Accessibility links
Shostakovich Fans Look for Political Meaning In His Music The political identity of composer Dmitri Shostakovich has been a topic of debate for decades.

Music

Shostakovich Fans Look for Political Meaning In His Music

Heard on Morning Edition

Shostakovich Fans Look for Political Meaning In His Music

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6137723/6137724" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Enlarge this image

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich, in 1950. Deutsche Fotothek hide caption

toggle caption
Deutsche Fotothek

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich, in 1950.

Deutsche Fotothek

The 100th anniversary of the birth of composer Dmitri Shostakovich has been celebrated all year with concerts and recordings of his music. There has also been more discussion about whether his music was written in support of Russia's communist government, or in protest against it.