Once, when I was listening to the sweet, lyrical Andante of
Shostokovich's 2nd Piano Concerto, I thought of Rand and checked out a
few dates. Shostokovich's 2nd Piano Concerto was published in 1957, the
same year as Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Both Rand and Shostokovich were born
in Russia nearly the same year: Rand, 1905, and Shostokovich, 1906.
Other comparisons: Rand left Russia and Shostokovich didn't. Both are
regarded as master artists by their admirers, with Shostokovich being
called 20th Century's most tragic composer, and Rand, the most heroic
novelist. Shostokovich did not value philosophy in any way like Rand
did, and thus suffered under a totalitarian Russia with little protest
until his death in Moscow 1975. Was Shostokovich able to read Rand? How
would his music have been different, if at all, if he had read Rand, or
if he had escaped to America (assuming he wanted to?) What influences on
the music does the kind of philosophy that a composer (or artist) has,
or the kind of culture a composer (or artist) lives in? What would Rand
have thought of him and his music?


-Monart