TalJechin wrote on 06/03/11 at 18:20:28:
It's a pity that so many make up their minds about him based on prejudice like, he's a: folk singer / protest singer / religious nut / 60s icon / old dude / etc etc.
Well, as much I think Dylan boring, I won't deny his relevance in the 60's. He mattered a lot more than only for his fans. I don't think you can say that for the 70's and 80's. The award illustrates that he regained at least some of it (and maybe more, I wouldn't know) afterwards. Much to my surprise, I admit immediately.
To give a more extreme example: I completely dislike Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna. But I won't deny the relevance of their 80's output.
At the other hand, no matter how I admire Roslavetz, I'll never say that his music was relevant. It didn't get the chance first because of Prokofjev and Stravinsky and later because of Soviet censorship. Until today he only matters for a handful of nuts like me.
You should follow your advise yourself: listen, think and only then write. Sjostakovitsj is full of great melodies, which are way less trivial than those of Dylan (I have heard more of his songs than you seem to assume). The first ten notes of that Viola Sonata, pizzicato (plucked) on open strings, provide an unforgettable one.
When fans - and I have met quite a few - praise Dylan they invariably point at nothing but his lyrics. Same for Lennon solo btw. That's OK with me, but don't try to tell me then that his notes are so interesting. And you nicely illustrate this:
TalJechin wrote on 06/03/11 at 18:20:28:
he's just singing about life, without an agenda.
Or rather: he is reciting poetry about life. Because it's the words that matter, not the notes.
Here you'll find some lyrics put on music by Sjostakovitsj:
http://www.sequencer.com/kcs/music/shost_babiy.php#english So here we have an entire orchestra and a choir singing about life - or rather, in the first movement, about how people end the life of other people. An unforgettable experience for me (and many others; the hall was completely full) in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Choir and Bernard Haitink conducting.