You hear it if you want to, but it’s easy to ignore or even see as propaganda.
Yes, I’m talking about Dmitri Shostakovich, but no, I’m not talking about his gargantuan Fifth or Seventh Symphonies,
I’m talking about the Ninth.
It’s short, and it’s not particularly weighty. Frankly, it’s a joke compared to all the other stuff Shostakovich put out in his prolific musical career. On the surface, the piece is gentle, but there are hints of discord and rebellion. In the first movement, the oboe plays one too many notes, setting off the piece’s meter otherwise. Strange grace notes and accents are a surprise. And throughout all the chaos, the snare drum, a symbol of order, tries to regain control. Towards the end, the orchestra just laughs, as if to say, “Sure, okay, we’ll play along for now, but we’re not actually going to listen to you.”
It’s nice. Here’s the entire symphony movement, where everything comes to a head. Check in around the 25-minute mark for maximum rebellious fun.
Concerto Infinito 