With John Adams’ “The Chairman Dances” and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, it seems that the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has a dictator theme for its concerts this week.
Adams composed “The Chairman Dances” while in the midst of composing his opera “Nixon in China,” detailing President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. Shostakovich composed his Symphony No. 5 under Stalin’s regime after a period of musical banishment. His music did not seem patriotic or socialist enough, and he was encouraged to compose something that celebrated the homeland, not loathed it.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
