Shostakovich and the Sputnik
OrchestrasHas there ever been a less appropriate cover image for the Shostakovich string quartets?
Who made that call?
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I know that some people will think it’s a dog but I quite laik it.
Undoubtedly, Laika played the balalaika.
It looks like Darth Vader in a condom.
AI request:
Vaccination with dog, Dresden 1960
One of Shostakovich’s was the first human melody to ever sound in outer space (1961, Gagarin singing his op.86a #1 while circling earth). The string quartets on that recording are from the times when “space race” was one of the big topics of the world (#7: 1960, #13: 1970; Sputnik was 1957, just three years before).
So, actually, quite appropriate.
And a reminder of Russian accomplishments, especially ironic as the West is unfortunately getting its ass kicked by “weak” Russia.
A bewildered creature trapped in a Soviet machine ? Not entirely wrong with reference to Shostakovich.
He wasn’t put in that Soviet machine to die.
The spacecraft was designed without the ability to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. They knew very well the poor thing would die in it.
I know. That’s why I wrote “he” and not “she”.
That poor dog was baked to death.
However, I’ll note that a number of US test animals fared no better.