Dmitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8

- Composer: Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (25 September 1906 -- 9 August 1975)
- Performers: St. Lawrence String Quartet
- Year of recording: 2006

String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110, written in 1960.

00:00 - I. Largo
05:36 - II. Allegro molto
08:18 - III. Allegretto
12:39 - IV. Largo
18:36 - V. Largo

The String Quartet No. 8 is a complex, melancholy work written while Shostakovich was visiting Dresden, Germany, in 1960, where he was to provide music for the film Five Days-Five Nights. There, amid the rubble still visible from the Allied bombings during World War II, he was inspired to composed this quartet in remembrance of the victims of both Hitler and Stalin. The work is cast in five continuous movements and contains numerous thematic references to other works by Shostakovich.

- The first movement, marked Largo, opens with the now famous motto theme derived from the composer's initials, DSCH (given in its German equivalents as D, E flat, C, and B natural). It is treated fugally in this dark and tense movement, and later there are thematic quotations from Shostakovich's First and Fifth symphonies.
- The ensuing Scherzo (Allegro molto) rages with a driving, rhythmic treatment of the motto, then suddenly erupts with a frenzied account of the Jewish theme from the composer's Piano Trio No. 2. The motto returns and the Jewish theme also makes another appearance, before the music settles a bit as the Allegretto third movement begins.
- The motto theme is heard here in a dark waltz rendition, its relative calm quickly divulging underlying menace. Another waltz theme is heard, hardly breaking from the sinister mood, and soon the main theme from the composer's Cello Concerto No. 1 makes an appearance.
- The fourth movement (Largo) is perhaps the most starkly pessimistic: it features a three-note motif that constantly threatens and intimidates in the outer sections, which it shares with the motto theme, while the middle panel is sweetly mournful. This movement also contains thematic references to Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and to the song "Tormented by Grave Bondage."
- The finale (Largo) is a condensed version of the opening panel.

The string quartet is dedicated: "In memory of the Victims of Fascism and War".

[texwiller]

"I hate war. When I hear someone suffering, I suffer myself."

~ Dmitri Shostakovich

[jenkinsfamily]

The absolute balls of steel to notate a piece at whole note = 120

[mikesheehan]

6:35 Biggest beat drop of the 20th century

[Rokudammela]

I totally agree with those ranking this quartet as one of the greatest ever written

[vvanderer]

It's amazing how a composer can scribble some weird symbols on bits of dead tree and then trained technicians using the information locked in the scribbles open a stargate to a parallel universe

[renatalinertova]

The music critic Erik Smith wrote in the liner notes of the Borodin Quartet's 1962 recording that "The Borodin Quartet played this work to the composer at his Moscow home, hoping for his criticisms. But Shostakovich, overwhelmed by this beautiful realisation of his most personal feelings, buried his head in his hands and wept. When they had finished playing, the four musicians quietly packed up their instruments and stole out of the room."

[cass]

Can someone give him a hug? I think he needs it.

[PokeDaBlade]

6:35 always gives me chills, it’s honestly my favorite part of the piece.

[maddynovack]

I'll never forget when my college string quartet finally mastered this piece. It has such a beautiful but devastating sound.

[jameyplaystheviolin]

This entire quartet was actually written as a suicide note, but he ended up not commiting suicide. Movement 2 makes it really obvious, such a freaking weird but amazing quartet.

[arinetic]

Through all the solemn, foreboding, neurotic atmosphere of this piece, I think the most heart-wrenching is the major section at 16:50 . It feels like one last bittersweet reflection on life. Considering the context under which this was written, I'm gonna go cry now.

[Haycar]

At 5:36 - the transition there gives me chills every time I hear it. Shostakovich could do amazing things.

[reiayanamnam]

I think its beautiful that this was suppose to be a suicide note and he didnt actually go through with it. He gave us so much more to listen to through out the course of his life. As an artist and someone who struggles with depression this is so inspirational.

[brennanherring]

It should be illegal to put an ad right before the second movement.

[xenochrist]

Not gonna lie, it's 2am right now and the transition from 1st to 2nd Movement had me looking over my shoulder in my own apartment, hoping Maleficent or some killer wouldn't step out from my dark bedroom into the living room. Slightly terrifying, but great music! It's good to be alive and br

[Itsjustbry]

I can feel the stress in the 2nd movement 😭 I love the cello - Violinist

[owencook]

YouTube keeps putting adds in between the movements and it’s crushing my soul

[dalaharp]

And he wrote this in only three days too!

[KaledTK]

The anguish, torment and sadness that it transmits are incomparable, Once you know the story behind it you never hear it the same way.
Poor Shostakovich, this is by far the most devastating suicide letter of all.

[sophie.liri.]

16:50 always makes me cry, the one moment of sweetness in the whole piece, it is so moving in contrast with the terrible (but also beautiful) rest of the piece