Dmitri Shostakovich quotes - page 2
There can be no music without ideology. The old composers, whether they knew it or not, were upholding a political theory. Most of them, of course, were bolstering the rule of the upper classes. Only Beethoven was a forerunner of the revolutionary movement. If you read his letters, you will see how often he wrote to his friends that he wished to give new ideas to the public and rouse it to revolt against its masters.
Dmitri Shostakovich
You ask if I would have been different without "Party guidance"? Yes, almost certainly. No doubt the line I was pursuing when I wrote the Fourth Symphony would have been stronger and sharper in my work. I would have displayed more brilliance, used more sarcasm, I could have revealed my ideas openly instead of having to resort to camouflage.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Not since the time of Berlioz has a symphonic composer created such a stir. In far-away America, great conductors vie with each other for the jus primae noctis of his music. The score of his Seventh Symphony, the symphony of struggle and victory, has been reduced to a roll of microfilm and flown half-way across the world...to speed the day of the American première. How the old romantics would have loved to be the center of such a fantastic adventure!
Dmitri Shostakovich
He is thinner, taller, younger – more boyish-looking – than expected, but he is also the shyest and most nervous human being I have ever seen. He chews not merely his nails but his fingers, twitches his pouty mouth and chin, chain-smokes, wiggles his nose in constant adjustment of his spectacles, looks querulous one moment and ready to cry the next. His hands tremble, he stutters, his whole frame wobbles when he shakes hands...There is no betrayal of the thoughts behind those frightened, very intelligent eyes.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Neuhaus was sitting next to him at a performance...that was being badly conducted by Alexander Gauk. Neuhaus leaned over to whisper in Shostakovich's ear: "Dmitry Dmitrievich, this is awful.” Whereupon Shostakovich turned to Neuhaus: "You're right, Heinrich Gustavovich! It's splendid! Quite remarkable!” Realising that he'd been misunderstood, Neuhaus repeated his earlier remark: "Yes,” muttered Shostakovich, "it's awful, quite awful.”
That was Shostakovich to the life.
Dmitri Shostakovich