Analysis of the second movement of Shostakovich s 8th String Quartet
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This movement seems, at first listen, to be a world away from the largo, almost dragging first movement. It is ridiculously fast in comparison (allegro molto, one semibreve = 120; compared to largo, one minim = 63), very loud (it is only quieter than fortissimo once during the movement) and heavily syncopated. The melodies in this second movement are much more chromatic and the harmonies place the emphasis on harsh, clashing discords. It is probably true to say that this movement is the one that out of the five really relates to the dedication ("to the victims of fascism and war"). The links with Judaism and Treblinka make this very obvious, and the speed of the piece conjures up an image of despair and trying to escape from a desperate situation (it is almost like music that would be heard in a cartoon chase!).
However, it soon becomes clear that the two are linked in many ways as well. As with the first movement, the DSCH motif plays an important role and is the "backbone" of the piece, both melodically and harmonically. There are many accidentals and lapses in the clarity of the tonality, and flattened supertonics, tritones and diminished fourths are used very frequently in this movement. The last note of the first movement is a G sharp, and that is the key note of this second movement...