Dmitri Shostakovich in Russia - the 1900's

from Testimony- The memoirs of Shostakovich, as related to & edited by Solomon Volkov, page 171:

But the false culture isn’t giving up. I’m often invited to the republics for various gala performances of musical achievements, exhibits, plenums, and so on, and I often go. I act as the wedding guest and naturally praise everything in sight, or almost everything. But I see through it all, and my hosts see that I see. And both parties pretend that everything is fine. / These musical festivals always begin with the works of famous composers- and that is all baloney. And the opera house always has the première of another opera or ballet on the same theme- national uprising in the distant …   more >>
cite as

Dmitri Shostakovich, and Soloman Volkov (ed.), Testimony- The memoirs of Shostakovich, as related to & edited by Solomon Volkov (London, 1979), p. 171. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1431347357691 accessed: 29 March, 2024

location of experience: Russia

Listeners

Dmitri Shostakovich
Composer, Pianist
1906-1975

Experience Information

Date/Time the 1900's
Medium live
Listening Environment indoors, in public

Notes

During that period, when Stalin was a leader, usually composers didn’t sign their own works, they were signed by local composers.


Originally submitted by verafonte on Mon, 11 May 2015 13:29:17 +0100
Approved on Wed, 18 Nov 2015 13:17:25 +0000