——The Curse of Symphony No. 10
Let’s start with the Chinese character “Zhang”.
The word "Zhang" is often used to describe it as "Li Zaozhang" to distinguish "Gong Changzhang". Or, following the story of Lu Xun carving the word "Zhang" on his desk when he was a child, he uses the word "Li Zaozhang" to describe "Li Zaozhang". Early" meaning.
In fact, this folk saying is wrong. The Chinese character "Zhang" was originally related to music. "Shuowen Jiezi" says: Zhang, music is all divided into one chapter, and the sounds are from ten. In other words, ten musical paragraphs constitute a perfect musical chapter. Therefore, it should be said that "ten sounds are chapters."
There is a curse in the legend of European music: a great musician can only write more than ten symphonies. Coincidentally, the lives of many musicians did end during the creation of his tenth symphony (some say the curse of the Ninth Symphony).
The great Beethoven has many famous symphonies: No. 3 "Hero", No. 5 "Destiny", No. 6 "Pastoral", No. 9 Ode to Joy... However, Beethoven's life ended in No. Ten symphonies. In 1827, the London Philharmonic Orchestra gave Beethoven 100 pounds and invited him to compose the "Tenth Symphony". However, before the music was completed, Beethoven died on March 26, 1827, at the age of only 57.
Schubert also died after writing nine symphonies. In 1826, Schubert completed his Ninth Symphony and delivered it to the Society of Friends of Music. In 1928, he held a concert to commemorate the first anniversary of Beethoven's death. On November 19 of that year, Schubert died of illness. Only 31 years old. According to his wishes during his lifetime, he was buried together with Beethoven. "Schubert's Serenade", published only after his death, is the most loved by people all over the world, earning him the title of "King of Song" in the history of European music.
When mentioning the Czech composer Dvo?ák, his great work "Symphony No. 9 in E minor" always echoes in my ears. The excitement from the New World, the euphemism of missing my hometown, and the impulse to open up new worlds make me People couldn't calm down after listening to it for a long time. After the Ninth Symphony, Dvo?ák decided not to compose any more symphonies, and he also called the Ninth the Eighth (because he said that the score of the First Symphony was lost. The score of the First Symphony was not available until he Only after death did he see the light of day again). Thereafter, Dvo?ák composed mainly chamber and orchestral music, and in his final years he wrote only operas. Dvo?ák passed away on May 1, 1904, at the age of 63.
The Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, who was born in Bohemia, named the ninth symphony he composed "Song of the Earth", deliberately not numbering it. It is said that he died to avoid following in the footsteps of Beethoven. But Mahler still did not escape the curse and died of illness in Vienna in 1911 at the age of 51, leaving behind an unfinished manuscript of the fragments of Symphony No. 10.
Although Beethoven, Schubert, and Dvo?ák were all "cursed" by the Tenth Symphony, many composers were fine. Some composers were "super prolific" and even Wrote 180 symphonies.
The story of Shostakovich escaping the "curse" is interesting.
The great Russian musician Shostakovich is very popular. The "Second Waltz" he created is melodious, graceful and elegant. People all over the world like it very much. It is often played alone and is called the "Lyric Waltz". The Seventh Symphony "Leningrad" he created is world-famous. It is a masterpiece that praises the Soviet army's struggle against the German invaders during World War II! (It was used as the song "The Devil Enters the Village" in Chinese movies and is well known, haha!)
From 1945 to 1952, Shostakovich, who was in his forties, played under Stalin Silent under the horrific tyranny, he took the initiative to treat himself coldly, especially staying away from the symphony to prevent greater disasters from falling from the sky. Shostakovich later described himself as saying: "Waiting for execution is a theme that has tortured me all my life."
It is said that the Soviet authorities pressured Shostakovich to compose the Ninth Symphony. , creating a masterpiece as great as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to praise the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule. But he composed a less solemn and ironic work.
In 1953, when he finished writing the Ninth Symphony and put the pen to rest tremblingly, Stalin died and was liberated!
It seems that the curse has been lifted! Shostakovich quickly composed the "Symphony No. 10 in E minor" in 1953. This work, known as the "Thaw Symphony", expresses the mentality of Soviet intellectuals after the repressive policy was lifted and society entered a new era. It is considered to be the highest representative of Shostakovich's style return in the middle period of his creation.
Shostakovich composed the fifteen major symphonies in one year.
……
Ten sounds are composed of chapters, which clarified the perfect standard of music in ancient my country, and also implied that even as beautiful as music, there should be limits. So, for musicians, is the Tenth Symphony also a limit? Some people have crossed this limit, gone through hardships, and risen from the ashes. Some people tried to cross this limit, but when they were composing the Tenth Symphony, their talent was exhausted, their oil was exhausted, and they died sadly. Some people stay aloof and avoid touching the Tenth Symphony to avoid the "curse" in order to prolong their lives.
(Some pictures and information come from the Internet, thank you!)