Dmitri Shostakovich, Pianist 9780773571259

Citation preview

prélim.fm Page i Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

d m i t r i s h o s ta k ov i c h , p i a n i s t

prélim.fm Page ii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

prélim.fm Page iii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich, Pianist sofia moshevich

McGill-Queen’s University Press Montreal & Kingston • London • Ithaca

prélim.fm Page iv Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

© McGill-Queen’s University Press 2004 isbn 0-7735-2581-5 Legal deposit second quarter 2004 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Printed in Canada on acid-free paper that is 100% ancient forest free (100% post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free. This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. McGill-Queen’s University Press acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (bpidp) for our publishing activities.

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Moshevich, Sofia, Dmitri Shostakovich, pianist/Sofia Moshevich. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 0-7735-2581-5 1. Shostakovich, Dmitrii Dmitrievich, 1906-1975. 2.Pianists – Soviet Union – Biography. I. Title. ml417.s53m92 2004

786.2′092

c2003-902324-9

This book was typeset by Dynagram inc. in 10/12 Sabon.

prélim.fm Page v Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

For my best friend and husband, Arik

prélim.fm Page vi Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

prélim.fm Page vii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

Contents

Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1

3

Roots, 1906–1923 6

2 At the Crossroads, 1923–1933 3

39

Composer-Performer, 1933–1945 70 4

Return of Fear, 1945–1953

120

5 Recognition, 1953–1975 148 Notes

183

Bibliography

197

Discography of Shostakovich’s Recorded Performances 205 Index 215

prélim.fm Page viii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

prélim.fm Page ix Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank the following persons and institutions which have generously given permission to reproduce extracts from their books, scores, and other materials: the dsch Society and its director Emmanuel Utwiller, for granting permission to reproduce music examples from the dsch edition scores and for providing most of the pictorial illustrations; Irina Shostakovich, who kindly authorized permission to reproduce an excerpt from the unpublished autograph of the Prelude in C minor, op. 87, no. 20; Dmitri Frederiks, who allowed me to quote extracts from his edition of Dmitri Shostakovich’s letters to his mother; Isaak Glikman, who permitted me to translate quotations from his book Letters to a Friend; the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture and its secretary Marina Rakhmanova for granting permission to use extracts from their book Shostakovich in Letters and Documents; the late Sofia Khentova, who generously authorized permission to translate materials from her books; Alan Mercer who allowed me to quote from articles and interviews published in the dsch Journal; Princeton University Press for granting permission to reprint two extracts from Elizabeth Wilson’s book, Shostakovich: A Life Remembered; the Ryba family, who presented me with two photographs of the singer Mikhail Ryba in concert with Dmitri Shostakovich; Larry Weinstein, Galina Shostakovich, and Rhombus Media Inc., who granted permission to use pictures of Shostakovich from the Rhombus archive. I am especially grateful to Vladimir Gabyshev for his help in obtaining information from Russian libraries and archives and for his unfailing dedication to research. My heartfelt thanks also go to the following persons: to my mother, Matilda, for being here; to my husband, Arik, who has always encouraged and supported me, and has had enough of a sense of humour to put up with me; to my daughter, Tali, for her assistance in the translation of many Russian sources and for her wise advice; to my son, Jonathan, for believing that I could tame the computer and finish my project; to my editors Patricia Golubev and Ruth Pincoe for their impeccable knowledge and professionalism; to my beloved Moscow piano teacher, Nahum Shtarkman, who carried the

prélim.fm Page x Friday, February 6, 2004 3:27 PM

x

acknowledgments

heavy Russian books to Toronto; to the outstanding musicians and scholars who contributed to my skills as a researcher – the late Moisei Feigin (of the Gnesin Institute, Moscow), Bathia Churgin and Joachim Braun (of the BarIlan University, Ramat Gan), and Henk Temmingh (of the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg); to my dear friends Yosif and Yelena Feiginberg, Kenneth Prendini, Marsalidth Kilalea, Svetlana Gordon, Robert Sterling Beckwith, and Emil and Vassya Molho for their enthusiasm and help; to Erik Zalzberg for reading the manuscript and providing constructive criticism; to Alan Mercer for his invaluable assistance; to Howard Wilson of the dsch Society for his help in obtaining an out of print disc; Derek Hulme for his advice; to Galina Tevelevich, Elena Chepurkina, and Ginka Tabakova for their verification of dates and names; to Wasyl Sydorenko, Suzanne Meyers-Sawa, David James, and all friendly staff of the University of Toronto Music Library for their generosity.

Illust.fm Page xi Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Shostakovich’s parents: Sofia Vasilyevna Shostakovich and Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich, 1902.

Illust.fm Page xii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Ignatiy Glyasser with his piano class, May 1918. Shostakovich is in the first row, second from the right. His sister Maria is in the second row, to the right of Glyasser.

Dmitri Shostakovich, 1923.

Illust.fm Page xiii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Alexandra Alexandrovna Rozanova (1876–1942).

Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev (1878–1942).

Illust.fm Page xiv Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich, 1929.

Illust.fm Page xv Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich at the piano, 1942.

Dmitri Shostakovich on stage, thanking singer Mikhail Ryba after a performance of the Dolmatovsky Romances, 1956.

Illust.fm Page xvi Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Nina Shostakovich (née Varzar), and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Dmitri Shostakovich with his children, Galina and Maxim Shostakovich, late 1940s.

Illust.fm Page xvii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich with his children, Galina and Maxim Shostakovich, late 1940s.

Dmitri Shostakovich with his dog.

Illust.fm Page xviii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich, 1950.

Illust.fm Page xix Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich and his son Maxim Shostakovich.

Dmitri Shostakovich with Irina Shostakovich (née Supinskaya).

Illust.fm Page xx Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Page of the Dolmatovsky Romances, autographed for singer Mikhail Ryba.

Illust.fm Page xxi Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

Dmitri Shostakovich on stage, taking a bow with the Beethoven Quartet: Dmitri Tsyganov (first violin), Vasiliy Shirinsky (second violin), Vadim Borisovsky (viola), Sergei Shirinsky (cello).

Autograph of Shostakovich’s musical signature “DSCH” and the words, “with best wishes, D. Shostakovich.”

Illust.fm Page xxii Friday, February 6, 2004 3:28 PM

X-ray of Shostakovich’s hands, 1964.

Shostakovich’s hands, at the piano.

intro.fm Page 1 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

d m i t r i s h o s ta k ov i c h , p i a n i s t

intro.fm Page 2 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

intro.fm Page 3 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

Introduction

Dmitri Shostakovich was not only a great composer of the twentieth century but also an outstanding Russian pianist, one of the best of his generation. His universal fame as a composer has tended to overshadow his significance as a brilliant performer of his own works. Although many scholars have analysed Shostakovich’s music, his career as a pianist has been largely overlooked by biographers. This book represents the first careful examination of this important aspect of his life. By his early twenties Shostakovich was already a well-known pianist in Russia, but unlike Rachmaninov or Prokofiev he never toured extensively overseas. His participation in the First International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1927, a tour to Turkey in 1935, a short visit to Czechoslovakia in 1947, and trips to Bulgaria and France in 1958 were insufficient to establish a reputation as a world renowned pianist. Furthermore, Shostakovich’s recordings of his own works appeared sporadically in the West and began to gain an appreciative audience only after his death. Nevertheless, Shostakovich’s piano performances profoundly influenced his life, both on and off the concert platform. Until 1930, he concertized intensely and played a varied repertoire, but from 1933 onward, he limited his programs to his own compositions. Shostakovich appeared publicly as a soloist until 1958 and as an ensemble player until 1966, when disease permanently incapacitated his hands. My fascination with Shostakovich’s performances of his own music began in the early 1970s when I was studying at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow. By that time, Shostakovich was no longer appearing publicly, so I missed the opportunity of hearing or seeing him on stage. Although I had always admired his music, I took for granted the commonly held notions that as a pianist Shostakovich was inferior to the great Soviet concert pianists and that his interpretations of his own works were of lesser value than those of other pianists. However, while researching a project on Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in E minor, (from the twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, op. 87), and thus comparing his recording of the piece with those

intro.fm Page 4 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

4

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

of Svyatoslav Richter and Tatiana Nikolayeva, I found Shostakovich’s interpretation to be absolutely captivating. Despite many faults of execution, his performance contained a special something that seemed to elude the others. His playing so impressed me that I began to collect recordings of Shostakovich performances wherever and whenever I was able to locate them. Fortunately, Shostakovich recorded many of his compositions. These recordings include both piano concertos, the Concertino for Two Pianos, op. 94, seventeen preludes and fugues from op. 87, the sonatas for cello, op. 40, and for violin, op. 134, the Piano Quintet, op. 57, the second piano trio, op. 67, the song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, and the piano arrangement of Symphony No. 10. Moreover, he recorded many of these compositions more than once. For detailed information on these recordings, please refer to the “Discography of Shostakovich’s Recorded Performances” (pp. 205–14). By the 1970s, however, Shostakovich’s recordings had already become rarities; it took me over ten years to obtain most of his officially published LP records from stores specializing in rare disks, private collections, and libraries in the ussr, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Although more often than not these LPs were of poor quality, they still allowed me to hear his tempos and to sense the nuances of his agogics and touch and his unique way of “sculpting” a piece. In some performances, I also recognized textual variants that were played by Shostakovich but never mentioned in his editions. After the firm Revelation issued a series of high quality, digitally remastered Shostakovich recordings in 1998–99, I was able to verify my findings even more precisely. Although a number of valuable English-language publications have recently appeared, to my surprise, none, including Elizabeth Wilson’s Shostakovich: A Life Remembered (1994) and Laurel Fay’s Shostakovich: A Life (2000) provides comprehensive information on Shostakovich’s concert life or his career as a pianist. They even neglect to mention his rich legacy of recorded performances. My chronological study fills this gap, tracing Shostakovich’s pianistic roots as well as his education, repertoire, and concert life. In so doing, I explore in detail the vital role of the piano in his life, composition, and teaching. We are fortunate in that almost all of the significant events of Shostakovich’s career as a pianist have been well documented. The main source of biographical material is the composer’s published correspondence with his mother and his friends, including Boleslav Yavorsky, Lev Oborin, Ivan Sollertinsky, Vissarion Shebalin, Viktor Kubatsky, Levon Atovm’yan, Yelena Konstantinovskaya, Isaak Glikman, Marietta Shagynian, and many others. In addition, during the last few years, numerous books, articles, and memoirs, all of which contain a wealth of new information, have been released in Russia. For example, the volume entitled Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, compiled by Irina Bobikina and issued in 2000 by the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture in Moscow, includes a virtual

intro.fm Page 5 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

introduction

5

treasure of authentic documents. Unless otherwise indicated, I have translated the documents myself from their original sources. Although this book is aimed at all Shostakovich admirers, I also incorporate as much practical information as possible for performers, teachers, and students. In addition to general discussions of Shostakovich’s piano and ensemble works, my analysis of each piece also includes tables of his performing tempos and other concrete details for convenience and quick reference. I compare various aspects of Shostakovich’s interpretations with his scores, by using various editions, all of which are acknowledged in the endnotes. Researching Shostakovich’s life and work as a pianist has proven to be an extremely rewarding endeavour. I hope this book will impart my admiration and enthusiasm for his genius and his magnificent art to the reader.

bar numbers and rehearsal letters and numbers Conventions concerning bar numbers differ from one edition to another. Where bar numbers are present, some editions of Shostakovich’s scores begin numbering with the first complete bar, while others begin with the first bar, even if that bar is a pickup that contains less than the full number of beats. Since the former method (that is, numbering from the first complete bar) is now widely accepted by most major music publishers, I have followed it consistently throughout the book, both in the music examples and in the text. In larger works, I have sometimes used rehearsal letters or numbers as reference points. These are always designated as such, in order to avoid confusion with bar numbers.

chap_01.fm Page 6 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

1 Roots, 1906–1923

first musical steps Unlike the vast majority of musical prodigies, the young Dmitri Shostakovich displayed little noticeable talent or interest in music during the first eight years of his life. Ironically, the Shostakoviches, who were passionate lovers of music and a typical intelligentsia family of St Petersburg, did not recognize their son’s gift until almost his ninth birthday. Born on 25 September 1906, Mitya (Dmitri) was the middle child of Dmitri Boleslavovich (1875–1922) and Sofia Vasilyevna (1878–1955) Shostakovich. Their first daughter, Maria, was three years his senior; their second, Zoya, was three years his junior. A curious and precocious child, Dmitri often tried to hide under the piano and listen to the chamber music soirees held in his parents’ home, but nobody interpreted this behavior as a sign of any special interest or ability in music. Both Shostakovich’s parents were extremely musical. His engineer father never studied music but “taught himself how to read music, and, possessing a fine tenor voice, often sang. He sight read music superbly and played piano duets.”1 His favorite repertoire consisted of gypsy romances, which he sang while strumming the accompaniment on a guitar, duets by Konstantin Vilboa and Alexander Varlamov, and Tchaikovsky’s romances.2 Sofia frequently accompanied him on piano when he sang favourite opera arias. Sofia had studied piano seriously, but her dream of becoming a professional musician was never fulfilled. After music studies in her native Irkutsk at the local Institute for Noblewomen, she spent three years at the St Petersburg Conservatory, working first under Sofia Malozemova, a former student of Anton Rubinstein, and then under Malozemova’s assistant, Alexandra Rozanova.3 While at the Conservatory, Sofia enjoyed composing waltzes, polkas, and other piano miniatures.4 However, she never graduated. After her marriage to Dmitri Boleslavovich, she was forced to abandon her studies, as her family and children became her main priority in life.

