Read: Juian Barnes-The Noise of Time (2016/17)
„A Tour de force writing about Schostakowitsch.“

(Aus China wieder nach Deutschland zurueckgekommen, schenkte ich alle meine Schostakowisch-Symphonien an meinen Mitbewohner in der Beida-Bude, an ‚Dirk‘, der ein gluehender Anhaenger dieser Art Musik war/ist. Ich fand sie stets zu sovietpatriotisch.)

Das Buch Julian Barnes hat an meiner Meinung nichts Grundsaetzliches daran geaendert.
Es gibt ein paar Ausnahmen, falls ich Schostakowitshmusik hoeren moechte; z.b.das Klavierspiel der Tatiana Nikolayeva. mit den klandestinen ‚Preludes‘ Oder die Streichqartette.

Einige Leseblueten aus Barne’s Buch:

Music escapes from words: that is its purpose, and its majesty.

Toscanini was the worst. Toscanini chopped up music like hash and then smeared a disgusting sauce all over it >> the great slave-driver…

In these times, people were always in danger of becoming less than fully themselves.

Art are made tongue-tied by authority.

It was impossible in the Soviet Union to buy manuscript paper unless you were a member on the Union of Composers.

… to be examined by politico-musicological experts before being approved or condemned…

A story was repeated enough for its varacity to be accepted…

The House of Communism was build all dsproportionate, and lacking in human scale. It gave you dreams, it gave you nightmars, and it made everyone – adults and children alike – fearful.