Few composers' posthumous reputations have grown as steadily as Shostakovich's. Yet outside the concert hall the focus of attention seems to have been on the extraordinary circumstances of his life rather than on the music itself. This book seeks to show that the power of his work stems as much from its craftsmanship as from its political and personal context. The theoretical chapters lay the foundation for a proper understanding of Shostakovich's musical language for the first time in the West. The social context is not neglected, however, and alongside many new insights spread through the book, a substantial and provocative chapter considers the issues surrounding the composition of the Fifth Symphony. The eleven essays in the volume draw together some of the finest scholars of Russian music in Europe, Russia and America.

‘Shostakovich Studies is a stimulating and provocative collection that will in turn generate further appraisals of its subject.’

Source: Musical Times

‘… the best attempt to date to examine the importance of the music, starting from the music itself. It is also the most authoritative study of the composer available, bringing together essays by most of the top Russian-Soviet music and Shostakovich scholars … Rather than simply adding to an overcrowded bookshelf, this one, by turning to the music raises the level of the debate on Shostakovich, pointing the way to future Russian-Soviet music scholarship.’

Source: Tempo