chap_01.fm Page 7 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

7

Nevertheless, Sofia’s love of music and enthusiasm for music education remained strong. She never missed an opportunity to subscribe to an opera season, listen to recitals, or play chamber music. From an early age young Dmitri heard the sounds of music performed by his parents together with their friends and neighbours. Sofia Shostakovich recalled that “music, good authentic music, always played a huge role in our everyday family life. Almost every evening, my friends from the Conservatory and I got together in our home to play trios and quartets. Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Rachmaninov were our favorite composers.”5 Dmitri also enjoyed the beautiful sound of a Stradivari that filtered through the wall from the neighbours’ flat, where Boris Sass-Tisovsky, an excellent cellist, practiced in the evenings after his day job as an engineer.6 Sofia Shostakovich had a few piano students – young children of her friends and acquaintances. She charged no fee for her lessons, but taught simply for the love of teaching. Naturally, Sofia also taught her own children, beginning lessons when they reached the age of nine. When Dmitri’s time approached, he remained unwilling to start regular lessons, despite his mother’s persistent efforts. At the same time, when she was out of earshot he often attempted to pick out his father’s favourite gypsy romances on the piano. Terrified of musical notation – he knew that his elder sister, Maria, had struggled with it and often saw her crying – he had no desire to embark on serious studies. Some music, however, did attract the young boy’s attention. Shostakovich later remembered that as a child of seven he greatly enjoyed Mozart’s Piano Sonata in E-flat major, k 282, which became his first favourite piece of music.7 Of his early studies Shostakovich wrote: My musical abilities began to manifest themselves when I was nine years old. Before then, I showed neither the desire nor the inclination to study music. But the following event changed everything. I liked a piece called “Galop” by the composer Streabbog [the pseudonym, his last name spelled backwards, of Jean-Louis Gobbaerts (1835–86), a Belgian pianist, composer, and author of a piano manual], which I had heard played in a six-hand arrangement by my sister and her friends. I asked my mother to teach me how to tap out the keys for the first and second hand. She showed me. Then, still not knowing the notes, I learned to play two or three more pieces by Streabbog. Seeing that I was grasping everything with ease, my mother decided to teach me how to read music. Since this also came quickly to me, and, in addition, it turned out that I had perfect pitch, mother decided to send me to the music school of I.A. Glyasser in the autumn [of 1915] ... As soon as I began learning how to play the piano, I also started to compose.8

This quotation is from Shostakovich’s autobiography, written in 1927 when his childhood memories were still relatively fresh and clear. We thus learn that his mother definitely had the right approach and fine pedagogical instincts. Shostakovich’s memories also provide us with interesting evidence

chap_01.fm Page 8 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

8

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

that he had been drawn to sounds of fun and laughter from his musical infancy, and he often openly admitted that he had always enjoyed everything funny and witty.9 Streabbog’s naive and primitive “Galop” awakened Shostakovich’s taste for musical humour and jokes, a taste that later manifested itself in the many exuberant galops, polkas, and waltzes of his ballet and theatre music. Sofia Shostakovich vividly recalled Dmitri’s first piano lesson in mid-July 1915, at which her son first announced categorically that he would not play from the written “lines” (notes) and then immediately began demanding a “real” piece to play. To dampen his ardor, Sofia put an arrangement of a Haydn Andante in front of him, explaining briefly the meaning of sharps and flats. To her great surprise, and despite the comic awkwardness of his untrained hands, Dmitri began to play the Andante “slowly yet absolutely correctly… Soon, he played this Andante fluently, as well as a Mozart Minuet and the entire Children’s Album by Tchaikovsky.”10 By this time, Sofia had already realized that her son was phenomenally gifted.

at g lya s s e r ’ s s c h o o l Sofia Shostakovich taught Dmitri herself for about a month, during which she wisely avoided unnecessary long hours of exercises so that the boy would enjoy playing and composing. On 15 August 1915, she took Dmitri to the famous St Petersburg piano pedagogue, Ignatiy Glyasser. In spite of his initial scepticism regarding Sofia’s opinion about her son’s talent, as soon as Glyasser heard Dmitri play, he could not help but agree with her. Despite this talent, like all new students, Dmitri first had to complete the introductory one-year course taught by Glyasser’s wife, Olga Fedorovna. He finished it in six months. In 1916, he was promoted to Ignatiy Glyasser’s class, where, in addition to studies by Burgmüller, he also played Mozart and Haydn sonatas, and the next year Bach fugues as well.11 When Shostakovich was ten years old, he learned Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.3;12 in 1917, he performed all the preludes and fugues from Bach’s WellTempered Clavier – a challenging task for any performer, let alone an eleven-year-old who had studied music for only two years. From posters of Glyasser’s school recitals13 we also know that Shostakovich had added Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C minor, op. 10, no. 1, and the first movement of Ignaz Moscheles’s Piano Concerto in F major to his repertoire. Notwithstanding Shostakovich’s phenomenal talent, the progress that he made during this time also indicates that Glyasser was a dedicated and serious piano teacher. Ignatiy Albertovich Glyasser (1862–1925), a colourful figure in the field of children’s musical education in early twentieth-century St Petersburg, was born in the Volinskaya district near Zhitomir. He began his musical studies in Zhitomir under the Czech musician Ernst Nesvadba. In the late 1870s Glyasser entered Rudolf Strobl’s piano class at the Warsaw Conservatory and became a friend of Ignaz Paderewski.14

chap_01.fm Page 9 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

9

Example 1.1 Ignatiy Glyasser. Three exercises from Treli kak osnova fortepiannoi tekhniki [Trills as a foundation for piano technique]

On his graduation from the Institute, Glyasser won an honorary award that later allowed him to move to St Petersburg. According to Sofia Khentova,15 Glyasser also studied in Germany with Theodor Kullak, Karl Klindworth, and Hans von Bülow. In St Petersburg, Glyasser quickly established himself as a piano teacher and was offered a senior teaching position at the Kronschtadt division of the Russian Musical Society, where he worked from 1880 to 1886. After the Society closed, he opened his own music school, Glyasser’s Music Courses. Glyasser was a capable pianist; at recitals for his students he played compositions such as Chopin’s twenty-four Preludes and the Schumann-Tausig Der Kontrabandiste. In addition, he wrote a number of books on piano technique and methodology, including Ritmicheskiye povtoreniya [Rhythmic repetitions] and Treli kak osnova fortepiannoi tekhniki [Trills as a foundation for piano technique], a collection of piano exercises to be transposed into different keys and played with various rhythms. Shostakovich later recalled several exercises he had practised that had proved helpful for his own technique (example 1.1). Sofia Khentova observed that Glyasser demanded “a ‘natural’ attack, based on a precise finger action, with a strictly horizontal wrist.” She also stressed that Shostakovich fully adopted the manner of playing taught by Glyasser. Then, as later on, typically “Glyasserian” characteristics were apparent in Shostakovich’s playing: restricted shoulder movements as well as a prevalence of hand movement along the keyboard combined with limited wrist flexibility–qualities of “inhibited movement” that are not common in the modern technique, but that nevertheless guaranteed the precision, clarity, and idiosyncratic dexterity of Shostakovich’s performances. Like many other students of Glyasser … Shostakovich [thus] developed velocity, finger strength, exactness of tone, and dexterity in leaps.16

chap_01.fm Page 10 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

10

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Neither Alexandra Rozanova nor Leonid Nikolayev, Shostakovich’s next piano teachers, concentrated as much on the purely instrumental aspects of piano playing as Glyasser had. In spite of his old-fashioned views – Glyasser did not trust any modern theories about the weight and relaxation of the arm – his teaching provided a strong foundation for Shostakovich’s piano technique and had a profound and lasting effect on his playing.

p i a n o l e s s o n s w i t h a l e x a n d r a ro z a n ova Had Glyasser recognized his student’s creative gifts for composition, Shostakovich probably would have stayed longer under his care. Glyasser, however, refused to see anything unusual in Shostakovich’s attempts to compose, considering them useless pursuits for a child with such potential as a piano virtuoso. Meanwhile, the young musician’s passion for improvisation and composition continued to grow, as did his portfolio of works. He had already written about thirty pieces.17 In 1927, describing his first piano works, Shostakovich acknowledged that his creativity had been triggered by impressions of surrounding events, which were reflected in titles such as “In the Forest,” “The Train’s Sounds,” “A Thunderstorm,” and “The Tempest.” He confessed: As a very young child, I saw a burning forest. This led me to compose A Fire Sonata for piano. During the same time, I was reading a lot of stories by Gogol, and I even tried to write an opera, Taras Bulba, but nothing came of this. During the February Revolution, returning home from school, I ended up in a crowd and marched in it for a long time. I heard both gunshots and screaming. All this I tried to depict in the Revolutionary Symphony. And, also at this time, I composed the Funeral March in Memory of the Victims of the Revolution. I also greeted the October Revolution on the street, where, as a matter of fact, somebody (who, according to the newspapers, turned out to be a former policeman) shot a small boy in front of my eyes. This tragic episode was profoundly seared into my memory. While, composing To October [Symphony no.2], I remembered the event with particular clarity, and dedicated the episode before the chorus entry to it.18

A few of Shostakovich’s early works have survived including Longing for the Native Country (The Soldier), In the Forest, and Funeral March in Memory of the Victims of the Revolution. He wrote a number of dances, music for children’s plays, and an opera based on Pushkin’s Gypsies, and he even tried his hand at to write a symphony and a ballet. The Funeral March, composed by the twelve-year-old Dmitri, is a good example of his earliest style. From the opening measures, we observe the powerful influence of both Beethoven and Chopin. Note, for example, the accented dominant upbeat to bar 5 (example 1.2). According to Shostakovich, by February 1917 he had become bored studying under Glyasser because of the latter’s extremely sceptical attitude towards

chap_01.fm Page 11 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

11

Example 1.2 Funeral March in Memory of the Victims of the Revolution: bars 1–6.

his student’s compositions. “My mother decided to take me and my elder sister for an audition with Professor A.A. Rozanova of the Leningrad Conservatory, who had taught my mother years earlier.”19 Rozanova’s teaching methods and musical background had little in common with those of Glyasser. Alexandra Alexandrovna Rozanova (1876–1942) studied first with Mily Balakirev from 1888 to 1894, and then at the St Petersburg Conservatory under Sofia Malozemova (who had been a student of Anton Rubinstein and Theodor Leschetizky). Immediately after her graduation from the Conservatory in 1899, she was invited to teach at her alma mater. She was appointed senior lecturer in 1905 and became a professor of piano in 1912. During her concert career both in Russia and abroad as a soloist and ensemble player, she continued to perfect her skills under Paul Antonin Vidal and Blanche Selva in Paris, where her sister lived. Rozanova was fond of French culture, and enjoyed a deep knowledge and understanding of French music and literature. Although loved and respected by her colleagues and students, she was blacklisted after the revolution because she was a priest’s daughter and a member of the gentry class. In 1928 she was fired from her Conservatory job because of her “dubious” background. The only person who might have been able to help her was Alexander Glazunov, the former director of the Conservatory, but he had left Soviet Russia on 15 June 1928, never to return. Thereafter, Rozanova taught privately and kept a low profile. Even so, in 1938, she lost her husband to Stalin’s terror. Forgotten, she remained in Leningrad under the German siege and perished there from dystrophy in 1942.20

chap_01.fm Page 12 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

12

dmitri shostakovich, pianist Example 1.3 Prelude (ca 1919–20): bars 1–4.

Example 1.4 Minuet (ca 1919–20): bars 1–4.

When Shostakovich was accepted into Rozanova’s private class, she was an experienced and well-respected Conservatory professor. This cultured, polite, and soft-spoken woman presented a striking contrast to the dogmatically severe Glyasser, who, when necessary, never hesitated to express his anger openly. Patient and kind, Rozanova tirelessly polished her students’ pieces, paying a great deal of attention to dynamics and the various minute details of interpretation. In all likelihood, she inspired Shostakovich to strive for greater refinement and sensitivity in his playing. She also demonstrated a keen interest in Dmitri’s compositions, thus creating an immediate and warm rapport with her new student. Shostakovich expressed his appreciation of Rozanova’s encouragement by presenting her with his freshly penned works. Three of these – Minuet, Prelude, and Intermezzo – Rozanova managed to preserve even during the Leningrad siege of 1941– 42. One is touched by the simple yet expressive melodies of these early pieces. The pensive short Prelude (example 1.3) and the Minuet, with its contrapuntal accompaniment (example 1.4) are gracious and charming. All three, but particularly the unfinished Intermezzo (example 1.5), have precise markings and detailed slurring. Such attention to interpretative details is remarkable since Dmitri had received no special instruction in composition at that time. It may be that Rozanova’s meticulous attention to detail had an effect even on Shostakovich’s compositions. In 1917–19, Shostakovich’s gifts as an improviser and a performer began to attract the attention of those who heard him play. He appeared not only in his piano teacher’s studio recitals but also in the concerts at the Stoyunina Gymnasium, where he studied in 1919. From 1915 to 1918, when he was still attending Shidlovskaya Gymnasium, he had also occasionally per-

chap_01.fm Page 13 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

13

Example 1.5 Intermezzo (ca 1919–20): bars 1–4.

formed in the Stoyunina concert hall, playing music by Beethoven, Grieg, Schumann, and Chopin as well as his own compositions. Irina Kustodiyev, daughter of the prominent Russian artist Boris Kustodiyev, was one of Dmitri’s classmates and also a fan, so she invited the boy to play for her father. Kustodiyev’s paintings, so abundant with the joys of life – particularly his bold portraits of voluptuous Russian beauties – do not offer even the slightest hint of the fact that their creator was a crippled man confined to a wheelchair. A great connoisseur of music, Kustodiyev instantly recognized in the young Shostakovich “a peculiar spiritual and emotional sensitivity, [and] the potential wealth of his inner world, which was still in its infancy, yet displayed the promising shoots of future blossoms.”21 In his drawings of the thirteen-year-old Shostakovich, the artist depicted his vision of this extraordinary young musician. Shostakovich deeply valued their friendship and dedicated his Prelude in G minor, op. 2, no 1 to Kustodiyev. On 8 May 1920, at an exhibition of Kustodiyev’s works at the Petersburg House of Arts, Shostakovich gave a public performance of the complete Eight Preludes, op. 2. At his friends’ gatherings, Dmitri was irreplaceable at the piano. Playing waltzes and foxtrots as well as improvising his own dance music, he became the life of any party. While entertaining friends, he would sometimes improvise something totally unexpected in the middle of a dance and then, responding to the guests’ wishes, return to the previous music.22 These often eccentric dance improvisations probably represent his first experiments in musical collage, a means of expression on which he relied frequently in later works, such as the Piano Concerto no. 1 and some of the Twenty-Four Preludes, op. 34. “There were no complexities in Shostakovich’s improvisations. They were simple, often dance-like, ballet music of sorts, with familiar melodies. Always in a hurry to get to the piano, he gave the impression that improvising was his passion.”23 Understanding and appreciating this passion, Rozanova advised Dmitri’s parents to find a teacher who could give him professional instruction in this area. Shostakovich recalled: Rozanova believed that, besides piano, I should also be studying composition. To this end, an acquaintance of ours who was a music teacher recommended G.Y.

