The Assault on Beautiful Gorky
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- Written by Dimitri Shostakovitch in 1951, part of a film score "The Unforgettable Year 1919". According to records, Cardinal Health Orchestra was the first U.S. orchestra to perform the piece. Truly a magnificent piece, performed on May 21, 2009 with pianist Laura Flowers Benson at the keyboard.
One of the problems we ran into was the delivery of the music. Since it came from overseas the U.S. customs held it up until 1 week before our scheduled performance. That only gave us 2 rehearsals before the performance. All in all we did ok.
Probably his best piece of music. Just fantastic. When played right
This piece of music is really powerful, typically Russian yet absolutely glorious and sweeps one along, Dougie if you have managed to find it.
One of my favourite pieces. Laura plays well.
Loved this piece when I first heard it on Classic FM but never seen it performed, very pleasing to see the orchestra attempt such a difficult piece. This performance wasn't made in a recording studio and yes there are variations in melody, but that shouldn't detract from enjoying a wonderful bit of Shosta :-) Thank you to all in the orchestra for performing it for me
Virginflyer, at least you weren't carpy as with the above critics, I have heard it a few times on Classic FM and also on the 3rd program and I absolutely adore it, it really sweeps one along and one has only got to admire the orchestra who played such a difficult piece of music. I have suggested that Douglas Henshall, the Scottish actor should look on the net and find it on You Tube. I think he would be mesmarized by the music, so much going on too.
This is Not a difficult piece of music for an orchestra to perform. The RH piano in 4*triplets is tricky but not exactly Chopin Etude tricky. Love this piece of music. It's so Russian. Wonderful
This piece is really something it Britons my day superb
yes i first heard this on classic fm about ten years ago and hardly heard it since, then i found it after reading about it in a book, remembered the title and found it on UA-cam!
This is one of the greatest "gems" Shostakovich produced, and totally neglected ( except by Classic FM )
And if you want to know HOW they got him to write this, well... here.....
Radio Sketch - The writing of the film score for “The Unforgettable Year 1919”
Cast : Composer Dmitri Shostakovich
( Shostakovich will speak in a normal voice )
Communist Party Apparatchik from “The Ministry of Culture and Indoor Plumbing”
( Apparatchik will speak with an ersatz Russian accent, along the lines of
“Boris Badenov” from “Rocky & Bullwinkle” )
fx : Knock on door
Shostakovich : “Yes.. who is it ? Come in.”
fx : Door opening and closing
Apparatchik : “Shostakovich? Comrade composer Dmitri Shostakovich?”
Shostakovich : “Uhhh…. Yeah.. I am he. Who are you?”
Apparatchik : “We are from glorious Ministry of Culture and Indoor Plumbing, in Kremlin!”
Shostakovich : ( sounding puzzled ) “Huh? Ministry of Culture and Indoor Plumbing?”
Apparatchik : “In glorious worker’s paradise, everyone have two jobs! Ministry of Culture is deep in basement of Kremlin, adding Indoor Plumbing was natural pipe fit! Haha…natural pipe fit! I make little indoor plumbing joke, no?”
Shostakovich : “No… I mean yes, I mean…. ha… ha… ha… very funny. So … Minister of Culture and Indoor Plumbing….. what can I do for you?”
Apparatchik : “We are making glorious movie of Unforgettable Year 1919. We need glorious music for glorious movie. You will write glorious music for us, no?”
Shostakovich : “Uh… no… I mean yes… I mean … well gee, I really don’t know much about writing music for a movie. Why don’t you get someone who does that all the time? How about Wolfie Korngold…. or Max Steiner… or that Addinsell guy who wrote that concerto by moonlight over in Warsaw?”
Apparatchik : “They all run off to bourgeois capitalist Hollywood! Korngold, in like Flynn; Steiner… gone with wind! We need glorious Hero of Soviet Union to write glorious music for glorious movie. That is YOU, Comrade Dmitri!”
Shostakovich : “Oh man… I don’t know… I’ve got symphonies to write, and concertos to write, and string quartets to write, and some Gadfly wants me to trot off to Tahiti and write an improvisation, and then have tea for two with him. I just don’t know when I’d find the time to write some movie music.”
Apparatchik : ( exasperated and menacing ) “Comrade Dmitri…………!”
Shostakovich : “ Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?”
Apparatchik : “You will write glorious music for glorious movie….. or we send you to not-so-glorious Gulag in not-so-glorious Siberia!”
Shostakovich : “ Heyyyyyyyyyyyy………….. I feel a song coming on!”
Apparatchik : “That’s better! We will be back soon for glorious movie music.”
fx : Door opening and closing
Shostakovich : “Hoo boy! Yakov Smirnoff was right….. Party always finds YOU!”
fx : Dissonant piano chord……
©©
@yapyapthedestroyer1690 Uh, yap? At my age, I'm lucky to remember my own name; but seriously, I've read about this "Stalin song" but that's all. I guess Stalin must have liked the song, because I notice Dmitri outlived 'Ole Joe, or else he had some REALLY good hiding places!
Goodness... tune those woodwinds!
That was an assault on beautiful music.
Was on Classic FM this morning :)
Who let the kids with recorders in ! Pianist is good though .
Thank you for this. I love it.
Does anyone know where to buy the sheets for this? I fell in love with this piece
Can you contact me directly? gerironbuf@yahoo.com
The brass is a little out!
Steve Vids yes a bit considering we only had 7 days to rehearse and return music to rental company
Ron Reich Such a shame as it was brilliant up until the brass section came in.
One of my favourite pieces. Laura plays well.