Traces how Shostakovich's music in France shifted from being seen in its communist context to an emblem of humanism and resistance across the twentieth century. This book examines shifting critical responses to Shostakovich's music in France throughout the twentieth century - from its introduction in Paris during the 1930s, through to the 1990s, when the symphonies and Lady Macbeth were being performed and staged widely in the capital and across the provinces.
The story begins with the role of Shostakovich's music in 1930s Paris before investigating the period of repression of Soviet music under Vichy France and German Occupation. After the Liberation, an influx of Shostakovich symphonies premiered in Paris. The early years of the Cold War see Shostakovich making his only visit to France, when his music became entangled with international political and aesthetic debates regarding the creative freedom of artists. The era of political and cultural d彋ente goes hand in hand with a warmer reception of Shostakovich's music across France, while Shostakovich's music sees intense programming during the revolutions of 1989 and the end of the Cold War. The narrative concludes with a look at programming Shostakovich in Paris and the provinces after the demise of the Soviet Union.
As this account shows, Shostakovich's music served as a means for French writers to articulate their own ideas, opinions and concerns about the Soviet Union: ultimately, the music of Shostakovich evolved from an icon of French Communism to a symbol of humanism and resistance with a broader social and political appeal.
