Dmitri Shostakovich Sabre Dance Analysis

Although Sabre Dance was a very nostalgic and familiar piece, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 (10'39") stood out to me the most. The beginning had energy to it that pulled me in right away and his transitions from one sound to the next never let your interest fade. The overall sound of the symphony is perfectly composed by Shostakovich. The clarity of the piece was also part of the appeal; I could clearly hear what instruments were being played. The piece also conveys a story of emotions that you can clearly identify. The song has four movements in it and consists of flutes, piccolo, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, cymbals, tam-tam, xylophone, two harps, snare drum, triangle, bass drum, timpani, glockenspiel, and
a tuba. Rebirth is a main theme in the composition and is influenced by a poem by Alexander Pushkin.