chap_01.fm Page 14 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

14

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Bruni who taught improvisation. I was taken to Bruni who seated me at the piano and requested that I improvise a “Blue Waltz.” Seemingly satisfied with my improvisation, he then asked that I play something oriental. Even though nothing of the sort came to me, Bruni pronounced that I did have certain “abilities,” thus accepting me as a student. His lessons proceeded in the following manner: while strolling around the room, Bruni would ask me to improvise something and then, dissatisfied with what he had heard, he would kick me off the piano bench and begin improvising himself. These lessons went on during the spring and summer of 1919, after which I gave them up.24

According to Sofia, Georgiy Bruni’s homework for Dmitri, consisted of composing short, musical “pictures” with naive titles such as “On the Lawn” or “A Ring Dance,” which the precocious boy considered too childish and resented.25 Although Shostakovich described Bruni’s method with an obvious irony, in one of his last interviews with Sofia Khentova he said that, “Bruni’s lessons came in handy when I worked in film as a pianistillustrator. There, one had to keep up with the action on the screen: immediately after a chase scene, a crying scene ensued. I could never have managed without my training in improvisation.”26 Realizing by now that their son’s passion for music was deep and serious, Shostakovich’s parents decided to seek the advice of Alexander Siloti, a brilliant pianist and prominent conductor who had been a student of Liszt. This choice was not random: Siloti had recognized the musical genius of the twelve-year-old Sergei Rachmaninov (who happened to be his nephew) and had encouraged further studies. Siloti’s opinion of Dmitri’s musical potential was, however, extremely discouraging. More than thirty years later, Shostakovich still remembered his meeting with the maestro: “When I finished playing, Siloti remained silent for a while and then said to my mother: ‘The boy will never have a career. He lacks the musical abilities. But, of course, if he has the desire, why not … let him study.’ I was so devastated that I spent that whole night crying.”27 Siloti’s negative prognosis of Shostakovich’s potential is interesting not only because of how far wrong he was. A typical romantic pianist-virtuoso, Siloti was probably disappointed and taken aback by the very style of the teenager’s playing. In a way, the famous maestro was correct: Shostakovich was unique. Throughout Shostakovich’s entire career, his art as a pianist was criticized or questioned because of his peculiar reserved approach and his total lack of excessive emotional outpouring. Shostakovich was definitely not a romantic performer – the only category that Siloti understood and valued – and his assessment of the boy’s talent reflected this conflict. Fortunately, Shostakovich’s parents decided to seek a second opinion. As Shostakovich recalled, “seeing my despair, my mother took me to see A.K. Glazunov, then the Director of the Petrograd Conservatory. He listened to me, heaped compliments on me, and recommended that I take not only piano classes, but those in composition as well.”28

chap_01.fm Page 15 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

15

f i r s t ye a r s a t t h e c o n s e r v a t o r y In the autumn of 1919, after a month of lessons in musical theory with Professor Alexey Petrov (a former student of Rimsky-Korsakov), the thirteenyear-old Shostakovich passed the entrance examination for the Petrograd Conservatory29 with flying colors. At the examination, he played several selections from his Eight Preludes, op. 2, thus making a great impression as both a composer and a pianist. During his first year at the Conservatory, Shostakovich continued piano lessons with Rozanova. At the same time, he began formal studies in composition with Rimsky-Korsakov’s disciple and son-in-law, Maximilian Steinberg. Nikolai Sokolov, another marvelous musician and pedagogue, became his counterpoint teacher. Dmitri also attended Alexander Ossovsky’s lectures on music history, which he found highly interesting. In 1924, he studied conducting with Nicolai Malko, violin with Victor Valter, and chamber music with Alexander Glazunov. Shostakovich proved to be an extremely conscientious student who blossomed in his new environment in spite of the harsh conditions of everyday life in post-revolutionary Petrograd. The entire city had been devastated, the Conservatory building had no heating, and meagre food rations provided little relief for people’s constant hunger. During this period, both Klavdiya Lukashevich, Shostakovich’s godmother and devoted friend, and Alexander Glazunov personally interceded on behalf of Dmitri to obtain the necessary ration cards and financial help to sustain the boy’s fragile health. Despite these hardships, Dmitri and his Conservatory friends never missed an opportunity to hear new music or play it in four-hand arrangements, a practice that remained one of Shostakovich’s passions for the rest of his life. In addition, they attended not only all the Philharmonic concerts but also all the rehearsals of the symphony orchestra. The musical life of Petrograd at that time was rich and varied: besides classic Western and Russian repertoire, concert programs also featured music by Hindemith and Bartók, the French group Les Six, Krenek, Stravinsky, Berg, and Schoenberg. World famous musicians, including conductors Oscar Fried and Emil Cooper and pianists Artur Schnabel and Egon Petri, performed frequently in the metropolis. Shostakovich admitted that, “during my years of study at the Conservatory, I heard as much music as I did in all the following years put together. I am strongly persuaded that this was of great benefit to me.”30 Shostakovich’s works of 1919–20 – the Scherzo in F-sharp minor, op. 1, for orchestra (originally written at the third movement of a piano sonata, which was later discarded) and the Eight Preludes, op. 2, for piano – “show influences of the Russian School (Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and Glazunov).”31 Although still imitative and eclectic, they already display distinctive traits of his own individual style. For example, the Prelude in A minor, which is dedicated to Shostakovich’s sister Maria, features a transparent ^

chap_01.fm Page 16 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

16

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 1.6 Prelude in A minor, op.2, no. 5: bars 1–4.

Example 1.7 Prelude in G major, op. 2, no. 2: bars 1–5.

texture, a ringing, high register, accented syncopations, and a sixteenth-note ostinato marked sempre staccatissimo – all typical attributes of Shostakovich’s later scherzos (example 1.6). The Prelude in G major, also dedicated to Maria Shostakovich, resembles a short operatic introduction with its Lydian mode, calm “archaic” harmonies, and persistent left-hand tremolo on a fifth (G–D) (example 1.7). The dedicatee of the Prelude in F minor and the two Preludes in D-flat major is the ten-year-old Natasha Kube, a girl whom Dmitri met in the summer of 1919. The F-minor prelude is a subtle, sad piece with beautiful, elaborate contrapuntal lines that demonstrate the young composer’s extraordinary polyphonic gifts (example 1.8). The initial motive of this folk-like melody was probably dear to Shostakovich because he used it in

chap_01.fm Page 17 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

17

Example 1.8 Prelude in F minor, op. 2, no. 6: bars 1–4.

Example 1.9 Ten Poems on Text by Revolutionary Poets, op. 88, no. 6: January the 9th, bars 27–30.

several other compositions written many years later – for example, “January the 9th” from Ten Poems on Texts by Revolutionary Poets (see example 1.9), written in 1951, and the second movement of the Symphony No. 11, written in 1957. The Prelude in D-flat major abounds in descriptive markings, capricious rhythmic details, and alternating metres ( 48 , 58 and 68 ). This eighteen-bar piece has four tempo markings: the initial Moderato, a “Mozartian” Andante amoroso at bar 8, Moderato at bar 10, and Andante cantabile at bar 18 (example 1.10).

nikolayev’s piano class Although Shostakovich studied piano with Rozanova during his first year at the Conservatory, by the autumn of 1920, he had already auditioned to study with the famous professor Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev (1878– 1942). Nikolayev had studied at the Moscow Conservatory as a pianist under Vasiliy Safonov and as a composer under Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. As Sergei Taneyev’s student in the theory of musical form, Nikolayev had perfected his ability to analyse music, which strongly influenced all spheres of his future work. He received the highest Conservatory award – the Great

chap_01.fm Page 18 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

18

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 1.10 Prelude in D flat major, from op. 2: bars 1–11.

Gold Medal – in both piano performance and composition. In addition, while a student in two faculties at the Moscow Conservatory, this exceptionally talented man also completed a law degree at the Moscow University. After graduating from the Conservatory, Nikolayev taught piano at both the Moscow College of Music and Drama and the Moscow Conservatory. Concertizing in Russia, he was one of the first to perform Prokofiev’s piano music. Nikolayev remained in great demand as a superb accompanist at the Bolshoi Theatre, where, in 1906, he was appointed a conductor on the recommendation of Sergei Rachmaninov. Also a prolific composer, he achieved contemporary success with some of his works and taught composition part time. In 1909, he was invited by Glazunov to teach piano and composition at the St Petersburg Conservatory.32 Undoubtedly, Nikolayev truly deserved his reputation as the best piano pedagogue at the Petrograd Conservatory. He was broadly educated and charismatic individual who combined the faultless intuition of a perceptive mentor with the vast musical experience of a performer, conductor, and composer. Nikolayev was famous primarily as a piano guru, but Shostakovich,

chap_01.fm Page 19 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

19

having been his student and consulted with him for many years, paradoxically felt that Nikolayev was a remarkable teacher of composition but as a piano teacher was much weaker.33 Josif Shvarts, Shostakovich’s classmate and the future dedicatee of his Fantastic Dances, described the young Dmitri’s audition for Nikolayev: “Dmitri Shostakovich was dressed in a navy blue sailor suit. He played Grieg’s concerto for Nikolayev. (As always, Nikolayev accompanied him from memory.) Then, Shostakovich performed his own piano pieces, and Nikolayev immediately realized that, before him, was an astonishing talent.”34 Proving an unwritten law that the best students always aspire to the best teachers, the gifted Shostakovich was only one of many incredible talents in Nikolayev’s class. Dmitri was surrounded by a whole galaxy of stars, including the legendary pianists Vladimir Sofronitsky and Maria Yudina, and he was profoundly influenced by their art. He tried to imitate all the minute details of Yudina’s idiosyncratic interpretations, which was probably a humbling, if otherwise pointless, exercise for such a sharply individual performer as Shostakovich. Fortunately, Nikolayev was able to assess his students’ differing abilities and ambitions wisely. He was relatively cautious in choosing Dmitri’s repertoire, during the first month of his studies, but in less than two years, he allowed Shostakovich to play Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata, op. 106 (It was, in fact, Yudina’s choice, which is why Dmitri was so eager to play it). According to Shvarts, In his early lessons with Shostakovich, Nikolayev initially paid particular attention to the study of polyphonic compositions. Among the first major pieces given to Shostakovich was Schumann’s Faschingsschwank. A year and a half later, in the spring of 1922, Shostakovich played the “Hammerklavier,” Beethoven’s Sonata No. 29, at Nikolayev’s class recital in the Maly Hall. He was only fifteen years old! I remember one of the musicians sitting beside me asked: “What if he forgets something in the fugue?” To this, I answered that Shostakovich, although still young, was a great musician, and that nothing of the sort could ever happen to him. He played superbly, indeed, with an amazing grasp of the work’s grandiose concept, a rhythmic will of steel, and the most profoundly lyrical insight.35

t h r e e f a n t a s t i c d a n c e s , o p. 5 Nikolayev’s genuine concern about Shostakovich’s work as a composer reinforced their excellent rapport. Endowed with an analytical mind, Nikolayev was able to instill in all his students an awareness and a clear understanding of musical form. He was equally brilliant in his suggestions concerning the structure and harmony of Shostakovich’s new compositions; his friendly guidance was invaluable. During the years 1920 to 1922, Shostakovich composed Theme and Variations in B-flat major, op. 3 (for orchestra) Two Fables of Krylov, op. 4 (for

chap_01.fm Page 20 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

20

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

voice and orchestra), and several new piano works, including Three Fantastic Dances, op. 5. The “First Dance,” written in 1920, was probably connected to his younger sister, Zoya’s love of dance and her studies at ballet school. From the time of their first publication in 1926, the Dances have enjoyed a level of popularity among Shostakovich’s piano works equivalent to that of the Prelude in C-sharp minor among Rachmaninov’s. One can only wonder why these particular miniatures have been so favoured – none of them represent a mature or typical example of Shostakovich’s style. However, we cannot deny that these dances are not only elegant, witty, and gracious, but also pleasant and comfortable to play for amateur and professional pianists alike. All three dances have a simple ternary form but each one is unique however in terms of character and understated genre. The title “fantastic” suits the “First Dance” most of all. It is a whimsical and impulsive piece with an abundance of rhythmic and tempo changes and sharp dynamic contrasts. One is captivated by the colourful harmonies and capriciously alternating rhythms. The eccentric march-like bars (for example, 9, 14, 29–30) only enhance the aura of mystery. The “Second Dance,” a romantic waltz with exquisite and spicy harmonies, reveals the influence of Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales. The serene first and last sections contrast with the middle one, where the tempo fluctuates constantly and the articulation changes with every new nuance of the shifting mood. The “Third Dance,” a lively polka, is a sparkling carousel of varying keys and colorful harmonies, charged with an irresistible rhythmic energy. The double note passages (starting in bar 13) require the dexterity of a virtuoso. Undoubtedly, this polka served as an effective showpiece at the onset of Shostakovich’s career as a pianist. Shostakovich included the Dances in recitals throughout his career and recorded them twice: on 26 May 1947 in Prague, and on 30 May 1958 in Paris. The first recording is technically flawless, but the second contains several faults. At the time it was made, Shostakovich was suffering from a sharp pain in his hand that prevented him from playing the octave passages fluently and cleanly. However, since there are no metronome indications in the score, both recordings are helpful for determining authentic tempos: “First Dance” “Second Dance” “Third Dance”

G G D

= 168 = 130 = 112

Although the score also lacks pedal markings, the Shostakovich’s recordings provide us with a clear idea of his exquisite mastery of pedalling. His spectacular pedal is especially effective in supplying a bold contrast between the episodes with ample pedal and those played completely senza pedale: for example, bars 13–14 in “First Dance” (example 1.11) and bars 39–40 in “Second Dance,” where the fermata has no pedal at all (example 1.12). Bar 30 in “Third Dance” has a similar silent fermata after the generous pedalling of the previous bars.

chap_01.fm Page 21 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

21

Example 1.11 Fantastic Dances, op. 5: First Dance, bars 13–14.

