How Does Shostakovich Use Instrumentation

In his compositions, Shostakovich has long been hailed as a brilliant innovator with complex melodies, counterpoint, and tonality. Any one of his works can range from aggressive dissonance to subtle complexity. The score for The Nose is no exception. The melodies and orchestral accompaniment are, for the most part, very dissonant but when they do enter into the realm of consonance, even if it's only very briefly, it creates a striking and noticeable contrast. Underpinning these contrasting elements are theoretical intricacies, which are all expressed through Shostakovich’s creative and emotive use of instrumentation. Unlike many other aspects of musical composition, instrumentation isn’t as beholden to theoretical rules around structure and
The clear association of the balalaika with Russian culture that Shostakovich is leveraging here is evidenced by its later reference in the popular Beatles line “Let me hear your balalaikas ringing out / Come and keep your comrade warm” from the tune “Back in the U.S.S.R”. This exemplifies the prominence of the balalaika as a symbol of traditional Russian culture, especially to western observers. In Ivan’s first song alone, he is singing what seems to be a folk song and accompanying himself on the instrument (Shostakovich, Act II Scene VI). The melody and its accompaniment are by far the most traditionally tonal of the opera up to that point. This is especially striking because this relatively simple scene comes after a complex eight voice composition followed by an orchestral interlude which features fast figures with rapidly changing and highly varied instrumentation. This stark contrast and simple music and instrumentation help to paint Ivan as a simple and traditional character, who perhaps isn’t as concerned or involved in the convoluted affairs of the surrounding world. This idea that Ivan’s balalaika is representative of his simplicity and removal from the world is furthered by the manner of Kovalev’s abrupt entrance later in the same scene. Kovalev bursts through the door, interrupting Ivan’s serenade with a sudden and complete change in instrumentation from the balalaika to a more dissonant duet of clarinet and cornet. As soon as he is through the door Kovalev exclaims, “Pig, always wasting time in idiocies!” (Shostakovich, Act II Scene VI). This frustration aimed at Ivan likely stems from Kovalev’ insecurity that has been exposed by the loss of his nose which in the story which symbolizes his power and sense of