Shostakovich
by Elizabeth Wilson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth WilsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1995-08-21
ISBN: 0691044651
Number of pages: 574
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Book Reviews of Shostakovich
Book Review: A Revealing Look at the Composer
Summary: 5 Stars
If I were asked to name a book that would give a complete portrait of Dmitri Shostakovich this would be the book that I would name. Elizabeth Wilson's Shostakovich: A Life Remembered is a collection of remembrances of the composer by many people: family, friends, colleagues, admirers and some who simply observed the composer from a distance. There is a wide variety of people who relate an event of Shostakovich's life, provide background on events in the composer's life or simple relate a personal story about him. The number of sources that Ms. Wilson consulted is vast and she also had the opportunity to interview many of the people who know Shostakovich who died since this book was published.
Ms. Wilson (who met the composer when she accompanied Benjamin Britten on a visit) has nicely divided the book into sections dealing with major events, such as the "War Years" and then deals with specific events that occurred like the "Seventh Symphony" and the "Teacher and Master" concerning Shostakovich's students during the period. One of my favorite sections is an interview with Mstislav Rostropovich where he relates a story just after he had won the All-Russia competition. He bought a suit to wear for his concert performances and to celebrate Shostakovich bought a bottle of moonshine vodka that turned out to the worst drink of their lives. Such anecdotes may not be highly important to Shostakovich's professional career but say volumes about him as a human being. The book gives as complete a life of Shostakovich as one would want, and we get a complete perspective. We get insight into why some friends cut themselves off from Shostakovich late in his life from what seemed to be his support of the Communist Party but, probably more important, we get the composer's reactions from his friends and colleagues in an unvarnished way.
The book is illustrated with some interesting photographs from various periods in Shostakovich's life. I have also used this book as a reference when I wanted to know something about one of his compositions. It is a very rewarding book that should not be missed if you have an interest in Dmitri Shostakovich.
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