#dmitri shostakovitch

[redgrasshopper]

hi guyz

I kind of forgot to post anything, but I put together an image with some composers that I know of/like.

Guess who's my favorite :)

[menhera-lad]

classical composer doodles

[victorian-wizard]

In honour of what would have been Shostakovich’s 117th birthday, I have coloured this previously black and white picture of Shostakovich.

[lamstrawberryfancy]

Happy Birthday to Our Beloved Dmitri Dmitriyevich

9/25

Reference

[aduckwithears]

Everything is meant, vinyl edition

Umm you guys? I was just trying to listen to music (something classical, no more heartbreak songs, but let’s keep it from the GO playlist - Shostakovich it is!) So I pulled up the Symphony # 5 in D Minor... the very record that Aziraphale gets from Maggie’s shop... and was hit by this from Apple Music:

So of course I turned to Wikipedia (not being a classical music expert by any means) and was hit by this:

And either I’ve completely fallen down the rabbit hole (very possible) or this is statement about Aziraphale’s challenges this season. Or maybe his whole existence? What else could it be from the “everything is meant” crew? They could pick literally any classical music here. But more specifically it is literally the Symphony when Shostakovich gives up some of his ideals, goes back, fits in, and makes good (for a while) in the Soviet Union. Gosh, sound familiar???

Anyway this was all in my brain so now it can be in yours too. I’m still going to go listen to the music. 

[cosmonautroger]

Dmitri Shostakovitch

[shiii-is-tired]

da mitya

[hazzabeeforlou]

So you know how Aziraphale picks up Shosti 5 from Maggie and is listening to the 4th movement in his bookshop? Little known fun fact, if you go to 2:07 and 2:33 in the Bernstein NY Phil recording (helpfully on the official GOs2 Spotify playlist) you’ll hear this soaring, haunting theme, and DID YOU KNOW that this very same exact theme is quoted by James Horner in the soundtrack to the movie Troy (specifically in the track “Achilles leads the Myrmidons” at 4:00) and ever since I heard that during my Greek Tragedy phase in high school, THAT theme has been THE tragic gay love theme (I mean Achilles “My dear comrade’s dead - Patroclus - the man I loved beyond all other comrades, loved as my own life - I’ve lost him”) and I just find it so ineffable that Aziraphale is listening to this exact theme, pining for his demon and planning romantic balls, all for the tragedy of it to be foreshadowed by music twice removed from its original context. Obviously unintentional but still rather delightful for me.

[violinconcertobracket]

Propaganda:

Shostakovich 2:

One of Shostakovich's best late era works in my opinion.

Shostakovich 1:

The third movement is the most awe inspiring horrifyingly gorgeous masterpiece of music that exists in the violin repertoire. Followed by a slow build cadenza where the rage creeps up on you until the violin is screaming. And then a brutally fun final movement. First and second mvts are sickeningly spectacular too, but the 3-cadenza-4 is just simply the crown jewel of violin rep. It doesn’t get better than this.

It’s got a passacaglia AND a burlesque what more could you want

It is everything.

[strugglngstrvinsky]

babe, i lied. i don't have netflix. nor do i pirate things. we're listening to the leningrad.

[69hertz]

One of the biggest mysteries of season 2 for me is how Aziraphale can listen to Shostakovich's 5th finale like this:

Cause let me tell you, in the last 20 or so years I've listened to this symphony many times, I've even played it (among the 2nd violins group). And every time when I hear this music, I feel like this:

Because Shostakovich's music in general and this one in particular is all about suffering, death and horror (under the mask of false joy occasionally). It's very heavy metal, actually. So, my question is: Aziraphale, WTF? :D

Maybe people/beings with no soviet background tainting their minds couldn't understand this layer of meaning (although I don't think that it's true. I think that shit is universal, it doesn't matter if you live in a totalitarism or authoritarism or democracy). But! Aziraphale has the similar experience to Shostakovich, hasn't he? The Heaven as we see it in the series is pretty much a totalitarian (or at least authoritarian) state.

Maybe the interpretation on Aziraphale's record was so wrong that the finale genuinely sounded like a joyful march of happy and united soviet people? It happens, even to good conductors. But how could he not recognise the horrors lurking under the surface, hiding in all the dissonants and in the beating of the drums and in the hysterical violins' ostinato anyway? It bugs me every time I rewatch episode 1 🙈

(If you want to listen to this symphony, I highly recommend to find the record conducted by Yevgeny Mravinsky. Then you'll get what I'm trying to say here)

[rzumikhin]

ops on Shostakovich?

Sorry for the late reply! I deeply admire his work and his story!

[peacesmith]

okay but this version of waltz no.2 sends my soul to heaven

[srndpt2024]

music starts at 05:45, but don't miss the maestro's introduction!

[lamstrawberryfancy]

Mityusha in drag

I don’t know it anymore actually who draws that!!?!!!?😾😾😾

[cosmonautroger]