I've recently been studying Dmitri Shostakovich. I heard a
lecture on CD by Prof. Robert Greenberg about DS that was at my local library, which got me interested in the composer and his life. I am particularly fond of
Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.
The music is great, to be sure, but I'm also fascinated by the debate about Shostakovich who appeared to be a strong Communist during his lifetime but, after his death, was revealed to have been doing whatever he could within the oppressive Russian system to stay alive and to continue making great art. The debate was fueled by a book authored by Solomon Volkov called
"Testimony", from which Greenberg's lecture quotes extensively. It is allegedly based on interviews Volkov had with Shostakovich in which the composer wanted to set the record straight about his life, and it countered so much of what people outside of Russia had thought they knew about him. I have checked out a book entitled
"Shostakovich and Stalin" by Volkov to learn more about this.