Shostakovich: How to Compose a Massacre



On Shostakovich’s 11th Symphony (subtitled ‘The Year 1905’), and how art can be used to process trauma and atrocities.

Script by Emmanuel Clement
Edit by Eddie Muniz

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0:00 – Bloody Sunday
1:30 – Program Music Reflecting Reality
2:30 – How to Compose a Massacre (Shostakovich’s 11th)
5:00 – Fugere…
8:38 – In the wake of tragedy…
9:17 – Tocsin, A Warning Bell
9:56 – Legacy

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20 thoughts on “Shostakovich: How to Compose a Massacre”

  1. Class content ! I love how you approached the piece with so much enthusiasm even though it tends to be discounted as program music commissioned by the Party. I fully share your passion for Shostakovich's musical irony and human courage.

    Reply
  2. I listened on Spotify as its on my PC and so are my KRKs…and I can scroll to them instantly

    I wanted to go to Certain Sections Oscar as you defined what he does and uses as creative tools to evoke wonder fear awe and more.
    There are three its over an hour.
    Any chance of some Time links.
    As I wanted to hear your own Narrative Breakdown and go to those sections and hear them.
    And hear them again.
    Your Classical Course is amazing and helped me.
    This was an amazing adjunct to your Course I bought.
    And May I say your Writer Emmanuel is just Superb on this Video, truly just first rate.
    The descriptions to the music are sheer heartfelt perfection.

    Reply
  3. As a musician I must say I’m not a fan of this type of emotional narrations it’s sounds like trying to tell me how to feel about the information that’s shared. And personally I don’t enjoy to be imposed upon. I would personally have preferred a more neutral narration.

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  4. Hi, I am your fan from China and I really enjoy your video!!! I would like to ask, are you willing to grant me the right to translate and transport your videos to bilibili, a Chinese video website? I'll tag the author of the original video and link to it.

    Reply
  5. His 11th was always my favorite symphony. People know shostakovich by his 5th Or 7th symphony but i always used to tell that 11th is a perfection, the maturity thorough which he had composed the symphony and told the whole story is out of this world.
    May the tortured soul of shostakovich rest in peace.

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  6. I know conductor’s are not supposed to have favourites, but with doubt this is my favourite symphony! I’ve had the immense pleasure of conducting this masterwork, and I can easily say it was the best hour of my life!! ❤❤This symphony is simply a masterwork, and one of the most intense pieces every composed, from its quietest of moments to the ‘rock and roll’ of classical music that occurs in the 2nd and 4th movements!!

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  7. This is why October revolution was justified. This symphony was awarded Lenin prize in 1958. Russians stood up against the tyranny of the monarchy and bourgeoisie. Yes, they failed 70 years later, betrayed by the nomenclature, but the spirit who led the fight against world power elites remains.

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  8. I don't think the description of the historical event is entirely true. The massacre was a product of gross misconduct by soldiers and poor planning by the leadership. It wasn't planned to be a mass-shooting to begin with but it became after too many people gathered and started trampling each other to death, after which orders where given to clear the people which eventually ended in use of force.

    The event was planned by the Tsar as a way to improve his reputation with the people after the horrific losses in ww1. It was supposed to be a gathering of people where the Tsar would give everyone free food and let them speak about the issues they had with how Russia was run. Way too many people came. The tsar had planned for hundreds and not thousands.

    It was not a spontaneous political protest by the people that was put down by gunfire from order by the tsar.
    I actually think a majority of deaths was caused by trampling, obviously firing into a crowd would make that issue even worse.

    Basically, the soldiers got orders to clear the area since the crowd where crushing themselves to death. They did this by shooting into the crowd as a way to get people to leave.
    Killing people to try and prevent them from being killed.

    Reply

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