Alex Uturgaidze I understand that Francis Poulenc held the same view. His opera Dialogue des Carmélites was premièred in Italy, and so was sung in Italian.

He is basically said that in Germany they sing it in German, in France in French etc, in US though they insist on a language it was written in and that doesn't always come out right with the English accent, he listened to Kovanshchina and it has a very specific use of Russian laguage .and that with an accent just didn't sound right.

Wonder how he would Handel (no pun intended!) sur-titles

_I've got some immaculate Russian hypnosis videos (by one of the most eminent doctors in the world) that I could use translating for, if you're interested!_

Thank you for telling me. As I don't speak Russian, he might just as well have been giving a weather forecast. Why cant the idiots who post these videos include an English translation? Not your fault I appreciate.

First time I hear his voice!

Whats your favourite movements. I like No.5 IV and No. 9 III, 15 IV, 8 III, 1 IV, and all of 12. Lol I like 4th movements what can i sayyy.

@@tchaikovskyfanboy2928 Interesting that you like 12, I actually don't know anyone other than you who likes the 12th symphony (including myself and Shostakovich himself). What exactly appeals to you about it? My favorite Shostakovich symphony movements are probably 8;1, 13;1, and 10;4

​@@stephenwu1524 Wow it's been a while- let's get to it! Of course 11 is many people's go to Shostakovich excitment symphony- afterall it does feel like a proper 9th. And I do agree it is amazing- especially yhe 2nd mov, however I too believe it negatively overshadows the 12th symphony. The first movement always felt warm to me- an odd desciption I am sure to many, yet it feels normal and relatable. I love the dancing bassoon, violin, and flute/picc figures to the fairly quick initial buildup that will echo again somehow stronger throughout the work yet will remain contrasted with those warm, slow lines- which the second movement encapsulates perfectly. The third mov somewhat reminds me of Tchaik 4th III- the fun string pizzicatos! Yet unike Tchaik four, they are not followed up by immediate swooshing woodwind lines. Rather this area feels like a buildup to the climax which comes nearing the 4th symphony where the medlodies we have grown to call common somehow conform in one place which leads us to finally the fourth. The fourth feels like the answer we've been waiting for the whole time. It is definitely the mov I am the most familiar with. The violin to flute figure is iconic to my head- only dissatisfies me when the work is played too slowly. We are led through some discourse to nice brass solos to another huge buildup to then.. possibly another huge climax.. What what happened lol they stopped playing. That was just shostakovich toying with us it goes right back up. All the memories of playing the flute and piccolo part have come back after you reminded me of this work- thanks :). And while I love this symphony, I have to say, right now, I absolutely am infatuated with the 9th symphony. The history, the dryness, the fun! Specifically the 1st, 3rd, and final movements appeal most to me.

He does not seem shy but he does look nervous here. It's fascinating to see him talk although I don't understand Russian.

He was opressed by russian government. You must read a superb book by Solomon Volkov,Shostakovich and stalin

Those are some of the reasons why I admire this composer that much.

I don't think shy and nervous really describes a man of genius who served up his satirical 9th symphony to Stalin

I'm so god damn tired of you idiots who know absolutely nothing of genuine politic and history yet feel pity for the great Shostakovich as if he needs it. Shostakovich wasn't oppressed or threatened in any way and all the concoctions from the propagandists in the US in no way embelish his great works with fear or depression. Stop sprouting nonsense and uninformed garbage.

Yes, that is the first thing I noticed... he smoked a lot and it had consequences :(

He died of lung cancer. Given that he died the same year this interview was filmed, I'd assume the disease was very progressed by this point.

@@classicalmusic1175 Absolutely. He quit smoking sometime in the late 60s, but by then, it was certainly too late.

Probably he smoked a lot. RIP a genius

@@snorefest1621 he smoked to get rid of his depression and anxiety, the fear of the gulag, and all that stuff. After all, he was like one of the only few Soviet composers not banished, and so he got to see all the others that did.

I believe that the sounds of the words, and the natural poetry of various word juxtapositions, is intrinsic to the whole sound of the musical work. Besides, the music itself was written to fit with the poetry. Translations can rarely achieve the same marriage of music and words. Can you imagine Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde sung in English? It's not opera, but the same principle applies. If people choose to attend vocal classical music, in any of it's manifestations, can't they be bothered to at least find out the general meaning of the works? Imagine Schubert's lieder sung in English. No thanks. I think that Reginald Goodall's work in presenting Wagner's Ring in English was worthy of praise, certainly, but that sort of approach should be seen as the exception, rather than as normality.

