National Symphony's First Chamber Music of the Year... '50th Anniversary of Death' Shostakovich Performance

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906?1975), the National Symphony Orchestra will perform Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8 on its first chamber music stage of the year.

On the 27th, at the IBK Chamber Hall in the Seoul Arts Center, the National Symphony will present its first chamber music performance of the year, featuring Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8 alongside Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu's (1890?1959) "The Cookbook" and French composer Th?ophile (Theodore) La?sse's (1837?1892) "Trio."

Shostakovich left behind 15 string quartets. He composed the first in 1938 and the last, No. 15, in 1974.

String Quartet No. 8 was completed in just three days after Shostakovich was deeply shocked by his visit to the ruins of Dresden, Germany, in 1960. Dresden was a city targeted by carpet bombing during World War II. Shostakovich dedicated this piece "In memory of the victims of fascism and war."

In this work, Shostakovich actively used the motif of his initials "DSCH," and the piece is regarded as autobiographical. It quotes Jewish folk music and emphasizes dramatic effects through terrifying percussion sounds and ironic expressions. The piece offers a rich palette of string ensemble colors that oscillate between lyricism and horror.

Martinu's "The Cookbook," performed in the second half, is a unique sextet composed for piano, violin, cello, bassoon, clarinet, and trumpet. The original work is a ballet score. While the ballet version consists of nine movements, this suite form is arranged in four movements. The second and third movements represent dance forms: tango and Charleston, respectively.

Like Shostakovich, Martinu experienced both World War I and II. While Shostakovich explored dark inner emotions, Martinu sublimated the pain of war with jazz elements and humor.

La?sse's Trio is also composed for a unique ensemble of piano, oboe, and bassoon. The piece recalls the tradition of Harmonie Musik, which was once playful salon music.

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