MY INTEREST IN SHOSTAKOVICH

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Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer, who lived most of His life under The Soviet regime in the 20th century. Shostakovich was born in Saint-Petersburg (late renamed Leningrad), in 1906, and died in Moscow in 1975. Shostakovich’s Works include, among other compositions, 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, a large among of film music, chamber music, concertos, operas, piano music, song cycles and other vocal music.

As You might guess while reading My pages, He is My favourite composer, and a very special object of interest for Me as a passionate collector since year 1985, when I made a school project about Shostakovich. Also the music of Shostakovich’s contemporary, Sergey Prokofjev, as well as Sergey Rachmaninov, Igor Stravinsky and Aram Khachaturian is near to My heart.. I got to know music of Shostakovich, when My brother, pianist, played Preludes and Fugues, op. 87. That event inspired Me to make the school project which mentioned earlier, and for which I got good grade.

As composer, I have made some arrangements of Shostakovich’s Works, and I am planning to make more of them, and I have also composed one of my own Works to honor His memory. You’ll find more information about these works, for example, on these pages in the section ”MY OWN ARRANGEMENTS”! All of My arrangements are unpublished, but most of them have been recorded privately and some of them have also been performed to celebrate weddings and other special occasions.

Translated by Eero Lappalainen

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Eero Järvilehto