@@russellparratt9859 Sono d'accordo

Today we have screens and monitors that can immediately translate the verses and dialogues from the original language of the work to the native language of the theatre or concert hall in which the musical theatre called opera will be staged. I disagree with Mr Shostakovich stand. Imagine an Habanera of Carmen sung in German or Dutch? Horrendous. Rigoletto sung in Chinese? Ridiculous. Lets respect the language in which the composers wrote his work and that fits precisely with the intonation, vocalisation and melisms of such particular language.

@@alejandrosotomartin9720 A weak point in your argument is the fact you started with the word, "today." Shostakovich formulated this very opinion in 1975. I don't disagree with you, but I have a feeling Shostakovich's own opinion would be malleable had he been alive today.

@@NFStopsnuf That could be allowed at the time by the powerful and highly populated countries with a great artistic plan where their language was spoken by hundreds of millions of people. But what would happen to the less populated countries whose languages are spoken (and accordingly, sung) by less population? What career and future would exist for artists from smaller countries if Shostakovich's proposal were carried out in addition to the lack of consideration and sound and phonetic adaptation to the musical demands of the composer who wrote that work? Only powerful and highly populated countries could have artists with successful international careers. Forget Albanian tenors or Hungarian sopranos. That and the fact that listening to La Habanera in Dutch or La Donnna é mobile in Mandarin Chinese would be rude and ridiculous respectively.

я тоже очень люблю Его музыку!)

its dimtri shostakovich you mean

@@crystalcheng261 🤣🤣🤣 oh dear, Crystal do take the time to look up the definition of the word 'Maestro'

Even without those circumstances, he was a genius.

What a horrible circumstance do you mean? He was treated kindly in every possible way and encouraged by the authorities during his lifetime. Hi is laureate of various state awards

@@Bumbarrash He feared for his life to be take by Stalin.

@@homeofcreation Сталин так сильно хотел take his life, что аж 5 раз (!) вручал ему сталинскую премию, 2 раза - ленинскую и вообще допускал до самых ответственных вещей, вроде гимна СССР. Короче, хотел уморить его перееданием. Вот же кровавый тиран

@@Bumbarrash You can't be serious

Thank you so much for your text

Dmitri Shostakovich indeed, constantly repressed, and supressed. Not allowed to do what he was born to do

Grenadier loyal to the king The question is: Would he have composed all those many masterworks if he had had a better, easier life? Probably not.

A glimpse into the ''different'' Shostakovich are his early works up to the 4th symphony, which I consider the greatest, and also 2nd piano concerto dedicated to his son Maxim. It is a world in itself. As a creative force and musical genius Shostakovich would produce masterpieces even without Stalin and Communist state. Same as Prokofiev who produced great works whether as a youth, whether as a young man in 1920's or whether as a mature man in USSR.

idk why but many ppl say I look like him (in a few ways not exactly) and the way I play and compose is also somewhat similar to him

Shosty? Respect please.

@@jimcrawford5039 Ok boomer

It's an odd way to put it, but yeah, Thank God he didn't just become one of Stalin's statistics

+Willynn Mcl Schostakovish said, that opera must be performed on language of that country, where it is being performed - on english in London, on french in Paris, on german in Berlin etc.

To be more exact, He is basically talking about opera and the languages, that in Germany they sing it in German, in France in French etc, in US though they insist on a language it was written in and that doesn't always come out right with the English accent, he listened to Kovanshchina and it has a very specific use of Russian laguage .and that with an accent just didn't sound right.

Indeed his view is so wrong. He could be just sucking up to the cultural Politburo then.

You can turn on subtitles and auto translate to English. It's quite fun, apparently he said (I kid you not) "You are the leader of arms Petka Dykanka German just cause Germont Ensure that the prohibitions English, in Paris it is necessary to drink it Dad dad, French"

"in Paris it is necessary to drink it daddy daddy French" hahhhahahaahah

He's talking about opera. He's opinion is that opera must be sung in the language of that land(nation) where the opera itself is sung. He says that he's been in London and listen to an opera sung in Russian but he says that it sound strange when English were trying to sing in Russian with English accent.

Orange, I think you had too much vodka

He is basically talking about operas and their languages, that in Germany they sing it in German, in France in French etc, in US though they insist on a language it was written in and that doesn't always come out right with the English accent, he listened to Kovanshchina and it has a very specific use of Russian laguage .and that with an accent just didn't sound right.

yes he is :)

Amen

Well being a guy, I suppose so...but I've been amazed by 2 things: His ultra-thick glasses and that he survived Stalin, no small miracle...

he looks more "wholesome" kinda cute when he's older but when he was, idk 19-20, he WAS the shit 👀

@@markwardprodking yea well makes me wonder how 150+ million people “survived Stalin”. A miracle indeed

2nd and 3rd symphonies are certainly not of the highest quality. And Shostakovich himself agreed with this assessment.

