "Ballet Suites" are gems of humor and sentiment, often spiced (risking Stalin's ire) with subtle irony, and not-so subtle satire. I highly recomment this album for relief during or after a long session with Shostakovitch's sympronies."