Shostakovich was anti-Soviet

He composed stuff that was over the top, a caricature, when instructed to write for the glory of the Soviet Union. The people who commissioned the works didn't know enough about what they were hearing to realise it.

I don't listen to him much, though his later string quartets are quite something (the last one, no 15, written when he knew he was dying, is incredibly moving though you have to be in the right mood to listen to it). Very interesting guy though.

Posted By: Old Man, Feb 5, 12:43:29