Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was a towering Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist, famous for his 15 symphonies and rich chamber music, who navigated a perilous relationship with the Stalinist government, experiencing official condemnation (like the Lady Macbeth denunciation) and occasional rehabilitation, all while producing iconic works like his Symphony No. 5 and "Leningrad" Symphony. He achieved early fame with his Symphony No. 1 (1926) but spent his career under pressure to conform, yet secretly criticized the regime, becoming a central figure in 20th-century classical music.