Altovaya sonata. Dmitriy Shostakovich (1981)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Directors:

Semyon Aranovich
Aleksandr Sokurov

Writer:

Boris Dobrodeyev (writer)

Release Date:

1981 (Soviet Union)

Also Known As:

Sonata for Viola. Dmitri Shostakovitch (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

Argentina:80 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente) | France:75 min (DVD)

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

Argentina:Atp

Superb documentary

This is a powerful and moving documentary about the life and death of Dimitri Shostakovich. It uses documentary footage, archive materials and contemporary footage of places where Shostakovich lived and worked. As befits a documentary about a major composer the music is integral to the film and is illuminated by the visuals. Extracts from his symphonic works are used and also from his chamber music including the last work he wrote but never heard in performance. Although it was distressing to see Shostakovich towards the end of his life looking ill and haunted the documentary is life affirming in the sense that the music lives on and continues to enrich our lives.