The President's Quartet - Assignment Example

Presumably and predominantly these parts depict a powerful victory of “light” and dominant Communism over the “darkness” of weak Capitalism (Quartet No. 8 was made in 1960 when Shostakovich became a member of the Communist Party).

But let us prove such a general line of current musical opus with some evidence, sure, along with “aura” analysis. The total duration of the opus is 8:30. First part is till 5:18. Second part is from here until the end, approximately 8:15. First part is slow, weak (“dark” Capitalism), melancholic, full of classical allusions, and repetitive. I think, as was already suggested beforehand, that this weak, slow, and repetitive movement, full of classical allusions, depicts a character of Western and American late capitalist society, as it was viewed by Shostakovich. So, the first part is extremely “dark.” Its aura is “black” and a fantastic one, in terms of German romanticism in music. That is why this “nature” (initial one) of the opus is ruled over by another one, light and strong, like a sun of the rising Communism over the world.

The second part gets a victory over the first one after a bright and powerful culmination, which begins at 5:18. Classical movement of the opus (it's the first part) is overwhelmed by the “epic” nature of Communism's victory. As a composer, Shostakovich suggested that this victory would be very hard and full of efforts (victims?), but its “light future” is determined, in general. Therefore, the fierce movement of powerful victory of Communism depicted in terms of its ideological strength.

To conclude, the “classical” nature of oldish Capitalism is ruled over a bright revolutionary musical movement of young Communism in the epic battle over the future of the world. Capitalism is weak because of its lack of ideological dominants and motivational strength. This idea was depicted by Shostakovich in his No. 8 in C minor Largo and Allegro Molto.

So, in his opus, Shostakovich tried to prove his statement on Communism's immediate victory over dying Capitalism, but not with a means of official propaganda, with a set of musical hints: high and slow tempo, intensive and expressive movement, co-union or separation of performing instruments, etcetera. Read More