1. The Life and Music of Dimitri Shostakovich
... November 7, 1917, the Russian Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace and created a new form of government they called the Communist Party. In the first years of the revolution, anything and everything seemed possible; not just in politics, but in the arts as well. It was an era of "isms,": symbolism, constructivism, suprematism , to name but a few. Manifestos decreed what truth and beauty ... should be. Traditional composers were declared decadent and performances of their music forbidden. Only Beethoven, the ... revolutionary hero, survived the ban. It was a giddy time of experimentation...
- Word Count: 3530
- Approx Pages: 14
- Grade Level: High School