Example 1.12 Fantastic Dances, op.5: Second Dance, bars 39–44.

a p e r f or m a n c e st y l e o f hi s ow n Shostakovich admitted that in his youth, he “practised piano a lot and learned to sight read quite fluently.”36 In fact, his phenomenal sight-reading abilities were apparent from an early age. Alexander Rozanov, the nephew of Shostakovich’s first piano teacher, remembered how in November 1920, Shostakovich amazed him with an effortless reading of Wagner’s Tannhäuser.37 Shostakovich’s Conservatory friends knew about his skills and found his talents especially useful when he premiered their compositions, reading from handwritten scores at examinations or concerts. One friend, the composer Andrei Balanchivadze, recalled an episode that occurred in 1927: “Shostakovich played my ‘Concert March’ in E major brilliantly, transposing it into E-flat major directly from the orchestral score! Then he approached me, saying, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t notice the four sharps.’ I understood his joke, as well as my mistake with the clarinets in B-flat. However, I was stunned by his phenomenally fast comprehension. At that time, I had not yet realized how perfectly he was able to grasp others’ music.”38 Conductor Nicolai Malko also reported his astonishment at Dmitri’s “remarkable

chap_01.fm Page 22 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

22

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

way of playing an orchestral score at sight.” Describing his skills at the piano, Malko wrote, “Whether he was playing his own works, the works of others, with or without music, from a piano score or an orchestral score – whether it was a familiar composition or a new one, easy or difficult – the impression was always the same: the keyboard held no difficulties for him. His fingers miraculously played everything and succeeded in everything.”39 It is little wonder Dmitri became an expert at performing his friends’ compositions. On 14 June 1925, Bogdanov-Berezovsky recorded in his diary: “And here I am at the exam … At last, Mitya is playing: with his usual light coldness, but his performance is nice and exciting. And – a miracle! – my variations have passed, even without the finale.”40 Never missing an opportunity to perform, Shostakovich not only played at official Conservatory examinations and recitals but also took part in concerts at the Conservatory canteen and in private halls such as Anna Fogt’s music salon. These performances included work by Mikhail Gnesin, Mikhail Kvadri (on 15 January 1923 Shostakovich played Kvadri’s Piano Variations, which were dedicated to him),41 Nikolai Malakhovsky, Sergei Zateplinsky, Joseph Schillinger, Gavriil Yudin, and many others. Glazunov’s chamber music classes also encouraged Dmitri’s insatiable passion for learning new music, albeit in a peculiar way. Shostakovich, recalled that all Glazunov’s lessons resembled one in which he played a Schubert trio that he had mastered on his own. Glazunov, after listening to it twice and briefly complimenting his student, suggested learning something new for the next lesson.42 Maximilian Steinberg’s classes in composition and his private meetings with Shostakovich were dedicated to playing, sight-reading, and learning classical scores. Shostakovich remained faithful to this tradition in later years when he became a teacher himself. For him, neither modern technology nor recordings could ever substitute for the joy of playing four hands with his students. During his years at the Conservatory, Shostakovich learned a vast and varied repertoire of piano pieces. His programs included such masterpieces of Western music as the “Waldstein,” “Appassionata,” and “Hammerklavier” sonatas by Beethoven; Brahms’s Variations on a Theme by Handel; the Dante Sonata, Funérailles, and Venice and Naples from Années de pèlerinage and the Spanish Rhapsody by Liszt; Chopin’s Krakowiak, op. 14, his two piano concertos, and numerous miniatures. Shostakovich was equally keen to perform contemporary Russian music, including miniatures by Liadov and Rachmaninov,43 the second, third, and fourth sonatas by Scriabin,44 and Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 3. Describing Shostakovich as a young pianist, Valerian BogdanovBerezovsky wrote: One could say that during Shostakovich’s early years, his style as a pianist – original and idiosyncratic as it was – evolved simultaneously with, and complemented his development as a composer. His tone production was always typical – decisive and

chap_01.fm Page 23 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

23

Example 1.13 Prelude in E minor: bars 1–3.

tenacious – containing within itself a clearly defined rhythmic momentum and, at the same time, possessing a great variety of expressive shadings. The components of both genre and characterization were as evident in his manner and style as they were in his music; in his performances and his compositions, these elements not so much brought out tone colour and painting, as created psychological portraits.45

In his memoirs, Nicolai Malko confirms Bogdanov-Berezovsky’s description in his own way: “I shall not call his playing artistic. It lacked a certain expressiveness and was devoid of certain artistic impulses inherent in the performance of a great artist. It was as if, in his playing of the score, he was presenting the music itself rather than a performance of it. Technically, however, Shostakovich’s style of playing could certainly not be called ‘composer’s playing.’ He was a virtuoso, like Sergei Prokofieff.”46 Together with his friends Pavel Feldt and Georgiy Klements, Shostakovich participated in a project to write twenty-four piano preludes in all the major and minor keys. Although the young composers never completed the entire cycle, Shostakovich submitted his own five preludes for this collaborative undertaking. Four of them – in A minor, G major, D-flat major, and F minor – were from his Eight Preludes, op. 2. The only piece composed especially for this project was the Prelude in E minor, an effective piece in 5 meter, with strong accents and a dissonant texture of chords and octaves 8 throughout. The influence of Liadov is apparent in this miniature (compare examples 1.13 and 1.14), the most dramatic of the five preludes Shostakovich contributed.

s u i t e f o r tw o p i a n o s , o p. 6 On 24 February 1922, Shostakovich’s father died suddenly of pneumonia at age forty-six, leaving his wife and three teenage children. His premature death devastated the family. In addition to emotional trauma came financial impoverishment: although Sofia Shostakovich, forty-two years old, made every effort to support her children by working first as a cashier and later as a secretary, the family suffered materially. Maria Shostakovich, the

chap_01.fm Page 24 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

24

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 1.14 Anatoliy Liadov, Birul’ki [Trifles], op. 2, no. 6: bars 1–4.

eldest sister, found a job as an accompanist and also gave private piano lessons. Only thus could the family keep going and the younger children receive an education. The young Dmitri’s new composition, Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6, composed in March 1922, was dedicated to the memory of his father. This monumental work, in the key of F-sharp minor consistis of four movements – Prelude, Fantastic Dance, Nocturne, and Finale – and lasts almost twenty-eight minutes. The genre of the piano suite was extremely popular in Russia in the early twentieth century; Shostakovich’s suite was undoubtedly inspired by wellknown piano suites of Arensky, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich’s teacher Leonid Nikolayev. According to the composer, he was also influenced by Glazunov’s music and Tchaikovsky’s Suite for Two Pianos.47 Although profuse in quasi-Rachmaninov melodic passages and “outspoken” piano texture – features that disappeared entirely in his later piano works – the piece has much that belongs to Shostakovich’s individual style. His firm grasp of a large structure and monothematic unity of the piece is remarkable, foreshadowing his future symphonic works. We can also sense a touch of genius in the spectacular contrapuntal writing and rhythmic inventiveness, especially in the Allegro molto section of the Finale (bars 19–38). The first fourteen bars of the Prelude represent the thematic nucleus of the entire suite. The bell-like opening motif of descending fourths that accompanies the melody is closely related to the first theme of the second movement, and it also appears, either disguised or as a direct quote, in the other two movements (example 1.15). The descending tune in the middle Adagio section of the prelude (bar 21, exemple 1.16) is a citation from the main theme (bar 14, example 1.17) although it is virtually unrecognizable here because of its elegiac and even somewhat melodramatic mood. (The young composer’s overprotective non staccato warning is also noteworthy!) In the recapitulation, the main theme reappears in a triumphant canon at bar 51 marked fff marcato il tema supported by glorious octave bells and three-octave scale passages (bars 59–61).

chap_01.fm Page 25 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

Example. 1.15 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Prelude, bars 1–7.

Example 1.16 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Prelude, bars 21–23.

chap_01.fm Page 26 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

26

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 1.17. Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Prelude, bars 13–14.

The second movement – Fantastic Dance – is a swift, captivatingly energetic, and polyphonically rich scherzo in the key of A minor (example 1.18). The “Spanish” rhythmic figure that appears at bar 45, supporting one of the main themes, permeates the middle episode (starting at bar 94). This figure makes a powerful return in the last movement, occurring first in the introductory theme and then before the recapitulation (see Finale, bar 119), where it acquires a heroic character, giving a forceful conclusion to the entire suite. The third movement, Nocturne, is the lyrical centre of the suite (example 1.19). Its noble, heartfelt theme is a “twin” of the opening theme of the Prelude (see bars 4–6), inverted and transposed to D major. By interweaving most of the themes from the first and second movements into the third, Shostakovich creates a nostalgic aura of sweet memories from the past. Even the second theme of the Nocturne (bar 17), which dominates the middle Andantino section (bar 58), is related to a motive from the second movement (see Fantastic Dance, second piano part, bar 45). The colourful use of tonality in the Nocturne, in particular from bar 88 in the quasi campanelli section, illustrates Shostakovich’s adventurous taste in harmony. The often extreme dynamic indications (for example, the ffff in both piano parts at bar 52) reveal the composer’s youthful temperament. The archaic fanfare of fifths and as the funeral march theme with “bells” in the bass establish the sombre atmosphere of the Finale’s opening Adagio (example 1.20). The ensuing Allegro molto, with its impetuous character enhanced by a bold syncopated rhythm and forceful accents, provides a striking contrast. In a further development, a whirlwind of high-register unison scale passages – a characteristic of many Shostakovichian piano scherzos and fast movements –leads to a climactic section marked fff quasi tromba in bar 57, in which the high register, swift tempo, and brilliant martellato texture totally transform the funeral march theme into victorious chimes.

chap_01.fm Page 27 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

27

Example 1.18 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Fantastic Dance, bars 1–10.

The subsequent middle Andante episode of the movement (bar 77), incorporates a number of interrelated themes from all three previous movements, but the themes of the Nocturne prevail. After the reappearance of themes from the introduction at bar 117, the recapitulation and coda restate the main themes of the Prelude, Dance, and Finale in the contrapuntal apotheosis of the work’s conclusion. On 21 April 1923, Bogdanov-Berezovsky recorded in his diary: “In the Maly Hall, Mitya [Shostakovich] and Marusya [Maria Shostakovich] were rehearsing his suite, which they will play on Monday evening recital. I will be turning the pages for Marusya … This suite makes a divine impression. While the two pianos are opened and the sun is shining through the large windows of the Maly Hall, he – this sixteen-year-old genius – touches my heart with his every note. He is playing insanely well!”48 We know that in 1923 Shostakovich frequently played the suite for two pianos with his sister Maria (performances on 15 January, 23 April, and 22 June are all documented). We also learn, in his letter to Lev Oborin of 29 February 1924, that Shostakovich was eagerly anticipating performances of the work by other pianists. He wrote: “I am curious to know what it will be like to listen to my own music. And the music of the suite is not bad.

chap_01.fm Page 28 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

Example 1.19 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Nocturne, bars 1–6.

Example 1.20 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: Finale, bars 1–4.

chap_01.fm Page 29 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

29

Definitely not bad.”49 Although Shostakovich played the suite with Lev Oborin (on 20 March 1925), there is no evidence that Oborin or any other pianists performed it in later years. After its first publication in 1983 (in volume 13 of the Collected Works Edition) this early piece, previously almost unknown, quickly gained popularity, becoming a welcome addition to piano duo repertoire all over the world. Apart from its explicit romantic charm, this composition is unique among Shostakovich’s works about death. It is a requiem, yet nevertheless it is saturated with the naive optimism of youth. This attitude toward death disappeared from his works forever after his teen years.

gr a duat i o n as a p i an i s t Emotional and physical stress along with malnutrition took their toll on the young Dmitri’s health. In the spring of 1923, having developed tuberculosis of the bronchial and lymph glands, he underwent an operation. Soon after, still feeling discomfort and wearing bandages around his swollen neck, he took his spring examinations at the Conservatory, deciding to take his final piano examinations in June. The Petrograd Conservatory piano graduation examinations, open to the public, consisted of two concerts: the first was a solo recital of works of various composers and styles; the second was a concerto performance. On 28 June 192350 Shostakovich played a recital featuring Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp minor (from the Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1),51 Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Sonata, op. 53, Mozart’s Variations in C major “Ah vous dirai-je, maman,” Chopin’s Ballade No. 3, Schumann’s Humoresque in B-flat, op. 20, and Liszt’s Venice and Naples (from Années de pèlerinage). For his second concert, he played Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 54. Josif Shvarts recalled: “When Shostakovich graduated from the Conservatory, he was not yet seventeen. I have always remembered – and it still sounds in my ears – his interpretation of all the movements of Schumann’s Concerto and the Humoresque, op. 20.”52 Shostakovich, however, was not satisfied with his performance of the concerto, admitting that he was ill when he played it. A sensitive listener, Valerian Bogdanov-Berezovsky noticed and remembered Shostakovich’s extraordinary competence in uniting Schumann’s Humoresque into an integral form, a remarkable gift that was evident in all his performances of large scale works. It is exceedingly difficult to achieve structural wholeness in performing the piece [Humoresque] beause of the spirit of improvisation that permeates it from beginning to end. The majority of pianists turn the Humoresque into a kind of divertissement consisting of a loosely connected chain of short scenes. Shostakovich took a different approach. Interpreting the work as a cycle of novellas, he established some

chap_01.fm Page 30 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

30

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

episodes as principal ones, and others as subsidiary. The principal ones were the introductory episode, the succeeding one B-flat major, the canon-like one in D minor, the lyrical one in G minor, the intermezzo, and the concluding episode. Shostakovich performed on a broad scale, creating sharp contrasts by means of dynamics and agogics and returning to the same nuances wherever the themes reappeared. This interplay of different means of expression helped to create a singular dramatic tension in his performance.53

