Shostakovich Question
Posted by: Peter Litwack on 02 August 2001
I just saw the British TV film
"Traffik", which was absolutely superb. Much better than the recent US version
"Traffic", BTW. Question is: what is the Shostakovich composition played repeatedly throughout the film? The end credits refer only to "music by Shostakovich", and being familiar only with a few of his symphonies and piano preludes and fugues, I'm at a loss. Can anyone help me find a recording of this beautiful music?
Posted on: 03 August 2001 by Former member
Peter,
Googling, the music is the string quartet #8 which is rumoured to be connected with the Drezden bombing by the allies in WWII.
Beautiful music, three performances that I can recommend - the fitzwilliam quartet (cynical), the Borodin quartet (sombre), and the Beethoven quartet (more emotional, 50's style of playing ( vibrati etc.)) who worked closely with Dmitri S. and performed most of the 15 quartets premieras.
Omer
Posted on: 03 August 2001 by Former member
The Quartets can be very demanding (but rewarding) listening, and it depends on my mood, but my favourite is No 7.
The piano Preludes & Fugues (Nikolayeva) is perhaps my most played classical CD (followed by most of my Vaughan Williams), but it always amazes me that so few other people even know of their existence.
Nick
Posted on: 03 August 2001 by Alex S.
We are both fans of Shostakovich and Ozric Tentacles.
Do you prefer Brandy or Steps?
Posted on: 03 August 2001 by Peter Litwack
Omer-
Thanks for the info. One more question:
Do you happen to know which group's performance of the Qt. # 8 was used in
"Traffik"?
Thanks again.
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Former member
Interesting to find someone else out there with a love for Shostakovich quartet number 7. I've got the Fitzwilliam quartet version, and it's my very favourite 20th century classical piece. The preludes & fugues (I've Jarrett's version) probably come second, dependent on my mood, #24 being my favourite.
Simon
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Former member
Bought my 10-year old the Steps last Christmas (yum), but blessedly don't know Brandy! In the last few months, she's miraculously developed a taste for Eels, Wheatus and REM. My plan is to wean her on to Grateful Dead and turn her into a neo-hippie before she hits her teens, cos otherwise she's gong to be a hellion (red hair, you see...)!
Sadly, my 19-year old daughter is way, way into what she terms "R&B", and I call dreck - Mariah Carey et al.
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Former member
Peter,
Sorry, even the mighty imdb.com don't have the details on the performance in Traffik.
Omer.
Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Peter Litwack
Omer-
Thanks for the effort. IMDB is, of course, the first place I looked, but no luck. Maybe I'll just have to settle for one of the recordings you recommended, and maybe, someday, ...
I can google the answer up!
