Intervision (Shostakovich)

"Intervision" (Russian: Интервидение, romanized: Intervidenie) is a brief orchestral work by Dmitri Shostakovich composed in 1971. It was commissioned by the Intervision Network for use in its news broadcasts.

Background

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"Intervision" was commissioned from Dmitri Shostakovich by the Intervision Network, which broadcast its premiere on March 29, 1971, the day before the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.[1] Because "Intervision" was regularly used to preface broadcasts of foreign news items, it became one of the composer's best-known in the final decades of the Soviet Union.[2] According to Ilmar Ivert [ru]:[3]

The "Intervision" fanfares, the melody for which was written by Dmitri Shostakovich, are well-known in the socialist commonwealth countries and many other countries in the world. These fanfares bring millions of people to their television screens. Viewers know that they will be followed by the announcement of an important event, an interesting program, or authentic and exhaustive information.[3]

It was first published in 1987[4] by Muzyka in volume 42 of its collected works edition of Shostakovich's music.[5] It was republished by DSCH Publishers in 2019 in volume 36 of its new complete works edition.[6][7]

Music

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"Intervision" consists of six measures of music with the tempo marking "Moderato maestoso (  = 96)".[5] It is scored for:[8]

Manuscript

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Shostakovich's sketch for "Intervision" has been preserved in good condition, with only slight darkening of its paper occurring in the intervening decades. It is notated with dark blue ink on 12-staff music paper. At the bottom of the sheet are two inscriptions by unknown hands: "Intervision fanfares" light blue ink and "rough draft" in red ink. There is no date or location of composition indicated. The sketch version, consisting of ten measures, is slightly longer than the final. In addition, the melody and rhythm of the first three measures are different in the sketch.[9]

The autograph score, which contained portions of Shostakovich's transcription for voices and piano of his Symphony No. 14, was gifted by the composer to Boris Parsadanian.[2] The manuscript is currently held in the Juilliard Manuscript Collection.[10]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Fay, Laurel (2000). Shostakovich: A Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 270. ISBN 0195134389.
  2. ^ a b "Shostakovich, Dmitry (1906-1975). Two autograph music manuscripts". Christie's. 2005. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Shostakovich 2019, p. 131.
  4. ^ Hulme, Derek C. (2010). Dmitri Shostakovich: The First Hundred Years and Beyond. Scarecrow Press. p. 529. ISBN 9780810872646.
  5. ^ a b McBurney 2023, p. 287.
  6. ^ "Музыкальные мемориалы в творчестве Шостаковича. Партитуры". Shostakovich.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Shostakovich 2019, p. 113.
  8. ^ Shostakovich 2019, p. 114.
  9. ^ Shostakovich 2019, p. 140.
  10. ^ "Intervidenie ("Pozyvnye signaly sovetskogo Interviden︠i︡a")". Juilliard Manuscript Collection. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

Sources

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  • McBurney, Gerard (March 2023). "Shostakovich: Work List" (PDF). Boosey & Hawkes. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  • Shostakovich, Dmitri (2019). Ekimovsky, Viktor (ed.). Dmitri Shostakovich: New Collected Works. IInd Series: Orchestral Compositions. 36th Volume: Novorossiysk Chimes (Flame of Eternal Glory), Funeral and Triumphal Prelude in Memory of the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad, Symphonic Poem October, Intervision. Explanatory article by Maria Karachevskaya. Moscow: DSCH Publishers. ISMN 979-0-706427-40-9.
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