On 20 July 1923, about a month after his graduation, accompanied by his elder sister, Maria, Dmitri went to Gaspra, a resort town in the Crimea, to rest and recuperate after his operation. Although Alexander Glazunov and Klavdiya Lukashevich (Dmitri’s godmother) had managed to procure some financial aid for the family, the Shostakoviches had still been forced to sell their precious Diderichs grand piano to pay for the trip. The brother and sister also tried to earn money by giving concerts in cities en route to and during their stay in the Crimea. It was in Gaspra that Dmitri met Tatiana Glivenko, a charming sixteenyear-old Muscovite with whom he fell deeply and sincerely in love. Although the feeling was mutual and led to an affair that lasted for several years, their relationship remained rather complicated. Unable to commit himself and greatly influenced by his domineering mother, Shostakovich did not propose to Glivenko. However he continued to correspond with her, visited her while in Moscow, and spent a vacation with her on the Black Sea in July 1926. Even after Glivenko married another man in 1929, Shostakovich continued to nourish hopes until the birth of her first child. Tatiana Glivenko is the dedicatee of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1, which he began to compose in Gaspra in August 1923. Of the three works written that year, only two – the Scherzo in E-flat major, op. 7, for orchestra, and the Piano Trio No. 1, op. 8 – have survived. The manuscript of a third composition, entitled Three Pieces for Cello and Piano, op. 9, was unfortunately lost. In 1927 Shostakovich wrote the following evaluation of his first trio: “The trio is the most successful of my ‘unpublished’ pieces. There is a great deal of lyricism, good turns, and fine lines in it. The development, in which I managed to achieve some relative dialectics, is especially successful.”54 Indeed, the adventurous harmony, ample use of dissonance, the imaginative melodies that express contrasting psychological qualities ranging from the grotesque to exaltation, and especially the interesting form of the trio all bear the unmistakable stamp of Shostakovich’s individual style. The intensive and elaborate development of the main themes of this one-movement composition written in sonata form produces clearly demarcated sections analogous to the four movements of a traditional cycle. For example, the Allegro section starting at (bar 61) plays the role of a scherzo while the Andante (starting at bar 103) is like a slow movement. An early piece, this trio is nonetheless noteworthy since it exemplifies a new level of the young

chap_01.fm Page 31 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

31

composer’s craft. In the second subject Shostakovich also uses recycled material from his discarded piano sonata of 1920. The trio was premiered on 19 December 192355 at the Leningrad Conservatory by the composer with violinist Veniamin Sher and cellist Grigoriy Pekker, but although it was often played by Shostakovich and his friends in the 1920s, it was never published during the composer’s lifetime. In 1983 it was issued in volume 37 of the Collected Works Edition, with the missing parts reconstructed by Shostakovich’s former student, the composer Boris Tishchenko.

programs and reviews, 1923–1925 After graduating from the Conservatory as a pianist, Shostakovich continued his studies in composition there, while starting his career as a performer. He was invited to play at the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music, which was established in 1922 and was “the only concert organization in Leningrad to provide chamber music with a properly functioning environment.”56 Shostakovich’s program for his first appearances there (22 and 30 June 1923) included Schumann’s Humoresque and Liszt’s Funérailles and Gnomenreigen along with his own Eight Preludes, op. 2 and the Suite for Two Pianos (with Maria Shostakovich). The critic Alexey Kholodny wrote: A short young man dressed in a jacket instead of the traditional tails appeared on the stage. His fingers, moving quickly and surely, demonstrated his evidently strong technique and serious training. His performance of Schumann’s Humoresque and Liszt’s Funérailles and Gnomenreigen was confident and clear but not yet mature; in some places, it lacked nuances. However, the excitement and temperament were felt, as well as his strong and sure attack … The young player immediately captured the attention of the audience, and his success only increased with each piece that he played. For his own compositions I had expected to hear shy, tentative attempts, the first creative steps of a beginner; however, in actual fact, I sensed the firm and sure hand of a seemingly experienced composer or, in any case, of a musician who understood the piano very well and who knew how to achieve the most varied effects on it. In all the performances, one feels a youthful fervor and sincere enthusiasm. The fervor, nevertheless, is somewhat excessive and even exhausting at times. Judging by the works he played, the young composer has not yet learned how to appreciate quiet and balanced music – he has almost no slow tempos and very little piano. Instead, forte and fast tempos predominate. It seems that this young man is so pleased to have mastered his technique that he wishes to show it off to the audience … The most interesting is the suite, consisting of four movements … All the pieces are still a bit monotonous: it seems that the young composer’s talent has not yet evolved to a sufficient degree. In any case, we are witnessing an interesting phenomenon, a fresh musical power before whom a broad road is open … The soloist played his own works superbly; his sister Maria, who played the second piano part in the suite was an excellent partner. For an encore, the second movement of the suite and a “Scherzo” that was not in the program were performed.57

chap_01.fm Page 32 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

32

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Judging from Shostakovich’s letter of 17 March 1924 to his friend composer-pianist Lev Oborin, it appears that at this time his current concert projects excited him much more than his compositions, for which he even invented his own funny name, “sochinilovka”: “Now I am working hard on my pianism. I received an invitation to appear at the Philharmonic to play Il’ich’s [Tchaikovsky’s] concerto. I am also preparing two clavierabends. I am not doing any composing [sochinilovka] at the moment. No sooner than a month from now, I’ll come to Moscow for about three weeks so that we can discuss everything. Then I’ll go to Leningrad to give two clavierabends – one of Schumann’s music and another one of Liszt’s. After that, the concert of my compositions and the chamber concert with violin and cello will take place.”58 During the 1923–24 and 1924–25 seasons, Shostakovich gave numerous recitals on the stage of the Circle, playing the following repertoire:59 the Liszt arrangement of Bach’s Organ Prelude and Fugue in A minor;60 Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, op. 57 (“Appassionata”);61 various works by Chopin;62 Walderauschen, Gnomenreigen, Funérailles, and Venice and Naples from Années de pélerinage by Liszt;63 the Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, op. 11, and the Humoresque, op. 20, by Schumann.64 At some of these recitals, he also included his own compositions: Eight Preludes, op. 2, Three Fantastic Dances, op. 5, and piano arrangements of the Scherzo, op. 1a and the Theme and Variations, op. 3a. As a rule, he also drew on them for encores. Most reviews of Shostakovich’s recitals were encouraging. After his recital of 16 December 1923, for example, Victor Valter wrote: The other day, at his concert, seventeen-year-old pianist Dmitri Shostakovich played the Bach-Liszt Prelude and Fugue, Beethoven’s “Appassionata”, and a number of his own works: the Theme with Variations, Preludes, Dances, Scherzo. I take upon myself the courage of greeting this young man with the same words as the ones with which I greeted the young Heifetz. In Shostakovich’s playing, one is struck by that same exuberantly serene self-confidence of genius. I am talking about not only Shostakovich’s exceptional playing, but also his compositions. What a wealth of creativity and amazing conviction are present in his own work (especially in the Variations) at the tender age of seventeen! Moreover, in this young man, these qualities are combined with the most modest of manners and an almost childish appearance. Shostakovich has enormous tasks ahead of him. Let us hope that this boy, who has defeated the cold and hunger of the past years, will victoriously overcome all the trials ahead.65

Bogdanov-Berezovsky wrote the following description of Shostakovich’s concert on 25 February 1925 at the Conservatory Maly Hall: The young pianist’s recital was devoted entirely to the works of Liszt. Liszt the wanderer and lyricist (Années de pèlerinage), Liszt the visionary (Gnomenreigen), Liszt the mystic, Liszt the virtuoso – all these faces of Liszt were vividly expressed by the pianist. Shostakovich’s pianism is not superficially virtuosic, but deeply artistic. In

chap_01.fm Page 33 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

33

the background is his technique, while in the foreground are the composer’s own ideas. Nevertheless, the technique is perfectly executed. There has been a significant evolution [in his performance] since his June concert at the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music. The program included pieces from his old repertoire, for example, the “Funérailles,” performed with powerful, albeit cold, pathos, and the “Gnomenreigen”. The latter is well in keeping with Shostakovich’s talents as a performer. The carving of rhythmic details, the impetuosity of tempo, and the fantastic nature of the musical content were grippingly conveyed.66

Some critics, however, found negative qualities in Shostakovich’s pianism. For example, on 10 December 1923, when Shostakovich substituted for his teacher Leonid Nikolayev to play the keyboard part in Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto in D major, critic Dmitri Mazurov opined: “The only thing that marred the performance was the wooden tone produced by the player of the piano part, D. Shostakovich.”67 The same critic reviewed another Shostakovich concert held on 27 May 1924 with the Conservatory orchestra conducted by Josif Miklashevsky: “Shostakovich performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The young pianist played very confidently, technically secure and in strict rhythm. He has a powerful attack and clean pedalling. But … how awful if this is all we can say about him as a pianist!”68 Although this review might seem unreasonably biased, it likely reflects something of the truth. Even Steinberg, a loyal admirer of his student’s pianistic talents, expressed disappointment in his diary on 27 May 1924: “Shostakovich’s and Renzin’s performances [the former played Tchaikovsky’s Concerto and the latter Rachmaninov’s] were far from brilliant, and for the most part dry. In addition, Mitya was rushing the tempos terribly …”69 Shostakovich participated in numerous concerts, playing his friends’ works. In 1925, for example, he performed compositions by Joseph Schillinger and he was one of the three pianists – together with Maria Yudina and Alexander Kamensky – to play Schillinger’s orchestral piece, Gate of the East, in an arrangement for three pianos. In the winter of that same year, Shostakovich played Gavriil Popov’s Fugato for Symphonic Orchestra with the composer in a transcription for two pianos. In 1923–24, being open to and enthusiastic about modern art and culture, Shostakovich collaborated with Maria Ponna, a former swimming champion and modern dance choreographer who was a follower of the famous Isadora Duncan. On 1 December 1923, as in his other concerts with her, Shostakovich chose to accompany her with music by Mozart, Schubert, and Rachmaninov, and his own Three Fantastic Dances. Ponna’s dancing was both liberating and eccentric, characteristics that corresponded to Shostakovich’s taste in art. An excellent ensemble player, Shostakovich often performed his own and other composers’ chamber works. One such concert took place in 1925 on the stage of the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music,70 where, together with violinist Veniamin Sher and cellist Grigoriy Pekker, he performed trios by

chap_01.fm Page 34 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

34

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Tchaikovsky, Sergei Taneyev, and Leonid Nikolayev. In October of that same year, he played his Piano Trio no. 1 at a Conservatory concert in honour of Franz Schreker, the German conductor and director of the Berlin Academy of Music. On 25 October 1925, Shostakovich worte to Boleslav Yavorsky about this event: The professor from the Berlin Academy liked my trio, which I did not expect at all. Through the translator, he said many nice things to me and wished me good health and success. We played the trio very well. An especially high level of performance was achieved by the violinist Sher and, without false modesty, I should say, the pianist Shostakovich. The cellist Vinogradov was also good, taking into account that he had played after only three rehearsals. But he is much worse than Pekker, the former performer of the cello part. The trio was received very enthusiastically by the large audience. They applauded wildly and called for the composer.71

Two weeks later, on 2 November 1925, at the Leningrad House of Arts, Shostakovich played his trio again with violinist Boris Savel’yev and cellist V. Prokofiev, but he was not happy with their performance. (This concert also featured Eight Preludes, op. 2, Three Fantastic Dances, and Three Pieces for Cello, op. 9.)72 Shostakovich definitely preferred playing the trio with Sher and Pekker, and at a Sunday matinee concert at the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music on 7 February 1926, they again performed it together. The Two Pieces for String Octet, op. 11 (piano arrangement) received their Leningrad premiere at the same concert.73 Whereas the contemporary critics expressed differing opinions about Shostakovich’s interpretation of the classical repertoire, they all, as a rule, concurred in their views about his performances of his own music. Bogdanov-Berezovsky recalled in his memoirs: For just this reason, Shostakovich’s recitals of his own music were the brightest of all, having nothing remotely similar in the realm of piano art. Whether he was playing his Suite for Two Pianos with his older sister Maria at a student concert in the Conservatory Maly Hall during his third year, or demonstrating his Preludes and Fantastic Dances in the Green Hall of the Institute of Arts History … acquainting his friends and fellow students with his songs based on Krylov’s fables, or trying out the two-piano arrangement of his then not yet completed First Symphony with one of his friends – an integral and undivided impression of the music itself and his interpretation of it always remained.74

Victor Valter, in his review of Shostakovich’s recital of 6 July 1924, expressed a similar thought: When you listen to pianists such as Shostakovich, you forget about technique and become imbued with spiritual content of the music … The public, which completely filled the hall of the Society of Friends of Chamber Music, forced him to play more

chap_01.fm Page 35 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

35

than was in the program. Shostakovich performed a few of his own compositions: the charming Preludes and Fantastic Dances. What simplicity, yet confidence, one finds in these works composed at such a young age! No tension, no futile quests! We do hope that in the future Shostakovich’s work will yield blossoming flowers and sweet fruit.75

th e s c h o o l o f l i f e In March 1924, for some strange reason and despite his established reputation, Shostakovich was not accepted in the postgraduate program in piano studies (then called “academic courses”) at the Leningrad Conservatory. It is still not known exactly why he was excluded, although the official explanation given by the Conservatory Board concerned his “immaturity and young age.” Leonid Nikolayev protested against this refusal and continued to teach Shostakovich free of charge. This situation entailed an enormous amount of frustration for both Dmitri and his mother. They considered a transfer to the Moscow Conservatory, and in early of March 1924, Shostakovich went to Moscow. Dmitri was eager to go to Moscow because his girlfriend Tatiana Glivenko and his friends, the composers Lev Oborin, Vissarion Shebalin, and Mikhail Kvadri, lived there. Moreover, he was drawn to the liberal and friendly atmosphere of the Moscow Conservatory. On 7 April 1924, Shostakovich had an audition at the Moscow Conservatory, at which he played his Piano Trio No. 1, op. 8, (with a violinist and a cellist) and a piano arrangement of his Three Pieces for Cello, op. 9. He was accepted at once into Konstantin Igumnov’s piano class and Nikolai Myaskovsky’s composition class. In the meantime, however, Dmitri’s mother was having second thoughts about her seventeen-year-old sickly child staying alone in Moscow. Eventually she decided that it would be better for him to return to his native city to finish his composition studies. Although Shostakovich remained in Leningrad to complete his Conservatory studies, he returned to Moscow a year later, in 1925, to take part in a joint recital with Vissarion Shebalin at the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall. In his letter of 8 March 1925 from Moscow, he informed his mother: “I am practising the piano and have learned Schumann’s Fantsiestuce [probably Phantasiestucke, op. 12] … I am very glad that my works are being accepted for publication and that in Moscow I will make some kind of name for myself with my concerts.”76 His joint recital with Shebalin took place on 20 March 1925. The first half of the concert consisted of Shebalin’s compositions; the second half featured Shostakovich’s works. Shostakovich performed Three Fantastic Dances, Three Pieces for Cello (with Anatoly Yegorov), and Suite for Two Pianos (with Lev Oborin). In addition, Oborin, together with violinist Nikolai Fyodorov and cellist Anatoly Yegorov played Shostakovich’s piano Trio no.1. To Shostakovich’s disappointment, Shebalin’s music was received with greater enthusiasm than was

