Jeff Dunn wrote:

>I am particulary interested in the way several living composers have used
>quotations from Wagner in their works.  ...
>
>Obviously, Wagner has cast a long shadow, for good or ill!

I think Shostakovich was paying tribute to Wagner and Rosini in his 15th
Symphony.  It's interesting to note that in his 9th he kind of pokes fun at
Wagner and Rosini, probably because they represented Germany and Italy --
the axis powers in WWII.  Maybe he was making amends in his 15th -- I don't
know.  One thing I think is interesting is how he seemed to be carrying the
torch that was lit with Schubert's Erl Konig song (please excuse me if the
spelling is off).  In this song the piano starts off with dramatic tremelos
with minor arpeggios in the base.  Wagner used this effect in the opening
of Die Walkure, and Mahler used it in the opening to his 2nd Symphony
(which was originally a piece of his called Totenfier -- or something like
that).  Shostakovich uses this in the 15th, in the first and last
movements.

Mike