Age, Biography and Wiki
Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist of the Soviet period. He is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is often characterized by sharp contrasts, a wide range of emotions, and a mix of the traditional and the modern.
Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 25 September 1906. He began studying music at the age of nine, and by the age of 15 he had already composed his first symphony. He studied at the Petrograd Conservatory and later at the Moscow Conservatory.
Shostakovich's career was marked by a series of successes and setbacks. His works were praised by the Soviet authorities, but he was also criticized for his "formalism" and "anti-Soviet" tendencies. He was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1948 and the Lenin Prize in 1965.
Shostakovich's works include 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, two piano concertos, two operas, and numerous other works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and solo instruments. He also wrote film scores and incidental music for plays and films.
Shostakovich died in Moscow on 9 August 1975. He is remembered as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century.
Popular As |
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich |
Occupation |
soundtrack,music_department,composer |
Age |
69 years old |
Zodiac Sign |
Libra |
Born |
25 September 1906 |
Birthday |
25 September |
Birthplace |
St. Petersburg, Russian Empire [now Russia] |
Date of death |
9 August, 1975 |
Died Place |
Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia] |
Nationality |
Russia |
We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 25 September.
He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 69 years old group.
Dmitri Shostakovich Height, Weight & Measurements
At 69 years old, Dmitri Shostakovich height not available right now. We will update Dmitri Shostakovich's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.
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Height |
Not Available |
Weight |
Not Available |
Body Measurements |
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Who Is Dmitri Shostakovich's Wife?
His wife is Irina Supinskaya (December 1962 - 9 August 1975) ( his death), Margarita Kainova (July 1956 - 1960) ( divorced), Nina Varzar (13 May 1932 - 5 December 1954) ( her death) ( 2 children)
Family |
Parents |
Not Available |
Wife |
Irina Supinskaya (December 1962 - 9 August 1975) ( his death), Margarita Kainova (July 1956 - 1960) ( divorced), Nina Varzar (13 May 1932 - 5 December 1954) ( her death) ( 2 children) |
Sibling |
Not Available |
Children |
Not Available |
Dmitri Shostakovich Net Worth
His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Dmitri Shostakovich worth at the age of 69 years old? Dmitri Shostakovich’s income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. He is from Russia. We have estimated
Dmitri Shostakovich's net worth
, money, salary, income, and assets.
Net Worth in 2023 |
$1 Million - $5 Million |
Salary in 2023 |
Under Review |
Net Worth in 2022 |
Pending |
Salary in 2022 |
Under Review |
House |
Not Available |
Cars |
Not Available |
Source of Income |
Soundtrack |
Dmitri Shostakovich Social Network
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Timeline
In 1965 Shostakovich raised his voice in defense of poet Joseph Brodsky, who was sentenced to five years of exile and hard labor. Shostakovich co-signed protests together with such prominent figures as Korney Ivanovich Chukovskiy, Anna Akhmatova, Samuil Marshak, Evgeniy Evtushenko, and the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. After the protests his sentence was commuted, and Brodsky returned to Leningrad. At that time, Shostakovich joined the group of 25 distinguished intellectuals in signing the letter to Leonid Brezhnev asking not to rehabilitate Joseph Stalin. Dmitri Shostakovich was a towering figure in Russian music of the 20th century along with 'Sergei Prokofiev (I)' and Aram Khachaturyan.
It was first performed in Moscow on December 18, 1962 under the baton of Kirill Kondrashin. Yevtushenko and Shostakovich toured many countries with the performances of "Babi Yar", and made several recordings of the Symphony No. 13.
Among Shostakovich's best known film scores are 'Suite from The Gadfly' from The Gadfly (1955), and the score for director Grigoriy Kozintsev's acclaimed film Hamlet (1964) starring Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy.
He was awarded the International Peace Prize (1954), State Prize five times (in 1941-1952), State Prizes of Russia and the USSR, and was designated People's Artist of the USSR.
After WWII Shostakovich was again accused of formalism in 1948. At that time, Shostakovich gained international recognition in the free world, and received several invitations to participate in music festivals and other cultural events.
On August 9, 1942, Karl Eliasberg gave a premiere performance of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony in Leningrad. That famous concert was made possible because Eliasberg specially created an orchestra of survivors who were still able to perform in spite of starvation and dystrophy. Eliasberg, who was also extremely emaciated, spent some time in the hospital in the Astoria hotel and came to the rehearsals straight from the sick ward. On the score of one of the musicians of that legendary orchestra you can still see a drawing showing hollow-cheeked Eliasberg conducting his orchestra sitting on a chair. The legendary performance was broadcast live from the Radio Hall in Leningrad, so millions of civilians and defenders of the besieged city were able to hear the powerful music. The symphony written in the conventional four movements is Shostakovich's longest, and one of the longest in the repertoire, with performances taking approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. The scale and scope of the work is consistent with Shostakovich's other symphonies as well as with those of composers considered to be his strongest influences, including Bruckner, Gustav Mahler and Igor Stravinsky. Before they tackled Shostakovich's work, Eliasberg had the players go through pieces from the standard repertoire - Ludwig van Beethoven, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - which they also performed for broadcast. Because the city was still blockaded at the time, the score was flown by night in early July for rehearsal.
