Page 280 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

278 MUSIC IN THE SOVIET ERA

Alfred Schnittke
and polystylism

In the 1960s, the Russian
composer Alfred Schnittke
(1934–1998) developed a new
way of writing music. He
mixed various musical styles
in the same piece, such as his
Violin Sonata No. 2 (1968) and
Symphony No. 1 (1969–1972),
and called it “polystylism.”
Shostakovich had achieved
something similar, but in
the works of Schnittke the
contrasts between musical
styles are often more violent
and surprising. His Concerto
Grosso No. 1 (1977), for
example, combines baroque
form, an atonal lament,
a tango, and pieces of the
composer’s own film scores,
to dramatic and even shocking The new work was a resounding When Germany laid siege to
Leningrad in 1941, Shostakovich
effect. Schnittke continued to success, its triumph at the premiere decided to stay, working as a fireman
compose polystylistic music on November 21, 1937, in Leningrad and finishing his Symphony No. 7,
into the 1980s, including the confirmed by a 40-minute ovation, which he dedicated to the city.
String Quartet No. 3 (1983). with many in the audience moved
He also wrote pieces that are to tears. Through the symphony’s
less obviously polystylistic, series of stark contrasts between In the piece, the symphony is
such as Symphony No. 8 gentle, melancholic music and described as “a Soviet artist’s
(1994), though even this work louder, faster passages, often in creative response to justified
contains elements taken from march-time, Shostakovich had also criticism”. By putting his name
Liszt, Wagner, and Russian managed the delicate balancing act to these words, the composer was
Orthodox chant. of preserving his own lyrical voice saying that he had bowed to the
while toeing the party line. will of the party. For men like
The communist authorities, Stalin, whose rule depended on
although at first suspicious of the submission and fear, the fact
work’s rapturous reception, took the that Shostakovich had accepted
brash, closing movement at face criticism in this way was a victory.
value, as an optimistic conclusion
using the direct musical language Hidden clues
of which they approved. One Soviet Although Shostakovich seemed
reviewer described the symphony’s to have caved in to the authorities,
ending as creating “an enormous for some listeners the symphony
optimistic lift.” Party members had carried hints of a more subversive
been encouraged to react in this message. It was as though the
way by an article that appeared in lyrical music represented freedom
Schnittke’s music was treated a Moscow newspaper a few days and self-expression, while the
with suspicion in the Soviet Union, before the concert. The article was aggressive outbursts and awkward
which he left in 1990 to settle in signed by Shostakovich, but it was dances parodied their ruthless
the German city of Hamburg.
probably written by a journalist obliteration by the triumphant
working for the Communist Party. communist state.

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