How Shostakovich Changed My Mind
How Shostakovich Changed My Mind by Stephen Johnson, published by New York Review of Books on May 14, 2019, is a 176-page exploration of the profound impact of music on mental health, particularly through the lens of the author’s own experiences with bipolar disorder. In this work, Johnson delves into the healing effects of Shostakovich’s compositions during a tumultuous historical period, examining how these pieces resonate with those grappling with mental illness.
Readers will find a thoughtful examination of the intersection between music and mental health, as Johnson reflects on neurological and psychotherapeutic insights alongside his personal journey. The book also includes interviews with musicians who performed Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony, providing a unique perspective on the music’s significance during a time of crisis. Through this narrative, Johnson presents a compelling case for the transformative power of music, particularly in the context of mood disorders and personal struggle.
Official synopsis Publisher
A powerful look at the extraordinary healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness, including author Stephen Johnson’s struggle with bipolar disorder.
BBC music broadcaster Stephen Johnson explores the power of Shostakovich’s music during Stalin’s reign of terror, and writes of the extraordinary healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness. Johnson looks at neurological, psychotherapeutic and philosophical findings, and reflects on his own experience, where he believes Shostakovich’s music helped him survive the trials and assaults of bipolar disorder.
There is no escapism, no false consolation in Shostakovich’s greatest music: this is some of the darkest, saddest, at times bitterest music ever composed. So why do so many feel grateful to Shostakovich for having created it—not just Russians, but westerners like Stephen Johnson, brought up in a very different, far safer kind of society? The book includes interviews with the members of the orchestra who performed Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony during the siege of that city.
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