ABSTRACT
Dmitri Shostakovich's finale is clearly weighty, and both the opening Largo and the violent Allegro have the seriousness of purpose which could point to a summative character. But the divertimento relaxes that pressure, and though there are strong thematic links between it and the Allegro, its overall tone remains relatively lightweight. Shostakovich's finale does not fit into any of Michael Talbot's primary archetypes, though its constituent parts can individually be categorised as summative, relaxant and valedictory, with the framing funeral march ultimately bestowing a valedictory conclusion upon the preceding summative coda. Shostakovich's finale is clearly weighty, and both the opening Largo and the violent Allegro have the seriousness of purpose which could point to a summative character. Thematic development is minimal outside the scherzo section: though there are long-range connections between the themes, these are generally dramaturgical rather than structural in the strict sense.