chap_01.fm Page 36 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

36

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

his own. Nevertheless, he did receive much-needed honoraria for this and two other concerts in Moscow, writing proudly to his mother that he expected to earn a “minimum of 150 roubles.”77 During this visit to Moscow, Shostakovich also met the famous music scholar Boleslav Yavorsky and the influential military commander Marshall Mikhail Tukhachevsky, both of whom later became loyal friends and supported him both as a musician and as a person. After his Moscow visit, on 9 May 1925, Shostakovich wrote to Yavorsky that besides composing his First Symphony, he was also learning new piano repertoire. “For the last few days I have resumed my piano studies and have learned three Chopin ballades – the first, second, and third. I am now learning the fourth. Unbelievably beautiful pieces!”78 However, judging by a letter he wrote on 24 December 1926 to Victor Kubatsky, who was organizing some concerts for him in Moscow, it is unlikely that Shostakovich mastered the fourth ballade at this time: “I can play many things from the popular repertoire: Liszt’s Tarantella, Galop (which always enjoys great success), Spanish Rhapsody, and others; Chopin’s ballades (any of the first three), études, nocturnes, etc., as well as some miniatures by Rachmaninov.”79 In the summer of 1925 Dmitri travelled to Slavyansk, a small town known for its excellent recreational facilities and mineral water. He had been invited by and therefore stayed with the family of Boris Sass-Tisovsky, who was the son-in-law of Shostakovich’s godmother, Klavdiya Lukashevich. In their welcoming home, Dmitri could practice on the family’s fine Schroder grand piano, and make music with Sass-Tisovsky who enjoyed playing his magnificent Stradivari. (This was the same Sass-Tisovsky – the next door neighbor with a beautiful cello – that Dmitri remembered from his early childhood.) While in Slavyansk, Dmitri played two recitals featuring the Bach-Liszt Organ Prelude and Fugue in A minor, Beethoven’s “Appassionata” and “Waldstein” sonatas, works by Schumann and Liszt, and his own compositions. He enjoyed his time there and, as is obvious from his letter of 26 August 1925, was grateful that his mother allowed him to stay longer than planned: “Soon, it seems, they will hold one more concert in some club. I cannot predict the result. Maybe I’ll earn hundred roubles, or maybe only one rouble. By the way, did you receive the forty roubles from me for my last concert?”80 In a letter written on 2 September he summarized: “In general, I am greatly satisfied with my vacation. I have accomplished everything that I wanted to do. I have written two movements of the octet [op. 11], earned some money, and had fun at the wedding”81 After his “tour” to Slavyansk, Shostakovich was extremely keen on learning new repertoire and practising the piano, as we read in his letter to Yavorsky of 16 November 1925: Now I’ve begun working on my pianism. I decided to learn the terribly difficult “Don Giovanni” [Liszt’s piano transcription of Mozart’s opera]. I have to push my technique further. Leonid Vladimirovich [Nikolayev] wants me to give a recital with

chap_01.fm Page 37 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

roots, 1906–1923

37

the following program: Schumann’s Carnaval, 12 Chopin études (my choice from op. 10 or 25) and Liszt’s Don Giovanni. It is the most difficult program. For some reason, Chopin’s études attract me the least of all. I know them so well that learning them will be less interesting for me than, for example, learning Don Giovanni. The beauty of novelty is absent for me in the études. More than anything, I’m interested in learning something that I don’t know at all, or something that I know, but not as well as the back of my hand.82

During the years 1923 to 1925, the Shostakovich family continued to struggle financially, finding themselves endlessly in debt. At the end of 1923, Shostakovich was forced to seek employment as a pianist-improviser for silent films. Recalling the test he had to pass in order to get this job, Shosthakovich wrote: This test resembled my first visit to Bruni. They asked me to play a “Blue Waltz” first and then something “oriental.” I had not been able to play anything oriental for Bruni, but in 1923, I already knew Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade and Cui’s Orientale. My test was successful, and in November I began working at the Bright Reel cinema. It was extremely exhausting work, but because there were two pianists there, I somehow managed to get out to concerts and the theatre in addition to working at the movie theatre. Since I was paid my fee only once during my two-month stint at the Bright Reel Theatre, I was forced to quit the job, to take them to court to try to get what was owed to me, and to look for another means of livelihood.83

Shostakovich had similar experiences in other cinemas, including the Splendid Palace (1924) and the Pikadilly (1925). In a letter of 1 November 1925 to Leonid Nikolayev, he described how these jobs had affected him: The cinema has finished me off. Because I am somewhat sensitive, when I arrive home, the cinema music is still ringing in my ears and the dreadful heroes still appearing before my eyes. As a result, I am unable to fall asleep for ages. I finally get to sleep, but not earlier than 4 or 5 a.m. So, in the morning, I get up very late with a headache and in a foul mood. All sorts of ugly thoughts creep into my head – such as I’ve sold myself to Sevzapkino for 134 roubles, or I’ve become a movie-pianist. By then, it’s already time to dash off to the Conservatory. After that, I come home, have lunch, and fly off to the Splendid Palace.84

Whether he played solo or with a small orchestra or ensemble, Shostakovich’s cinema improvisations were, by all accounts, markedly different from the standard fare of musical clichés (from books of ready-made music “for all occasions” – happiness, despair, chase scenes, etc.) provided by most pianists. While some moviegoers enjoyed his unorthodox music, many disliked it and some even complained to the management. Dmitri attempted to handle the situation with humour, but more often than not, he experienced frustration and exhaustion, as he described to Yavorsky on 18 October 1925:

chap_01.fm Page 38 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:29 PM

38

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

At this moment, I’m in a bad mood because of my cinema job. However, now it is easier to work than it was last year. I have to improvise less and play with the orchestra more. My fee is quite good: 134 roubles per month. Right now, the drama, The Great and Immortal is playing there. It has been on, non-stop, for five weeks … And the music is the same, all the time. I’m terribly tired of it. If only I could put a good Bechstein in a hut and compose and perform. It would be wonderful not to think about my daily bread or anything else, but instead to do only what I love … I want to play, to compose, and not fabricate music to staggering dramas.85

Obviously, cinema employment was draining Dmitri’s time, health, and energy. He evidently experienced no regrets when, in March 1926, he was able to leave this work forever.

chap_02.fm Page 39 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

2 At the Crossroads, 1923–1933

graduation as a composer a n d t h e f i r s t c o n c e r t to u r Working in the cinema during 1924–25 had depleted Shostakovich’s time and energy and made it difficult for him to concentrate on his compositions. Thus, his work on the Two Pieces for String Octet, op. 11 and the Symphony No. 1 op. 12, continued much longer than usual. Conceived in 1923, the first symphony was completed in its piano version only at the end of April 1925, to be presented as Shostakovich’s graduation piece for his final examination as a composer on 6 May 1925. The two-piano version was performed by the composer with Pavel Feldt. The orchestral score was completed on 1 July. Shostakovich’s earlier compositions are merely promising works of an extraordinary talented youth, but the Symphony No. 1 is an accomplished artistic masterpiece in which only the captivating vitality and exuberant temperament betray composer’s youth. Although Shostakovich had already used the piano as an orchestral instrument in his Scherzo, op. 7, he achieved an even more conspicuous effect with it in his first symphony. In the second and fourth movements, the piano reinforces other instruments and surprises listeners with its bold solos. For example, the three abrupt fff piano chords (rehearsal number 22) that follow the powerful culmination of the second movement have the dazzling effect of an unexpected explosion, bringing the movement to a sudden and mysterious end. Satisfied with this effect in the orchestral performance, the composer exclaimed in a letter to Yavorsky: “And the piano does sound at the end of the Scherzo! I am not at all disappointed in its sonority.”1 The texture of the piano part is prophetic of Shostakovich’s later piano works particulary the Concertino for Two Pianos, op. 94, and Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102. A typical Shostakovichian “trademark”– scale passages in octaves – is as abundant in this score as it is in many later piano works and piano parts of chamber compositions (example. 2.1).

chap_02.fm Page 40 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

40

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.1 Symphony No. 1: first movement, bars 1001–9.

Shostakovich frequently played this symphony at private or official gatherings. He wrote to his mother on 11 February 1926 from Moscow: “On Tuesday, at the Gosizdat [Music Publishers], I played my Symphony, Octet, and Fantastic Dances. All have been accepted for publication … The Octet and Dances [will be published] right away and the Symphony after the first performance ... I have met many interesting musicians. I have also played for many of them and enjoyed the most welcoming and warm reception.”2 In early April 1926 he demonstrated the symphony at the Leningrad Association for Contemporary Music.3 He also played it for friends, teachers, and other musicians, including Darius Milhaud (in March 1926) and Bruno Walter (in 1927). Maximilian Steinberg and Boleslav Yavorsky asked Nicolai Malko, the chief conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic, to hear the piece. Impressed both by the new work and by Shostakovich’s playing, Malko later wrote: “Shostakovich played his symphony on the piano remarkably, producing the effect of a full score in spite of his small, non-pianistic hands. But characteristically, as do most composers, he played with great attention to the notes and without much expression. No single counterpoint or technical passage seemed to hinder him; no intricate harmony upset his attention. Everything was fluent, clear, and accurate, although his tempi were constantly too fast.”4 On 20 April 1926, Shostakovich was unanimously recommended for the “aspirantura” of the Leningrad Conservatory – postgraduate studies in composition. Two weeks later, on 12 May 1926, the Symphony no. 1 was premiered by Nicolai Malko conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Or-

chap_02.fm Page 41 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

41

chestra and was received so enthusiastically that the Scherzo had to be encored. This date might well be considered a turning point in Shostakovich’s life. Soon premiered abroad – by Bruno Walter on 6 February 1928 in Berlin, and by Leopold Stokowski on 2 November 1928 in Philadelphia – this symphony acquainted the world with a new musical genius and was destined to bring Shostakovich international recognition and fame. However, at that time, composition and performance were equally important to Shostakovich. Having been accepted for postgraduate studies in composition on 1 October 1926, he continued to have aspirations as a concert pianist and to perform as an accompanist. From October 1925 to the winter of 1928, Shostakovich appeared in numerous concerts with the soprano Lydia Vyrlan. Possessing a powerful voice, a wide range, dramatic talent, and rare musical intuition, she was an important artist on of the contemporary vocal stage. During their artistic collaboration they mastered an extended repertoire of Russian classical romances and arias by Glinka, Musorgsky, and Tchaikovsky. They also actively promoted contemporary Russian composers, performing songs by Alexander Aleksandrov, Isaak Dunayevsky, Reinhold Gliere, Mikhail Gnesin, Marian Koval, Nicolai Medtner, Nikolai Miaskovsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninov, Maximilian Steinberg, Lyubov Shtreikher, and Yulia Veysberg. Works by Debussy and Ravel were also featured in their recitals. Praising Vyrlan’s artistic temperament and sensitivity, the musicologist Pavel Wulfius admitted that “D. Shostakovich proved to be a sensitive accompanist, but was not always on an equal technical level.”5 However, Bogdanov-Berezovsky’s opinion was that the Vyrlan-Shostakovich duo was an admirably balanced ensemble. “Lydia Vyrlan is a thoughtful and sensitive artist whose powerful performances manage to breathe a new life into the most lifeless songs. Here, we come into contact with real creativity in performance, art that can transform compositions into masterpieces and that is so rare nowadays. The singer found in Shostakovich a superb ensemble partner whose performance abilities corresponded to her artistic individuality.”6 Shostakovich’s firsthand knowledge of vocal technique and artistry undoubtedly influenced his compositions for voice, as it is evident in his great operas and beautiful songs. In this sense, his collaboration with Vyrlan was a valuable experience. In order to promote Shostakovich as a composer and performer, Nicolai Malko managed to organize a concert tour to Kharkov (3–16 July 1926) where he planned to conduct the Kharkov Philharmonic Orchestra in performances of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Shostakovich as a soloist. The concerts took place in the open air, which was not favorable acoustically. Despite the venue, a bad piano, and the accompaniment of barking dogs in the park, Shostakovich played brilliantly. With his usual sense of humor, he described the event in a letter to Yavorsky:

chap_02.fm Page 42 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

42

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Dear Boleslav Leopoldovich: I have said hello to the dogs of Kharkov from you. They were very flattered to have received greetings from the Chairman of the Musical Section of GUS, Professor Yavorsky, and in order not to be outdone, they barked buoyantly and loudly both while I played Tchaikovsky’s Concerto and while I performed my own Klavierabend. Because I’d had such a huge success after Tchaikovsky’s Concerto, the administration arranged for me to give a solo recital. I had three days to prepare for it. I did prepare and played well. I enjoyed success and thus also “enjoyed” an honorarium.7

