Summary: This week we explore one of the great string quartets of the 20th century. It is a piece that was written in the wake of World War II, and reflects the turmoil and uncertainty of a composer asking the deepest questions about war, life and death, and the future. We'll talk about the titles Shostakovich added to each movement of the quartet and whether they help or hinder the listener in understanding the music, and we'll also compare the quartet to its orchestral arrangement by Rudolf Barshai.
