Catharsis and monologue

 　　Shostakovich was born in 1906 and died in 1975 at the age of 69. His Symphony No. 1, the opera Madame Macbeth of Mzingsk (aka Katerina Iss) Mailova"), "Golden Age" and other works have attracted the attention of the world music scene. He was keen on musical innovation earlier, but was severely criticized by the former Soviet Union officials, so he had to immediately withdraw the Fourth Symphony that was being rehearsed; then he wrote the Fifth Symphony at a faster speed. Song" was recognized by officials and music critics at that time. From then on, he began to write traditional works, but the pace of innovation did not stop, instead he adopted the technique of "new wine in old bottles". As one writer put it: "He always seems to be exploring in his work, overt on the one hand and covert on the other, adapting to the world in a variety of styles." Unjust criticism and impact, for this reason, he was depressed and difficult to let go, and had no choice but to express his feelings in music creation with the two characteristics of "catharsis and monologue".

　　Shostakovich's works often cannot be understood by linking the title to the content of the work. For example, "The Eighth String Quartet", the title of the score is "Reminiscence of Cruel Fascism and War", but the content of the war is actually It has nothing to do at all; another example is the "Fifth Symphony", which was published as "a Soviet composer's answer to the outside world's fair criticism", which is generally regarded as the same as Beethoven and Tchaikovsky Song" is a similar work that belongs to the contest between man and destiny. In fact, the content of the work is deeply hidden, and after listening carefully, I feel that it is a tragic symphony. The theme of jumping up and down in the first movement is fresh and special, venting the composer's grief, anger and pain, and the conflict with the harsh reality. In the third movement, with three complementary themes, the sympathy for the suffering victims is deeply expressed, and the composer's own pain is also expressed. . The fourth movement is a clear allegro. The two themes increase each other to one high platform after another. It can be seen that the hardship of breaking free from suffering is vented happily and vividly in the powerful sound of drum trumpets. This is the official hoped-for result, and it is also a declaration of his confidence in his future creations.

　　In 1953, Stalin died, and Shostakovich quickly wrote the "Tenth Symphony" and performed it, which led to countless praise and doubts, while he himself was evasive about the content of the work. Secretly. This work seems to be the release of his long-standing depression, which is very rich in connotation, giving people unlimited imagination space. The signature theme (DSCH) runs through the whole piece, fully reflecting the composer's personal profound reflection on the times; the humanized, philosophical and complex conception is elusive.

　　In the second and third movements of Symphony No. 8, Shostakovich's satire, rebuke, and puppet-like, unbridled violent images are displayed to the fullest, like a raging fire, the more it burns, the more prosperous; People are amazed. In the Eleventh Symphony, the theme of helplessness alternates with the theme of rage, and the contrast is strong and thrilling. In these movements, Shostakovich's composition ability has reached the level of perfection. He is good at creative play, the music has deep and broad ideas, and the orchestration is ingenious. He can integrate the songs sung by the masses into the torrent of symphonies. It can be said that is a classic example.

　　Another feature that complements his catharsis is his inner monologue. In the long years of creation, Shostakovich was constantly criticized and suppressed by the authorities. He could only express his grievances and injustices in music creation, and was immersed in deep thinking again and again. Especially in many of his diary-style string quartets, incomprehensible monologues and puzzling murmurs can be heard everywhere. comparable. The third movement of the "First Violin Concerto" is a tragic Passacaria mode. It is cold, poignant, and hesitant to speak. In the end, he had to abandon the band and talk to himself in a completely independent form. The famous violinist Oistrach once said: "The more I understand this concerto and the more I listen to it, the more I like it, so I study it with greater enthusiasm and think about it. , to live for it..." Here, I think he is referring to this moving movement.

　　After Shostakovich's death, the music world began to conduct in-depth research on his creations, re-evaluate his works comprehensively, and performed almost all of his operas, ballets, symphonies, concertos and 15 string quartets, Sonatas, various sketches and film music. He is a rare music master in the history of music who can reflect the information of the times in time. He has the talent to adapt to various musical styles, such as the Seventh and Eighth Symphony reflecting World War II, and the Eleventh Symphony reflecting the February Revolution in 1905. Symphony", "Song of the Forest" which praises greenery and many other outstanding works. He has also scored many films, such as "The Great Citizen", "Zoya", "The Conquest of Berlin", "Unforgettable 1919" and so on.

　　Objectively speaking, Shostakovich was a patriotic and talented composer. He loved his motherland all his life and never moved abroad. He sympathized with the suffering people. When the German fascists came to the city during World War II, To defend Stalingrad, he stepped forward as a firefighter, and his works were performed to the rumble of cannons, inspiring the people to fight against all evil forces. Rostrovsky called him "the Beethoven of the 20th century", and the United Nations asked him to compose the United Nations national anthem that sang peace. His man and music creation deserves admiration.