Shostakovich’s solo recital featured his own works. In the first half he played a piano arrangement of his op. 11 octet, Eight Preludes, op. 2, Three Fantastic Dances, op. 5, and the Piano Trio No. 1. For the trio, he was joined by two musicians from Kharkov: violinist Ilya Dobrzhinz and cellist A. Kassan. The second half was devoted to works by Liszt: Sonata “après une lecture du Dante, Funérailles, Gnomenreigen, Waldesrauschen, Canzone, Gondoliera, Tarantella. Malko recalled that before the concert, Shostakovich practised the Liszt works a little, but did not even touch his own pieces, except for the trio, which he rehearsed with the local musicians. Yet at the concert: “He performed quietly, without any trace of nervousness, and with self-assurance, precisely, without any special enthusiasm; I should say even with a little reserve. The audience was not very large, but it was warmly appreciative.”8 The press was extremely positive, characterizing Shostakovich as a “young musician who proved to be an excellent pianist … one is impressed not by the technique itself (although it is great), but by his sense of rhythm and style and also by his temperament.”9

p i a n o s o n a t a n o . 1 , o p. 1 2 Shostakovich recalled that for a short period after his graduation he was overtaken with self-doubts and in a fit of disillusionment destroyed his manuscripts, including The Gypsies, an opera based on Pushkin’s poem. In the summer of 1926, having recovered from his depression, he was at work on a piano concerto and he informed Yavorsky about this. However, instead of the concerto, a piano sonata was conceived in his mind. Shostakovich confessed that, “the preparatory stage lasted but a few minutes. In those few minutes, I quite clearly envisioned the entire new composition.”10 In two letters of 27 September – one to Yavorsky and the other one to Oborin11 – he described how he was composing his first piano sonata. We read in his letter to Yavorsky: Just a moment ago, an idea of how to continue the sonata lit up my mind. Tonight, after everybody has gone to sleep, I’ll develop it further. But it’s not worth doing it at the moment, because the primus [gas-stove] is making noise in the kitchen,

chap_02.fm Page 43 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

43

Marusya’s [Maria’s] students are using the piano, other sounds of the working day are audible … The idea of the sonata is growing and demanding to be put into shape. The primus is making its noises, the sounds of Czerny’s studies are coming from the next room … However, I will try to begin.12

The sonata was completed on 20 October 1926. The next day, excited and happy, Dmitri demonstrated it to his friends at the Conservatory, injuring his finger while doing so; he even left some bloodstains on the keys. Writing about this to Yavorsky, he also informed him that he had arranged the sonata’s “smotriny” [the introduction of the bride to the groom’s family] with Nikolayev, pianist Alexander Kamensky, and composer Vladimir Shcherbachev.13 The Piano Sonata No.1, op.12, is unique among Shostakovich’s compositions. It is the first large piano work in which he expressed himself in a modernist idiom without limitations and tried his hand at a number of many “forbidden” styles and techniques that his Conservatory teachers would not understand, let alone approve or encourage. Two poles of early twentieth-century pianism – the splendour of late romanticism, and the new sonorities found in music by Hindemith, Stravinsky, Krenek,14 and Prokofiev – coexist naturally and are integrated in the melting pot of this Sonata. The scope and intensity of this experimentation and the discovery of new means of instrumental expression are unmatched in any of his later piano works. Shostakovich never returned to the somewhat pompous and lavish style of “mnogonotiye” [many notes] exhibited in this sonata. His later piano works are notable for wise economy and transparency of texture, although a rare echo of the daring quest of this first sonata can be found in the cadenza of the last movement of his Violin Sonata, op. 134. The electrifying texture of this cadenza, written in 1964, almost forty years later, connects the composer’s early inspirations with his late piano style. The Piano Sonata No. 1 was first published in 1927; in the second edition (1935) Shostakovich added metronome indications. Although the sonata is a one-movement work, the form alludes to a three-movement cycle, with the Lento section (bar 210–245) substituting for a slow movement. In the first subject, both the leading melody and the contrapuntal triplet accompaniment leave no doubt that Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No.3 served as a prototype (example 2.1). (At this time, Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata no. 3 and his Piano Concerto No.1 were in Shostakovich’s concert repertoire.) Futhermore, the triumphant tremolos, widely spread registers, and lavish pedalling in bars 31–37 betray Scriabin’s influence. In the ensuing section (bars 38–82, marked a tempo and marcato), the chromatic line previously heard as a counterpoint to the main theme opens a toccata-like episode where both lines of the main theme are interwoven. The themes develop with even more intensity towards climax in bars 61–64. This is followed by a tremendous crescendo (starting in ^

chap_02.fm Page 44 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

44

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.2 Piano Sonata No. 1, op. 12: bars 1–2.

bar 75), with left-hand octaves marching all over the keyboard in gigantic steps of a fourth (an important motivic segment from bar 4 of the main subject). These steps lead to the introduction of the second subject in bar 83 (marked Meno mosso). The second subject consists of two themes. The first theme has the character of a grotesque and clumsy march, announced by give rapid glissandolike scale figures, each descending a diminished octave (F to F sharp, see example 2.3). The last two are followed by the familiar interval of a fourth. The march abounds with repetitions of the same note, which play an important role in the further development of this theme. The second theme of the second subject (bars 113–131) is a calm, legato melody, marked semplice, with a contrapuntal sempre staccato accompaniment in the bass (example 2.4). This theme subsides quietly into the beginning of the closing subject (Adagio bar 132). From the start of this Adagio, marked morendo and legato, the listener is surprised by Shostakovich’s unusual timbral contrasts and nuances of darker colours. The whole episode is coloured by a slow trill pedal (F sharp–E sharp) in the bass. The motive of the second subject predominates here, interspersed with the glissando from the march theme and the dotted ascending fourth figure from the main subject. With the ppp dynamic, the murmuring clusters in the lowest register of the piano (bars 136 and 140) are highly impressive. The most extraordinary and imaginative part of the sonata is the development section, which consists of three distinct episodes: Allegro (bars 148– 89), Poco meno mosso (bar 190–209), and Lento (bars 210–45). Preceded by a huge crescendo wave, the Allegro episode bursts into bar 148 with a sudden drop from ff to pp, and staccato octaves. This episode is a fiendish toccata, in which the first subject and the motives from both themes of the second subject are united in a sparkling contrapuntal whirlpool. The second Poco meno mosso episode opens with the completely transformed second theme of the second subject. The right-hand chords sound like a hymn supported by the line of left-hand octaves. The rhythm of the melody is augmented, and each melodic segment ends with a long chord that lasts for an 5 entire bar. These bars gradually elongate as the metre changes from 4 in

chap_02.fm Page 45 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

Example 2.3 Piano Sonata No. 1 , op. 12 bars 83–98.

Example 2.4 Piano Sonata No.1, op. 12: bars 112–15.

chap_02.fm Page 46 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

46

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.5 Piano Sonata No. 1, op. 12: bars 203–9.

bar 191 to 10 4 in bar 197.) The long chords are followed and sustained by cascades of ascending chromatic passages saturated with pedal. The climactic summit of this episode occurs in bar 198, where the brilliant scale passage of bar 197, which runs over four octaves and rings openly with clashing semitones, is suddenly interrupted by a powerful recitative in the low register. Like the Adagio section (starting in bar 132), this episode has a pedal tremolo on the interval of a fourth that creates a colourful effect. Here, the repeated C sharps (from the march theme) return. The succeeding clusters (from the Adagio) also reappear, fff, with a much more ominous force. A striking effect is achieved at the end of this section, where, according to the composer’s instructions, the pedal held from bar 205 is released several times after the second quarter of bar 208 in order to create a faint rumbling effect of overtones, which should linger on and be audible up to the beginning of bar 209 (example 2.5). In the first two episodes, the transformation of the main themes does not make them unrecognizable. In the third episode, Lento, it is practically impossible to trace the motivic origin of the theme by ear (example 2.6). However, by examining the score, we can see that this theme is an inverted variant of the march-like melody of the second subject, given here in rhythmic augmentation (compare examples 2.3 and example 2.6). The metamorphosis of the theme is absolute because of the slow tempo, exquisite harmonization (reminiscent of Scriabin’s later works),15 and rich pedal that blends different registers and harmonies to create a bewitching aura of a mysterious and whimsical nocturne (example 2.6).

chap_02.fm Page 47 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

47

Example 2.6 Piano Sonata No. 1, op. 12: bars 210–15.

Toward the end of the Lento, the main subject suddenly emerges (bar 229), followed by the remains of the recitative with the repeated notes (bars 238– 44). The recapitulation begins in bar 246 with the return of the fast tempo. This section of the sonata opens with the second theme of the second subject in the low register. Although it is adorned with fast sixteeth-note passages in the right hand, soprano part, it sounds almost as calm as it originally appeared in the exposition because it augmented. In bar 250, the leading motive of the first subject joins the polyphonic development. Tension increases in bars 266–73 where the left-hand chords cover distant registers in gigantic jumps, accompanied by a whirlwind of sonaring right-hand sixteenth-note figures. The ensuing Meno mosso (bars 274–81) and Moderato (bars 282–86) represent the climax of the piece, in which all the main themes are superimposed, creating an ecstatic sonority. At the end of the Moderato, the dense dissonant chords in bars 285–86 proclaim the fatal repeated-notes motive. This is suddenly interrupted by a fermata and the swift passages in the last two bars of the Allegro’s roar in a final crescendo.

chap_02.fm Page 48 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

48

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

This sonata is incredibly challenging for performers and listeners alike. Even Steinberg, who tried to play it at sight, was surprised that Shostakovich, sitting in the opposite corner of the room, could correct his wrong notes. He said to the young composer: “You hear what you wrote, which means that you did actually compose this music instead of simply “inventing” it. However,… unfortunately, I don’t like it.”16 Shostakovich often included the sonata in his recitals. Nicolai Malko recalled how the composer played this extremely difficult piece: “His performance of his own first sonata always produced amazement. I had thought this sonata impossible for a pianist to perform, and this doubt was probably not too unreasonable. Upon the occasions when I would introduce Shostakovich to musicians who were guests from abroad and would request him to play his sonata, the effect was always the same. “How does he do it?”17 During December 1926, Shostakovich played his Piano Sonata No. 1 at least three times in Leningrad. At the public premiere on 2 December 1926 in the Maly Philharmonic Hall, Shostakovich was already aware that it was not easy for listeners to comprehend this new work. We read in his letter to Boleslav Yavorsky, written on 11 December, that during the première, there was some noise in the hall, but at the next performance (on 9 December at the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music) the audience listened with much more attention. In the same letter, he informed Yavorsky that he planned to perform it for a third time at a concert organized by the Circle of New Music, and he also confided: I have one wish that I want to ask your advice about. The thing is that when I play my sonata, they all say “hm” and ask me to repeat it. And only afterwards do they start saying whether they like the sonata or not. I want to play the sonata twice at my Moscow recital. Only I don’t know how to do it. Either, after having finished with the first performance, I should begin the sonata for the second time right away, or after I play the sonata, they should play the octet, and then I should play the sonata again … The concert will be twelve minutes longer (for the sonata’s duration) because of this.18

On 12 December 1926, the day after the above letter was written, Shostakovich took part in a performance of Stravinsky’s Les noces conducted by Mikhail Klimov. Because of its new and complex musical language, Les noces was played twice on this occasion. The decision to repeat the piece was extremely unusual and was made, most probably, during rehearsals prior to the concert.19 It might well be that Shostakovich’s desire to repeat the sonata at his Moscow recital was instigated by the repetition of Les noces. On 9 January 1927, Shostakovich premiered the sonata in Moscow, playing it three times in one day. The first performance took place during the matinee concert in the Mozart Hall; then he played it twice at his evening concert in the Bolshoi Theatre’s Beethoven Hall. Composer Dmitri Kabalevsky recalled the evening performance:

chap_02.fm Page 49 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

49

“For the sake of a better understanding of this music I will play it once more,” said the composer quietly and shyly when the applause subsided, and sat down at the piano again and, even more energetically and convincingly than before, repeated his first sonata … Those in the hall who were able to listen and really hear the music sensed that a powerful and original talent had come to our art. This originality was felt in his performing style as well – somewhat dry and toccata-like, but flawless in terms of the pianism.20

th e 1 9 2 7 c h o p i n c o m p e t i t i o n On the same day, 9 December 1926, that Shostakovich performed his Piano Sonata no.1 at the Circle of Friends of Chamber Music, his devoted friend Boleslav Yavorsky wrote a letter to Nikolayev, informing him of the upcoming First International Chopin Piano Competition to be held in Warsaw. In the letter, he requested Nikolayev’s approval to submit Shostakovich’s name to the committee responsible for choosing participants for the contest. (Since the Soviets viewed the competition as a political venue, candidates who would “expose themselves to international criticism” were chosen at the state level.)21 Ironically, Vladimir Horowitz, who was selected by the committee as a candidate from Ukraine, was already in the West and had decided to stay there for good. The competitors who eventually went to Poland included three Muscovites – Yuri Bryushkov (a student of Carl Kipp), Grigoriy Ginzburg (a student of Alexander Goldenveizer), Lev Oborin (a student of Konstantin Igumnov) – and two Leningraders – Dmitri Shostakovich and Josif Shvarts (both students of Leonid Nikolayev). The compulsory Chopin works for the competition were: the piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, op.11; the Polonaise in F-sharp minor, op. 44; the Preludes in F-sharp minor and B-flat minor from op. 28; and the Ballade in A-flat major, op. 47. The remaining pieces on Shostakovich’s program were of his own choice: the Nocturnes in F-sharp major, op. 15, no. 2, and in Csharp minor, op. 27, no. 1; the Études in C-sharp minor, op. 10, no. 4 and in A-flat major, op. 25, no. 1;22 and the Mazurkas in B minor, op. 33, no. 4 and in C-sharp minor.23 When he read Yavorsky’s letter to Nikolayev,24 Shostakovich quickly calculated that he had thirty-three days to prepare; the competition was to start on 23 January. He nevertheless decided to try. He met with Nikolayev every other day and hoped that he would be ready in time. (Many years later, he confessed that his teacher had discovered “a lot in Chopin” for him.25) After about a month of preparation, Shostakovich’s mother summoned her son’s friends to their home to listen to the entire program. We read in Bogdanov-Berezhovsky’s memoirs that: The self-discipline with which the young Shostakovich prepared for the 1927 Warsaw Competition was astonishing. For three weeks, he locked himself away at

chap_02.fm Page 50 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

50

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

home, practising for hours at a time, having postponed his composing and given up trips to the theatre and visits with friends. Even more startling was the result of this seclusion. Of course, prior to this time as well, he had played superbly and occasioned Glazunov’s now famous glowing reports. But during those days, his pianism, sharply idiosyncratic and rhythmically impulsive, multi-timbred yet graphically defined, emerged in its concentrated form.26

