CLXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri: Hamlet Suite, Op. 116a

CLXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)

Hamlet Suite, Op. 116a (1963-64)
1. Overture (Suite #1) (2:05)
2. Military Music (0:48)
3. Fanfares (0:14)
4. The Palace Ball (Suite #2) (3:19)
5. Story of Horatio and the Ghost (2:22)
6. The Ball (1:14)
7. The Ghost (Suite #3) (6:43)
8. Hamlet's Parting From Ophelia (5:39)
9. Palace Music (1:00)
10. Arrival of the Players (Suite #6) (2:05)
11. Monologue (What a Rogue and Pleasant Slave) (1:34)
12. Hamlet's Monologue (To Be Or Not To Be) (3:39)
13. Royal Fanfare (3:36)
14. In the Garden (Suite #4) (0:15)
15. Booth Fanfare (2:29)
16. Poisoning Scene (Suite #5) (0:22)
17. The Flutes Play (6:23)
18. Ophelia's Descent Into Madness (Song of Ophelia) (0:46)
19. Ophelia's Insanity (3:41)
20. Death of Ophelia (Suite #7) (3:47)
21. Hamlet at Ophelia's Grave (2:04)
22. The Cemetery (3:13)
23. The Duel -- The Death of Hamlet -- Hamlet's Funeral (Suite #8) (6:29)
Russian Philharmonic
Dmitry Yablonsky, cond.

This was Shostakovich's 33rd film score (out of 36), and one of his finest. 

**

After his father died in 1922, the elder children (Dmitri was 16) went out to work to help make ends meet.

"Thus from November 1923, Dmitri started 'service' on and off in the cinema, illustrating silent films at the piano. He resented the time away from his studies and composition, missing evening concerts, and most of all the dishonesty of some of his employers. In desperation, he took the manager of the 'Picadilly' cinema to court for non-payment and won the case." [Elizabeth Wilson: Shostakovich: A Life Remembered, pp. 27-28]

Thus began his experience with cinema, and a lifelong ability to score a payday with a score when times were tight.

**

Grigori Kozintsev's film is quite good. You can see the entire film here.

The powerful Overture sets the tone for both the tragedy of the story and the introspective nature of the characters.

The performance of the entire score gives one the chance to hear Shostakovich's music clearly, whereas in much of the film, the music is subsumed by the dialogue and scenic action.