A Shostakovich Casebook

"The book ... includes ... valuable essays and interviews, which move beyond the scholarly controversy to sketch a nuanced picture of Shostakovich's life under a totalitarian regime... The 'Casebook' contributors compellingly warn of replacing one mask with another, one black-and-white myth with its simple inversion." --New York Times "... an important and readable collection... It presents a devastating critique of Volkov's claims and scholarly practices in Testimony." --New York Review of Books "The book ... includes ... valuable essays and interviews, which move beyond the scholarly controversy to sketch a nuanced picture of Shostakovich's life under a totalitarian regime... The "Casebook" contributors compellingly warn of replacing one mask with another, one black-and-white myth with its simple inversion."-- New York Times "...an important and readable collection... It presents a devastating critique of Volkov's claims and scholarly practices in Testimony ." --New York Review of Books "...this book achieves what it sets out to do ... As a work of scholarship, it is consistently first-rate." --CAML Review "The entire Casebook consists of essays focusing directly or indirectly on Testimony, and almost all destroy Volkov's credibility with compelling authority." --New Leader "What a pleasure to read so many intelligent essays." --American Record Guide "[A Shostakovich Casebook] presents the views of respected individuals, some of whom knew Dmitri Dmitrievich personally. I believe their opinions are very important, and I am grateful for their publication in this book." -- Mstislav Rostropovich "A Shostakovich Casebook is more then than merely the latest salvo to be fired in the 'Shostakovich Wars'. It is the decisive knockout punch, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of those who want to learn about Shostakovich's music, life and times."--S.E.E.R., 85, 1, 2007