Old Records Are Outselling New Ones

[mlsstl]

My favorite Shostakovich story is from "Musicophilia" by Dr. Oliver Sacks. During WWII Shostakovich was in the fire brigade in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) and received a shrapnel injury to his brain from an incoming German shell.

Medical services were poor and they couldn't remove the metal at that time. He healed with the shrapnel in place but discovered that when he tilted his head a certain way, he heard original music.

After the war, Russian doctors offered to remove the metal piece, but Shostakovich refused -- he feared he would lose his muse.

His life story is also a good illustration of just how fickle the Soviets were in terms of attempting to control art and music in official support of their ideology.

[Feanor]

My favorite Shostakovich story is from "Musicophilia" by Dr. Oliver Sacks. During WWII Shostakovich was in the fire brigade in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) and received a shrapnel injury to his brain from an incoming German shell.

Medical services were poor and they couldn't remove the metal at that time. He healed with the shrapnel in place but discovered that when he tilted his head a certain way, he heard original music.

After the war, Russian doctors offered to remove the metal piece, but Shostakovich refused -- he feared he would lose his muse.

His life story is also a good illustration of just how fickle the Soviets were in terms of attempting to control art and music in official support of their ideology.

This is not a story I've ever heard before. But in any case Shostakovich had a long, tense history with Soviet authorities. As a matter of self-preservation he developed the habit of lying about what motivated his music and what the music represented

[mlsstl]

This is not a story I've ever heard before. But in any case Shostakovich had a long, tense history with Soviet authorities. As a matter of self-preservation he developed the habit of lying about what motivated his music and what the music represented

I've seen other references to his WWII time in Leningrad with some mentioning an injury, but this is the only account I've read with these details. That's why I gave the reference, (though authenticating the biographic details of composers' lives is not a hobby of mine.)

Dr. Sacks is a well respected writer on things involving the brain and "Musicophilia" is a fascinating book on many levels. It's a great read if you like that sort of stuff.

[Feanor]

I've seen other references to his WWII time in Leningrad with some mentioning an injury, but this is the only account I've read with these details. That's why I gave the reference, (though authenticating the biographic details of composers' lives is not a hobby of mine.)

Dr. Sacks is a well respected writer on things involving the brain and "Musicophilia" is a fascinating book on many levels. It's a great read if you like that sort of stuff.

I wasn't questioning the story, BTW.