In his Twelfth Quartet, Shostakovich incorporated twelve-tone rows within a tonal context, demonstrating his mastery of dodecaphony without strictly applying Schoenberg's serial system.
Historical Context
After Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet 'Thaw' period began, easing censorship and allowing works by composers like Shostakovich, previously criticized for 'formalism,' to be performed and published.
Compositional Technique
The Eighth Quartet is an 'arch cycle' of perfect construction, with all five movements following each other without interruption, and the DSCH motif serving as primary material throughout.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Shostakovich's Eighth Quartet is patently autobiographical, featuring his musical signature, the DSCH motif, in all five movements and quoting from his own works.
Composer Biography
Shostakovich dedicated his Ninth Quartet to his third wife, Irina Shostakovich, whom he met in 1962 and who provided him with care and support for the rest of his life.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Eighth Quartet was composed in a matter of days in July 1960, during a stay in Gohrisch, Germany, where he was supposed to be writing film music.
Composer Biography
Dmitri Shostakovich's private life collapsed after his wife Nina Varzar died unexpectedly in December 1954, followed by his mother's death a few months later.
