Shostakovich Symphonies and Concertos - An Owner's Manual: Unlocking the Masters Series by David Hurwitz

Author:David Hurwitz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2009-06-30T06:05:00+00:00

Second Movement: Moderato

This slowish movement a simple ABABA-in keeping with classical-period precedent omits the trumpets, heavy brass, timpani, and percussion. That means that the scoring for woodwinds is particularly sensitive. The music has a lonely, nostalgic quality that's very memorable but quite far from the benumbed terror characteristic of' some of Shostakovich's larger works. A solo clarinet has the opening melody, accompanied lightly by pizzicato cellos and basses. The solo becomes a duet, grows to encompass the entire wind section, and then diminishes once again to end as it began.

Shifting time signatures prevent the opening tune from establishing a clear rhythm, but the B section, for strings, is a hesitant waltz with sighing chromatics that approaches and recedes several times before A returns as a flute solo. Once again the waltz intervenes on the strings, then the opening appears for the last time on flute and clarinets, followed by a coda in adagio tempo featuring solo piccolo. The form may be incredibly simple, but the melodies stand among Shostakovich's finest. He's seldom given credit for being a tunesmith, but this movement demonstrates that when everything depends on the quality of the themes, he doesn't disappoint.

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