... what Stalin wanted. I personally enjoyed listening to Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony although from the style of the music, it was clear that there were some political messages behind the music. This is just one example of how the culture and the time can affect how its audience perceives a piece of music. Another Soviet composer to have been highly debated was Prokofiev, whose music caused major ... controversy at the time of its first performance due to his own personal views in that they differed from ... chamber music, including the Violin Sonata, and some string quartets, as well as...

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