Dmitri Shostakovich was born on September 25th, 1906 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His parents were Dmitri Bolesav and Sofia Vasilyevna. His children are Maxim and Galina Shostakovich. At the age of 13, Shostakovich proved his musical talents by attending the Petrograd Conservatory where he studied piano and composition. In 1932, his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District displeased Joseph Stalin. The Soviet leader's reaction nearly had .
Shostakovich imprisoned. To protect himself, Shostakovich began writing works that glorified Soviet life and history. He would eventually receive many awards and for his compositions. But his music has a unique sound that pleased the government while underneath, Shostakovich's music told the story of the innocent people in the oppressed Soviet Union.
Dmitri Shostakovich had the tough task of being a musical celebrity during the height of the Soviet Union. After his controversial opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District was considered too modern and complex to be considered properly communist, Shostakovich was made into a social enemy of society. Members of his family disappeared and some of his past mentors were executed. His life and career was balancing on a knife edge. Shostakovich had .
to figure out a way to write music that could play it safe with the Soviet government, but still maintain artistic credibility. In his 5th symphony, written just one year after the opera, Shostakovich presented one of the most important pieces of music of the 20th century. Obediently subtitled "A Soviet Artist's Response to Just Criticism", the work displayed lyricism, a heroic tone and inspiration from Russian literature as required. Still, many hear a subtext of critical despair beneath the crowd pleasing melodies. Its most obvious example is in the symphony's final moments. As in most classical music endings, a triumphant sound of victory typically ends in happiness and finality.
