Judaism in the Soviet Union | Decoding Shostakovich

Harlow Robinson, host
Josie Larsen, soprano 
Mary Kray, mezzo-soprano 
Matthew Anderson, tenor
Joseph Vasconi, piano

SHOSTAKOVICH From Jewish Folk Poetry

“The distinguishing feature of Jewish music is the ability to build a jolly melody on sad intonations," Shostakovich told a friend. "Why does a man strike up a jolly song? Because he feels sad at heart.” This sort of black humor – “laughter through tears” — struck a deep chord in Shostakovich. Antisemitism and the difficult historical experience of the Jewish people in Tsarist Russia, the USSR and elsewhere profoundly disturbed him, especially since many of his close friends and colleagues were Jewish and he saw first-hand the injustices and humiliation they suffered at the hands of Stalin and Hitler. Shostakovich incorporated Jewish themes into numerous works: the Second Piano Trio (1944), the First Violin Concerto (1947), From Jewish Folk Poetry (1948) the Fourth String Quartet (1949), and the Babi yar Symphony No.13 (1962). Prof. Harlow Robinson will discuss these works and other issues of Shostakovich's relationship to Jewish themes.