the-greatest-movement-of-the-greatest-piece-of-music-of-all-time

https://youtu.be/-0nKJoZY64A?si=A14G-KPoPmciFVjd&t=759

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._8_(Shostakovich)

"to the victims of fascism and the war"

How does it feel it have people come after you? And not with good intentions? Just listen to the music. It will tell you.

"Shostakovich lived in fear, sleeping in the stairwell outside his apartment to spare his family the experience of his imminent arrest."

https://www.pbs.org/keepingscore/shostakovich-symphony-5.html

That knock on the door. They're here. How would you feel? Would you even hear it? If you did, would you try to ignore it?

How could you experience hope in such a situation, any way any how? Shostakovich does. It's right there, in the cello solo section. For one single measure. This is the only moment of this entire work with hope. It's lasts for one measure in one chord change in measure 148. And then it's gone.

Back to the knocking on the door. They're here. But the fear is gone. The sudden jolt is met by complete indifference. The pizz in measure 169 is every bit as fearce and threating as the chords prior, but they're weak. Barely audible even. They don't register anymore. Whatever happens, happens.

The knocking gets louder, but the indifference stays. Do what they will. There nothing left to be afraid for. The only thing that remains is a pure and chronic sadness. With no ability to become any sadder.

The next movement makes it very clear... the DSCH motif, followed by mordeno. Literially, it says "Shostakovich slowly die away", right there in the music.

https://dschjournal.com/dsch-motif

He was stockpilling pills for his attempt. Then he wrote this piece in 3 days. Invited his favorite string quartet over to play it for it, and simply wept into his hands afterwards. No words.

"The Borodin Quartet played this work to the composer at his Moscow home, hoping for his criticisms. But Shostakovich, overwhelmed by this beautiful realisation of his most personal feelings, buried his head in his hands and wept. When they had finished playing, the four musicians quietly packed up their instruments and stole out of the room."

Afterwards, they called his closest friend, who came over, and ended his attempt at ending his life.

This piece saved his life. The hope he expressed in one chord of one measure came to light, someway somehow. All this happens in movement 4, Largo. The greatest movement of the greatest piece of music ever written, by the greatest composer ever.