By Shaun Walker [Russia Profile, 25 September 2006]

Shostakovich Centenary Brings a Flood of Performances

One hundred years ago today, Dmitry Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg, into a country that had just experienced the first stirrings of revolution. Shostakovich’s body of work firmly ensconces him as one of the 20th century’s most important composers and one of the most notable musicians in history. But, given the revolution, war, and societal upheaval that formed a backdrop to his life, the music itself is often overshadowed by his complex relationship with the tumultuous events that unfolded during his lifetime.