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From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: Inspirational/Moving music poll
Message-ID: <2429@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 20-Apr-85 15:45:03 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2429
Posted: Sat Apr 20 15:45:03 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 07:36:51 EST
References: <369@ptsfc.UUCP> <9782@brl-tgr.ARPA> <376@ihu1m.UUCP> <3511@allegra.UUCP> <175@umich.UUCP> <855@trwatf.UUCP>
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
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> Shostakovitch Symphony # 5	(triumphal coda)
> Shostakovitch Symphony # 6	(lyric, schitzophrenic)
> Shostakovitch Symphony # 8	(mature, dream-like)
> Ralph Vaughn Williams Symphony # 2, The Pastoral
> 
>     - Lord Frith

The Vaughn Williams Pastoral is his 3rd symphony, not his second.

It is one of the most beautiful and relaxing pieces of music I've
ever heard.  For a good recorded performance, I suggest the one by
Sir Adrian Boult on London records.  (I'd recommend Boult as a
Vaughn Williams interpreter, period.)

As for the Shostakovich 5th--the coda is triumphal, yes, but ironic,
too--a false triumph.  Shostakovich's music is often filled with irony,
something Russian artists in music and letters brought to a high art.
Give it another listen: this is the symphony that ``rehabilitated''
Shostakovich after Stalin had condemned his music as ``chaos''.  It is
full of tragedy and suffering--an autobiography of his persecution.  As
part of the work as a whole, the coda seems strangly out of place,
although it satisfied the Soviet officialdom as demonstrating
``Socialist Realism'' (where all struggles have happy endings).  I
suspect that this was all intentional on Shostakovich's part, but not as
a concession.  Instead, he was mocking the simple-mindedness of those
who condemned him.

Shostakovich's 14th symphony is one of the most darkly beautiful
pieces of music ever written.  Quite simply, it is a symphony about
death--death without hope.  I find it profoundly depressing music,
yet quite worthwhile.  (Some people may want to avoid it.)  It is
dedicated to Benjamin Britten, and bears a good deal of similarity
to Britten's music.  It uses texts by Lorca, Apollinaire, Kuchelbecker,
and Rilke, sung by solo soprano and bass in Russian.

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall