Weekend Concert 8: Witness -- Shostakovich

2006/9/8 12:59:37

Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert are all the greatest musicians, but they were not so-called intellectuals. "Intellectual" is a laughable term, and "Chinese intellectual" is an even more laughable one. A pure intellectual cannot become the greatest musician; a pure intellectual can only become a musical craftsman or a musical tool.

Shostakovich, a figure hovering between musician and craftsman, is probably the 20th-century music-maker most capable of moving Chinese intellectuals. In his music, there is a witness shared with Chinese intellectuals. But when music becomes mere witness, music is no longer music. Music can bear witness, but music is not only about witnessing.

Of course, setting aside those craftsman-made witness pieces, Shostakovich is undoubtedly one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century -- and even, at a certain ultimate level, the "one of" can be removed. True music exists only beyond witnessing. By this standard, Shostakovich's fifteen string quartets are the greatest music of the 20th century. Though for the public, Shostakovich's fame comes more from his fifteen symphonies, among musicians, string quartets carry the deepest secrets of the soul, while the masses may be better at appreciating symphonies, operas, and the like.

Here I've selected Shostakovich's first and last symphonies, with his last string quartet in between. 20th-century music differs considerably from what's commonly heard in terms of sound. Concepts like melody are also completely different. But music is music -- music is not sound. If one cannot see through differences in sound to reach music itself, then all listening is a waste of time!

Please turn off all other background music. The buttons on the player work just like a regular turntable.