The Effects of the Second World War on Soviet Classical Music

Ezgi Nihan Uzunonat

Article Details

The Effects of the Second World War on Soviet Classical Music

Authors:

Ezgi Nihan Uzunonat

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Müzik

Journal:

Konservatoryum Vol.10 Issue 1, pp.161-179

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001296195

pISSN:

2618-5695

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The hardships World War II brought to the Soviet Union affected the working conditions of musicians and led to a decline in musical activity, forcing many composers to contend with the effects of the war. On the other hand, the conditions the war created also caused many composers to compose works that involved the destruction of war and peoples suffering and victories. One of the best examples of this is Dmitri Shostakovichs 7th Symphony, also known as the Leningrad Symphony, which he composed during the siege of Leningrad and is considered to be a musical reflection of the difficult conditions that were experienced. Sergei Prokofievs War Sonatas deal with the themes of the destructiveness of war, human drama, and the loss of human values between the conflicting parties and are among the works cited as an example. The research discusses the events that developed in Soviet Russia between the October Revolution to the post-war period by making an introduction to World War II. At the same time, the article explains the lives and works of two important composers of Soviet Russia, Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and mentions their lives and compositions during the war. Two objectives of this research are to eliminate the lack of information in the literature about the contributions of classical music and its use in World War II and to provide information about the subject by examining the perspectives of governments on music at that time.

 The hardships World War II brought to the Soviet Union affected the working conditions of musicians and led to a decline in musical activity, forcing many composers to contend with the effects of the war. On the other hand, the conditions the war created also caused many composers to compose works that involved the destruction of war and peoples suffering and victories. One of the best examples of this is Dmitri Shostakovichs 7th Symphony, also known as the Leningrad Symphony, which he composed during the siege of Leningrad and is considered to be a musical reflection of the difficult conditions that were experienced. Sergei Prokofievs War Sonatas deal with the themes of the destructiveness of war, human drama, and the loss of human values between the conflicting parties and are among the works cited as an example. The research discusses the events that developed in Soviet Russia between the October Revolution to the post-war period by making an introduction to World War II. At the same time, the article explains the lives and works of two important composers of Soviet Russia, Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and mentions their lives and compositions during the war. Two objectives of this research are to eliminate the lack of information in the literature about the contributions of classical music and its use in World War II and to provide information about the subject by examining the perspectives of governments on music at that time.

 The hardships World War II brought to the Soviet Union affected the working conditions of musicians and led to a decline in musical activity, forcing many composers to contend with the effects of the war. On the other hand, the conditions the war created also caused many composers to compose works that involved the destruction of war and peoples suffering and victories. One of the best examples of this is Dmitri Shostakovichs 7th Symphony, also known as the Leningrad Symphony, which he composed during the siege of Leningrad and is considered to be a musical reflection of the difficult conditions that were experienced. Sergei Prokofievs War Sonatas deal with the themes of the destructiveness of war, human drama, and the loss of human values between the conflicting parties and are among the works cited as an example. The research discusses the events that developed in Soviet Russia between the October Revolution to the post-war period by making an introduction to World War II. At the same time, the article explains the lives and works of two important composers of Soviet Russia, Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and mentions their lives and compositions during the war. Two objectives of this research are to eliminate the lack of information in the literature about the contributions of classical music and its use in World War II and to provide information about the subject by examining the perspectives of governments on music at that time.

 İkinci Dünya Savaşının Sovyetler Birliğine getirdiği zorluklar, müzisyenlerin çalışma koşullarını etkiledi, müzik etkinliklerinin azalmasına neden oldu ve birçok besteci savaşın etkileriyle mücadele etmek zorunda kaldı. Ancak, bir yandan da savaşın yarattığı koşullar, birçok bestecinin eserlerinde savaşın yıkıcılığına, insanların acılarına ve zaferlerine yer veren besteler yapmalarına sebep oldu. Bunun en iyi örneklerden biri, Dmitri Shostakovichin Leningrad kuşatması sırasında bestelediği ve yaşanan zorlu koşulların müzikal bir yansıması olarak kabul edilen 7. Senfonisi, diğer adıyla Leningrad Senfonisidir. Sergei Prokofievin savaşın yıkıcılığına ve insanlık dramına dair bir temayı işlediği ve çatışma halinde olan taraflar arasındaki insanlık değerlerinin kaybolmasını anlattığı War Sonatas adlı eseri de buna örnek olarak verilen eserler arasındadır. Araştırmada, İkinci Dünya Savaşı ile ilgili bir giriş yapılarak Ekim Devriminden savaş sonrasına kadar olan dönemde Sovyet Rusyada klasik müzikte gelişen olaylar ele alınmıştır. Aynı zamanda Sovyet Rusyanın iki önemli bestecisi Prokofiev ve Shostakovichin hayatları ve eserleri anlatılarak, savaş sırasındaki yaşantı ve bestelerinden de ayrıca bahsedilmiştir. İkinci Dünya Savaşında Klasik müzik ve kullanımının literatüre katkı sağlamasıyla ilgili bilgi eksikliğinin giderilmesi, o dönemdeki hükümetlerin müziğe bakış açılarını inceleyerek konuyla ilgili bilgi sahibi olunması, bu araştırmanın hedeflerinden biridir.

Article Details

The Effects of the Second World War on Soviet Classical Music

Authors:

Ezgi Nihan Uzunonat

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Müzik

Journal:

Konservatoryum Vol.10 Issue 1, pp.161-179

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001296195

pISSN:

2618-5695

Soviet Music

Shostakovich

ProkofievSovyet müziği

Shostakovich

Prokofiev

Issues

Article Details

The Effects of the Second World War on Soviet Classical Music

Authors: Ezgi Nihan Uzunonat

Publisher: Istanbul University

Main Topics: Müzik

Journal: Konservatoryum Vol.10 Issue 1, pp.161-179

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001296195

pISSN: 2618-5695

Soviet Music

Shostakovich

ProkofievSovyet müziği

Shostakovich

Prokofiev

Issues

Authors:

Ezgi Nihan Uzunonat

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Müzik

Journal:

Konservatoryum Vol.10 Issue 1, pp.161-179

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001296195

pISSN:

2618-5695