Song 99: Dmitri Shostakovich – Waltz No. 2 [conducted by Riccardo Chailly]
Waltz No. 2
Suite for Variety Orchestra is a Dmitri Shostakovich’s suite in eight movements was written after 1956. Until recently the suite was identified wrongly as another eight movement suite with the name Jazz Orchestra No. 2. As a matter of fact, the suite in question was partly used of the soundtrack for the Russian film The First Elechon. Furthermore, the best known song Waltz No. 2 was part of the soundtrack of the 1999 Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut, conducted by Riccardo Chailly.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist. He was one of the major composers of the 20th century, having composed a vast amount of music. A note should be made that he had an honorable mention in the Chopin International Competition for Pianists in Warsaw in 1927. However, composition overtook his career.
His main influences were of diverse composers such as Tchaikovsky and Paul Hindemith. Furthermore, influence came also from his contemporary Sergey Prokofiev. However his music that wrote has an even wider range of influences. His work includes 15 symphonies, 6 concerti and several Piano, Chamber and Orchestral music. The result is impressive. Enjoy.
