Shostakovich Piano Concerto 2 Analysis !!top!! -

If the first movement is the sparkling surface, the second movement is the deep, dark water underneath. This is the heart of the concerto and, arguably, one of the most beautiful pages Shostakovich ever wrote.

The analysis of this piece is incomplete without acknowledging the personal connection. The humor isn't biting or satirical (as in his Symphony No. 9 ); it is the humor of a father teasing his son. Conclusion shostakovich piano concerto 2 analysis

One cannot analyze this concerto without addressing its use of . Throughout the work, Shostakovich favors stepwise motion (seconds) and leaps of thirds. He avoids the dramatic minor ninth or the augmented fourth as melodic drivers, using them instead as spice. This is "small-hand" music. The melodic contours are designed to fit a human hand spanning an octave, no more. If the first movement is the sparkling surface,

every piano student knows—a gift for his son, Maxim, who premiered the work for his graduation. 7/8 Time Signature The humor isn't biting or satirical (as in his Symphony No

Leonard Bernstein’s famous recording with the New York Philharmonic emphasizes the manic energy of the finale. Marc-André Hamelin highlights the harmonic weirdness of the first movement. But perhaps the definitive recording remains Maxim Shostakovich’s own (as soloist) with his father conducting—a document of filial dialogue.