Shostakovich - Sonata D Minor Op 40 For Cello/Piano

Cello / Associate / List D

• Allegro non troppo 1st movement and Allegro 2nd movement from Sonata in D minor Op. 40

Cello / Licentiate / List D

• Largo 3rd movement and Allegro 4th movement from Sonata in D minor Op. 40

Who Was Dmitri Shostakovich?

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) was a Russian composer and pianist, one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. He was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and displayed prodigious musical talent from an early age. He attended the Petrograd Conservatory and rapidly emerged as one of the Soviet Union's leading composers.

Shostakovich's life and career were deeply affected by the political climate of his time, particularly the regimes of Joseph Stalin and his successors. He faced multiple instances of official denunciation and scrutiny, and his music was often caught up in the ideological battles of the day. This tension between the composer and the state added layers of complexity and interpretive ambiguity to his work, making him a subject of ongoing study and debate among musicologists, historians, and performers.

Musically, Shostakovich was a prolific composer who worked in a variety of genres. He composed 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, several concertos, operas, ballets, and a range of chamber and vocal music. His music often features sharp contrasts, mixing elements of humour, tragedy, and irony. It's marked by its lyricism, its often somber mood, and its unique harmonic language. Some of his most famous works include the Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 7 ("Leningrad"), and the String Quartet No. 8.

Shostakovich's work continues to be performed and recorded extensively, and he remains a towering figure in the history of classical music. He left behind an oeuvre that continues to be scrutinised and interpreted in various ways, providing a rich field of study for anyone interested in the intersections of music, politics, and history.