Dmitri Shostakovich: a work of virtuosity or a profitable misfortune?

Dmitri Shostakovich was one of the greatest composers of 20th century, famous for his piano and violin compositions. One of the compositions, the 5th symphony, is arguably his greatest work, which brought him back to the grace of the Soviet authorities in a moment of a political crisis in Russia. Among the experts, there is a theory which supports that Shostakovich's talent was due to a traumatic brain injury involving a shrapnel. Moreover, he might have suffered from a neurodegenerative process throughout his life. In this paper, we intend to discuss these viewpoints.

Dmitri Shostakovich: a work of virtuosity or a profitable misfortune? / Dmitri Shostakovich: ¿virtuosismo o infortunio provechoso?

Abstract Dmitri Shostakovich was one of the greatest composers of 20th century, famous for his piano and violin compositions. One of the compositions, the 5th symphony, is arguably his greatest work, which brought him back to the grace of the Soviet authorities in a moment of a political crisis in Russia. Among the experts, there is a theory which supports that Shostakovich's talent was due to a traumatic brain injury involving a shrapnel. Moreover, he might have suffered from a neurodegenerative process throughout his life. In this paper, we intend to discuss these viewpoints.

RESUMEN Dmitri Shostakovich fue uno de los más renombrados compositores del siglo XX, famoso por sus obras para violín y piano. Su Quinta Sinfonía, es para muchos su obra más importante. Esta pieza le trajo gran simpatía con las autoridades militares en un momento de crisis en la Unión Soviética. Entre opiniones de expertos, existe una teoría que postula que el talento de Shostakovich es secundario a un trauma craneoencefálico producido por herida de metralla. También se cree que pudo haber sufrido de un proceso neurodegenerativo. Nuestra intención en el presente artículo es discutir estos puntos de vista.

Ondine's curse: the origin of the myth / La maldición de Ondina: el origen del mito

ABSTRACT Central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome has been known for decades as Ondine's curse. It was named as such after a German myth. Although most of the stories resemble one another, word of mouth has led to misinterpretation of this tale among the medical community. The present paper reviews the original narrative, its characters, and how it is linked to the most relevant aspects of the disease.

RESUMEN El síndrome de hipoventilación alveolar central (por sus siglas en inglés) se conoce desde hace décadas como la maldición de Ondine. Fue nombrado como tal por un antiguo mito alemán. Aunque la mayoría de las historias se parecen, la tradición oral ha llevado a una mala interpretación de esta historia entre la comunidad médica. El presente artículo revisa la narrativa original, sus personajes y su relación con los aspectos más relevantes de la enfermedad.

Ondine's curse: the origin of the myth.

Central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome has been known for decades as Ondine's curse. It was named as such after a German myth. Although most of the stories resemble one another, word of mouth has led to misinterpretation of this tale among the medical community. The present paper reviews the original narrative, its characters, and how it is linked to the most relevant aspects of the disease.