The concert was given on 9 August 1942. Whether this date was chosen intentionally, it was the day Hitler had chosen previously to celebrate the fall of Leningrad with a lavish reception for the top Nazi commanders. But instead of Hitler's plan, all loudspeakers delivered the live broadcast of the symphony performance throughout the city as well as to the German forces in a move of psychological warfare. The Russian commander of the Leningrad front, General Govorov, ordered a bombardment of German artillery positions in advance of the broadcast to ensure their silence during the performance of the symphony; a special operation, code-named "Squall," was executed for precisely this purpose. Three thousand high-caliber shells were lobbed onto the enemy. Then the music of Shostakovich came out of the speakers all over the siege perimeter, so the Nazis had to face the music. The music of Shostakovich brought the much needed support and catharsis to survivors who loved the symphony and applauded to Eliasberg and his orchestra. General Govorov with his staff came backstage to thank Eliasberg and his musicians for their art and courage. The news about Dmitry Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony premiere in besieged Leningrad spread all over the world. It was an important message to all nations that Hitler's attack on Leningrad failed.
In the summer of 1941 Nazi Germany and its allies invaded the Soviet Union, and German and Finnish forces and encircled Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Defenders and civilians in besieged Leningrad were doomed, because the besieging forces cut supplies of food and energy to the surrounded city. It wasn't long before the city's population of birds, pets and even rats were eaten, and not long after there were reports of cannibalism brought about by starvation. The siege of Leningrad was so impenetrable that by December of that year an average of 4000 to 6000 residents a day were dying of starvation, disease, shellfire, bombardment and a variety of other causes. During the first months of the siege Shostakovich was in Leningrad. He survived the first bombardments and joined the "night watch" patrol, helping to put out fires during massive German air bombardments. Shostakovich personally neutralized several incendiary bombs and was actively involved in firefighting. After aerial and artillery bombardments, during the rare quiet moments, Shostakovich was back to his piano composing new music.
He was evacuated from the besieged city in the end of 1941. The Seventh "Leningrad" Symphony, which Shostakovich started composing during the Nazi aerial and artillery attacks during the siege, was the masterpiece that won him national and international recognition. His music helped lift the spirits of Leningrad citizens in a time when they were struggling to survive.
Shostakovich who began to write his famous symphony before evacuation from besieged Leningrad in 1941, could not go back to attend its premier performance in 1942. The composer sent the conductor and the musicians who performed his work in the besieged city a telegram with words of gratitude.
He wrote 15 symphonies, of which the Fifth (1937), the Sevenths "Leningrad" (1942), and the Thurteenth "Baby Yar" (1968) are the best known. His other compositions include cantatas and oratorios, seven operas and operettas, four ballets, twelve musical comedies and other music for stage plays, 36 original motion picture scores, fifteen quartets and other chamber music for, piano, violin, and cello. Shostakovich, who was an awarded pianist himself, had composed outstanding works for piano, such as his Piano concertos No1 and No2. His 24 Preludes and Fugues for piano received numerous awards and recognitions, and were recorded in critically acclaimed performance by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
However, in 1936, the opera was severely criticized by some critics on the Pravda, the Communist Party's official newspaper, and accused of formalism and intellectualism.
In 1934 Shostakovich collaborated with Aleksei Dikij on the legendary opera Katerina Izmailova" (aka Lady Makbeth of Mtsensk). Dikij's production of "Katerina Izmailova" had over 100 performances in Leningrad and Moscow, and was considered a highlight in his directing career.
In 1927 he won an "honorable mention diploma" at the 1st International Piano Competition in Warsaw.
From 1919-1925 he studied piano and composition at St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Conservatory. He wrote his First "Classical" symphony as his graduation piece.
Dmitri Shostakovich, one of Russian culture's most acclaimed intellectuals who was censored under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin, was an internationally recognized composer whose music was in over 100 films. He was born Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich on September 25, 1906, in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was the second of three children of Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich, a chemical engineer, and Sofia Kokaoulina, a pianist. Young Shostakovich studied piano under his mother tutelage and at a private school in St. Petersburg. His greatest influences were Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Modest Mussorgsky.