Shostakovich on music

“There can be no music without idealogy … We, as revolutionaries, have a different conception of  music from the composers of other [non Soviet-Russia] countries.  Lenin himself said the “Music is a means of unifying people”.  It is not a leader of the masses, perhaps, but certainly an organising force … I think an artist should serve the greatest possible number of people.  I always try to make myself understood as widely as possible, and if I don’t succeed I consider it my own fault.

Dmitry Shostakovich.

Cited in: Norris, Chistopher (ed.) (1982) Shostakovich the Man. London: Lawrence and Wishart, p. 221-222.

Posted

in

by

Greg

Tags:

,

Featured Content

Lord, Make Us Turn To You – Psalm 79 (80)
Title: Lord, make us turn to you Text: Psalm 79 (80) Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
Sacred
Numbering of psalms. Different translations of the psalms have been used. For consistency, the psalms are labelled by the Hebrew numbering first, followed by the Greek number in parenthesis.
The possibilities of creativity
“The possibilities of creative effort connected with the subconscious mind are stupendous and imponderable. They inspire one with awe.” – Napoleon Hill, American author Quotations Book  
Smooth jazz finds new way to reach audiences
With shifts in the commercial music industry away from smooth jazz, musicians are finding new niches for smooth jazz such as cruises. Twenty years ago, of course, smooth jazz wasn’t a code to be cracked so much as a wave to be caught. Like most species of pop, it felt ubiquitous and maybe a little […]
Feed the inner beast
Lou Dorfsman, design chief for CBS Radio and later the CBS Television Network for over 40 years, once said, “In reality, creativity is the ability to reach inside yourself and drag forth from your very soul an idea.” However, nothing comes from nothing. You must continuously feed the inner beast that sparks and inspires. I […]
The Castle Builder
Title: The Castle Builder Text: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
People must hear me
“I cannot tell you how much I love to play for people. Would you believe it – sometimes when I sit down to practice and there is no one else in the room, I have to stifle an impulse to ring for the elevator man and offer him money to come in and hear me.” […]
Mastery
“Mastery passes often for egotism.” — Johanne Goethe, German author Johanne Goethe (1906) The Maxisms and Relfections.  Translated by Bailey Saunders.  New York: The Macmillan Company.  Digitally archived at: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33670/33670-h/33670-h.htm, accessed 12 Setpember 2021
Chopin’s pianistic style
While in London, Chopin frequently gave performances at soirées and matinées where he performed Nocturnes, Waltzes, Mazurkas and the Berceuse George Hogarth reported in the Daily News (10 July 1848): He accomplishes enormous difficulties, but so quietly, so smoothly and with such constant delicacy and refinement that the listener is not sensible of their real […]
Of the Father’s love begotten
Title: Of the Father’s Love Begotten Tune: Divine Mysterium Composer: 11th Century Chant Arranger: Greg SmithInstrumentation: SATBProduct medium: PDF score Sample: