He did not write about this war and that revolution, but about war and revolution in general, the state of mind and emotion, not facts.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Shostakovich explains his work focuses on universal human experiences of war and revolution rather than specific historical events.
- In plain terms
- I write about feelings of war and revolution, not specific battles or dates.
- What can you take from it?
- Great art captures universal emotions beyond specific historical facts.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does art need historical accuracy to be meaningful?
- What matters more: facts or feelings?
Another view
Specific historical details can be important for full understanding of context.
More from Dmitri Shostakovich
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