@@garrysmodsketches Well, yeah, early propaganda works he probably felt compelled to do--I never listen to them. Point is that even when old and sick, he still kept cranking out great works, some of his best in fact. I really like the dark, late, introspective stuff.

I thought I'm the only one! Cute indeed. 😍

Omg yes he is like the cutest man I know existed I've got his picture on my wall, in my wallet and I set one as my phone wallpaper xD

He says at the end that he watched a Russian opera in London. He said that the singing was good but their English accent when singing in Russian sound ridiculous. I speak very little Russian, but I was getting some of the jist of what he was saying

"My point is that the Opera should be performed in the language in which it is listened to. If an Opera is being staged in Berlin, it must be sung in German. If an Opera is being staged in London, it must be sung in English. In Paris, you must sing it in French. But there is another point of view, especially in the United States, that you should sing the Opera in the language in which it was written and relatively recently, two years ago I was in London and watched, watched Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" in my history of orchestral publication, it was staged and sung in Russian. They sang well, but still the Russian language is not like this, there is a little English accent. It's a little different"

Шостакович преходящее, Моргерштерн вечное

ОРУ

До Моргенштерна ещё не доросли

О дааааа!...)))))))

He is basically talking about opera and the languages, that in Germany they sing it in German, in France in French etc, in US though they insist on a language it was written in and that doesn't always come out right with the English accent, he listened to Kovanshchina and it has a very specific use of Russian laguage .and that with an accent just didn't sound right.

"My point is that the Opera should be performed in the language in which it is listened to. If an Opera is being staged in Berlin, it must be sung in German. If an Opera is being staged in London, it must be sung in English. In Paris, you must sing it in French. But there is another point of view, especially in the United States, that you should sing the Opera in the language in which it was written and relatively recently, two years ago I was in London and watched, watched Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" in my history of orchestral publication, it was staged and sung in Russian. They sang well, but still the Russian language is not like this, there is a little English accent. It's a little different"

Respect please. Shosty? At least call him Dmitri, or Mr Shostakovich!

@@jimcrawford5039, Russian etiquette establishes the rule to call older people/strangers (since a certain age)/slightly familiar ones/authorities as "you" (respectable form; basically plural of simple "you") or, if you are already presented to a man, as "name + patronymic". In this case, you would call him Dmitriy Dmitriyevich (his father is consider to be Dmitriy too, according to the patronymic of his son); besides the fact you will rather sustain the conversation in such manner, as you are talking with a group of people (plural all the way).

Ludsen Cecilia Lo mismo pensé

I say the same thing when I see interviews of people speaking Spanish. 😃

Hay varios. Incluso de más joven.

:))

he says that the opera should be performed in the language of the listener, not the composer

HAHAHAHAHAA 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

CRCVDE He may have made that mistake due to the fact that Germany is Deutschland which looks similar to Dutch. Honest mistake

It would be much worse for him, but it was just impossible to stage anything new in a non-USSR language then.

Может быть, Вы и правы! Опера до момента запрещения довольно широко шла в театрах и была популярной. Судя по всему, публика не очень вслушивалась в слова (как это часто бывает с операми). Но вот кто-то из начальников прослушал текст и нашёл там просто неприличные выражения. С этого всё и началось. Но, по-моему, в итальянском тоже существует обсценная лексика?

Good point. Italian was sometimes risqué. I’ve never warmed up to this opera, but maybe I should listen again. I do love Shostakovich. @@user-vz4fy8uw9y

My dad was 6 months old

See the comments below

Это можно приблизительно установить по фотографиям. Смотрите фото: Шостакович, Рихтер и Ойстрах после исполнения скрипичной сонаты. Самый высокий Рихтер (выше 180 см.), на пару см ниже его Шостакович, и ещё на пару см ниже Ойстрах.

Его научил опыт И.Стравинского, который создал своего анти-сталинского "Царя Эдипа" на никому не понятном латинском языке. Получился выстрел в воздух. У Шостаковича наоборот - каждое слово понятно русскому человеку и точно бьёт в цель

​@@user-vz4fy8uw9yникогда не думал что Эдип про Сталина! Почему вы так думаете?

He may have made a mistake due to the fact that Germany is Deutschland which looks similar to Dutch. Honest mistake

it wasn't a mistake.he said all correctly . немецкий in russian means german