Shostakovich later recalled that he and Oborin performed their Chopin programs for Michail Tukhachevsky, and that Yavorsky had also provided useful advice for the young performers.27 It is impossible to evaluate firsthand Shostakovich’s interpretations of Chopin since no recordings have been preserved. The only available sources that we can draw on are appraisals of Shostakovich’s performances by his contemporaries. For example, the well-known Soviet pianist and teacher Nathan Perelman, who heard Shostakovich’s concert at the Leningrad Philharmonic Hall prior to his departure to Poland, recalled: His Chopin playing didn’t resemble anything I have heard before or since … He never allowed himself the slightest hint of “Chopinesque” sentiment, and this in its own way had much charm … Shostakovich emphasized the linear aspect of music and was very precise in all the details of performance. He used little rubato in his playing, and it lacked extreme dynamic contrasts. It was an “antisentimental” approach to playing which showed incredible clarity of thought. You could say that his playing was very modern; at the time we accepted it and took it to our hearts. But it made less impression in Warsaw, where Oborin’s more decorative, charming, and “worldly” approach, albeit somewhat militaristic, was the order of the day. However, Shostakovich seemed to foresee that by the end of the twentieth century, his style of playing would predominate, and in this his pianism was truly contemporary.28

On 14 January 1927, a mere eight days before his departure, Shostakovich and the other contestants gave a recital in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. According to the critics of the time, his playing was weaker than the others technically, although his grasp of the structure of the music was praised.29 Shostakovich, however, was more than satisfied with his performance in Moscow, describing it to his mother as follows: I stepped onto the stage. It was a little bit scary at first, but then I forgot about everything and began playing. Immediately after the polonaise, which I played first, applause broke out. They applauded as well after both the nocturnes, the études, and the mazurkas. I did mess up a little in the Preludes. I finished with the ballade. Never did I expect such a success. I went back on stage for a bow and then had a smoke backstage. After having finished my cigarette, I took one more bow and so on. Yavorsky ran backstage to see me, saying that it had been wonderful, and that he was glad (this was whispered to my ear) that I had not let him down.30

chap_02.fm Page 51 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

51

Dmitri’s description of the event seems both trustworthy and objective. Arnold Alschwang, an acclaimed musicologist, wrote later: “Anyone who heard the wonderful performance of Chopin in the joint concert given by the young pianists before their trip to Warsaw would certainly remember, for a long time to come, the interpretation of the great Polish composer’s works [by Shostakovich] that was at once melancholic and triumphant, as well as profound and lacking any salon-like mannerisms.”31 The morning after his arrival in Warsaw, on the opening day of the competition, Shostakovich suffered an attack of appendicitis. His performance, however, was scheduled for four days later, on 27 January, by which time he fortunately felt better and able to compete. (Some four months later, on 25 April 1927, he had his appendix removed in Leningrad.) In his letter to Yavorsky, written on the day of his competition appearance, right after the performance, Dmitri described his recital with childish excitement, noting the amount of applause he had received and the precise timing of his speedy performance of the Prelude in B-flat minor, of which he was extremely proud: I started with the polonaise (here, they all finish with it). They clapped generously after it, and I had to bow. They also applauded after each nocturne. The applause continued for a long time, so I had to stand up and bow again. After the F-sharpminor prelude, they clapped energetically; they did so, as well, after the B-flat-minor one. After each prelude, I also had to stand up and bow. An acquaintance of mine told me that Szpinalski’s performance of the same prelude (he played right before me) lasted fifty-one seconds. I managed to play it in only forty-seven seconds. During the A-flat-major étude, they started clapping after the arpeggios and they did so rapturously. It seems to me that I’ve succeeded in making the appropriate impression with this étude. After the C-sharp-minor étude, I stood up and bowed twice. After the ballade, they clapped intensely. I was called back once, and then they calmed down. I am pleased with myself. I played, forgetting about everything else on earth – played, as they say, with inspiration. Tomorrow I’ll find out whether I am among the chosen eight [the eight contestants chosen to play the concerto with the orchestra during the final round of the competition].32

Shostakovich managed to last through to the final round, playing very well. Despite his performances, however, he won no prize and was awarded only a diploma. Oborin was, the overall winner of the competition; two Polish pianists finished in second and third places, and Ginzburg received fourth prize. It is entirely possible that a chauvinist bias greatly influenced the final decision of the all-Polish jury. Trying to hide his disappointment, on 1 February, Dmitri wrote to his mother that, after his name was read at the prizegiving ceremony, the public rewarded him “rather demonstratively” with stormy applause.33 Nevertheless, he was quite upset about the outcome.

chap_02.fm Page 52 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

52

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Shostakovich’s appearances at the competition did, however, lead to an invitation to give a recital on 5 February in Warsaw (with a decent honorarium). At this recital, he performed not only Beethoven’s “Appassionata” and works by Chopin, but also his own Piano Sonata No. 1. After leaving Poland, but before returning home, he and Oborin spent a happy week in Berlin, for which Dmitri’s honorarium proved to be quite useful. Nicolai Malko recalled that after the competition, Shostakovich displayed certain characteristics that had not been evident before – for example “an extreme ambition, if not to say vanity” ... “He was probably very disappointed not to receive the prize, and he continually tried to explain how it had been and what had happened.”34 In March 1927, in spite of his recent disappointment, Shostakovich asked Yavorsky to organize a recital in Moscow, for which he suggested a rather ambitious program that featured four sonatas – Beethoven’s “Appassionata,” Liszt’s “Dante,” Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 3 and his own Piano Sonata No. 1 – plus six more works by Liszt.35 Judging from this program, he had no intention of limiting his concert engagements. However, while recovering from his appendectomy in April, he suffered from an attack of self- doubt, confessing that: “When I was well, I practised the piano every day. I wanted to carry on like that until autumn, and then decide. If I saw that I had not improved, I would quit the whole business. To be a pianist who is worse than Szpinalski, Etkin, Ginzburg, and Bryushkov (it is commonly thought that I am worse than them) is not worth it.”36 Such thoughts likely started to trouble his mind quite often and he began spending much less time practising piano at home, a tendency immediately observed by his mother.37 We can conclude that the disappointing results of the competition proved a serious blow to the young Dmitri, leading eventually to his abandonment of a carreer as a piano virtuoso.

a p h o r i s m s , o p. 1 3 Shortly after his arrival back home, Shostakovich had an apportunity to meet Prokofiev, who was making his first tour of Russia after the October Revolution. Dmitri attended Prokofiev’s Leningrad concerts and met the composer personally on 23 February, when he played his Piano Sonata No. 1 for him. From that time on, Prokofiev clearly remembered Shostakovich not only as a composer but also as a fine pianist.38 The younger composer’s impressions of Prokofiev’s music and his performance were still fresh when, two days after their encounter, on 25 February 1927, he put down on paper the first piece, “Recitative,” of his new suite of short piano pieces. The idea of the cycle had begun to take shape in his mind several weeks earlier. Shostsakovich recalled: “I conceived these pieces at the beginning of February, while I was going to bed, in Berlin. During that time, I was thinking a great deal about a particular law of nature, that served as an impulse for composing Aphorisms, which are all

chap_02.fm Page 53 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

53

united by the same idea. I don’t want to say right now what idea that was. At the beginning of March, when I was already in Leningrad, I began to compose, writing all ten pieces in one outburst. But the preparatory period lasted for a month.”39 We also know from, Shostakovich’s letter to Yavorsky of 6 March 1927, that he initially intended to write twelve miniatures: “I have just composed the fourth number of my suite. It’s called ‘Elegy’. Altogether, there are four [pieces ready]. Thus, one third of the suite is written … All these pieces are extremely brief. ‘Elegy,’ at least, consists of eight bars, but ‘Nocturne’ has only one. However, ‘Nocturne,’ despite its one-bar length, lasts longer than all the others. The shortest of all is ‘Recitative’ – lasting thirty-three seconds.”40 In the end, between 25 February and 7 April Shostakovich produced only ten miniatures, because in the process of composition, he had changed the end of the suite almost completely.41 On Yavorsky’s suggestion, the suite was given the apt title Aphorisms. Indeed, these extraordinary little pieces do sound much like brief musical aphorisms. Whereas the Piano Sonata No. 1 provides a rare example of Shostakovich’s mnogonotie (an excessively elaborate and overloaded texture), Aphorisms represents another extreme, in which he aimed for a style that was as laconic and linear as possible, a kind of piano pointillism. These two works, however, do have something in common: both demonstrate his liberal use of dissonance and his brilliant polyphonic mastery. Explaining what he intended to achieve in Aphorisms, Shostakovich stated: “In the chamber instrumental compositions, I was interested in finding a new style of piano texture, which I have partially succeeded doing in Aphorisms, where the style is exclusively contrapuntal, and sparsely voiced.”42 All the pieces, except for the last one, “Lullaby,” are similar in style, but they differ in terms of mood, articulation, dynamics, and use (or avoidance) of pedal. The first piece, “Recitative,” begins with a sombre legato motive that is quickly interrupted in bar 2 by an answering poco marcato line with nagging repetitions. The autograph contains the indication, sempre senza pedale; although this marking disappeared in the printed editions, the aura of clear and unpedalled sonority prevails. The dialogue between the lines continues with subtle changes of shading from senza marcato in bar 12 to marcato in bar 16, and is finally, cut short by an abrupt accented chord in the last bar. This seemingly sudden ending has nevertheless been prepared by the “impatient” metre changes that start in bar 14 and continue to the end. Like the other pieces in the suite, “Serenade” has a precise metronome indication ( A = 208). The marking is particularly important in this piece because of the whimsical rhythmic picture and the capricious metre changes (example 2.7). Like “Recitative,” “Serenade” is a dialogue. The second voice enters in bar 12, and from bar 23 on, two voices proceed in the same rhythm. The melodies, however, sound so dissonantly together that when they suddenly

chap_02.fm Page 54 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

54

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.7 Aphorisms, op. 13: Serenade, bars 1–5.

Example 2.8 Aphorisms, op. 13: Serenade, bars 33–37.

achieve a rare unison (bars 25–7), a bold and unexpected contrast occurs. The obstinate and abrupt staccato chord (B–D–F–C) is the only constant feature. Serving as both a pedal point and ostinato, this chord accompanies the two voices throughout the whole piece. The marking Andantino amoroso, which is present in the autograph but not included in the printed editions, does help to clarify the character of the piece. It may also explain the whispery piano and pianissimo dynamics, the una corda pedal, and the legato articulation prescribed for the highly intense melodic lines. The ending is remarkably expressive: the gliding lines of bar 35 move toward one another without meeting, then “sigh” bitterly in bars 36–7 (example 2.8). The next piece “Nocturne,” is loud and agitated. With neither time indications nor bar lines, it is presented as a stream of spontaneous and disparate exclamations ranging from p to fff and ffff. The tempo (indicated by metronome markings) changes four times. Imbued with instability and almost spasmodic in nature, the rhythm fluctuates constantly, and yet is extremely detailed. Although it is effectively written, this piece resembles no existing nocturne. Instead, it creates a new kind of nocturnal music that is almost violent in its expressionistic depiction of a night of unpredictability and traumatic experience (example 2.9). The term appassionato (see example 2.10) provides an important clue about the nature of this piece. In the autograph, Shostakovich used appassionato as a general direction for the entire piece.

chap_02.fm Page 55 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

55

Example 2.9 Aphorisms, op. 13: Nocturne, systems 1–2.

Example 2.10 Aphorisms, op. 13: Nocturne, system 5.

“Elegy,” the fourth and shortest piece of the cycle, is sad, poetic, and gentle. Although more conventional than the first three, its eloquent counterpoint is extremely expressive. The mesto legato marking in bar 1 sets the atmosphere appropriately. (In the autograph the composer designated the tempo as Largo mesto and used legatissimo as an articulation marking.) “Elegy” and “Lullaby,” the final piece of the suite, were the ones Shostakovich himself liked best.43 These two pieces are early predecessors of his neo-classical Piano Quintet, op. 57, especially the fourth movement (Intermezzo). “Funeral March,” the fifth piece of the suite, opens with a simple trumpet-like motive in a typical rhythm ( ), which is imitated in bar 4 by the second voice. However, from bar 9 on, mysterious and unexpected “events” take place. Here the two contrasting voices coexist above a pedal

chap_02.fm Page 56 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

56

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.11 Aphorisms, op. 13: Funeral March, bars 8–23.

of a minor ninth (A–B flat) and the damper pedal is held from bar 9 until bar 23. This atmospheric effect, which no doubt Shostakovich himself was able to create, is not easy to achieve. It requires a special sensitivity of touch and an extremely careful balance of dynamics for the ppp in bars 9–10 (example 2.11). The experimentation with pedal continues through the rest of this piece as well. In bars 28–29 and 36–37, a fifth (A flat–E flat), is played soundlessly on open dampers in order to create a special, shadowy effect (example 2.12). The unusual blend of real sound with its echo on the lowered vi is refreshing, and the following C major harmony seems even more blissful and pure. The sixth piece, “Study,” is exactly what it claims to be. Although the tempo is not quick, it contains tricky skips and an awkward octave passage for the left hand (bars 23–9). The ending is both delightful and comic – the final chord of this C-major piece is D major with a “false” A-flat on the top. The seventh piece, “Dance of Death,” is a venomous grotesque of the Mephisto waltz genre. The Dies Irae motive, introduced in bar 33 in a syncopated rhythm, waltzes for seven bars above a monotonous E-miror-triad accompaniment (bars 33–40). The absurdity of this circling is enhanced by the bitonality of this passage. Throughout this harsh miniature, abundant acrobatic skips in both hands parody the famous Lisztian waltz.

chap_02.fm Page 57 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

57

Example 2.12 Aphorisms, op. 13: Funeral March, bars 22–37.

The eighth piece, “Canon,” is in three voices; the second voice starts of an eleventh lower by the interval, and the third starts a ninth higher. Moving carefully and quietly within a p – pp range, the voices do not communicate harmonically and are punctuated with many pauses. This eccentric and odd little piece is a close “relative” of the canons in Shostakovich’s opera The Nose. In “Serenade,” “Nocturne,” and “Canon,” one can sense the influence of Hindemith and the second Viennese school, but the ninth miniature, “Legend,” is a very Russian piece that resembles the “Second Tale” from Prokofiev’s Tales of the Old Grandmother, op. 37. It contains the same peaceful continuous pulsation of eighth notes, ppp and legatissimo, symbolizing the eternity of time. The last piece of the suite, “Lullaby,” differs from the entire cycle. As if bored with the dry and dissonant sonorities of the previous numbers, the composer improvises a gorgeous imitation of slow baroque melody full of intricate melismata. Similar to the many of the Busoni transcriptions of Bach chorales, the melody is supported by octaves in the bass and saturated with pedal. What a surprise to hear such a stylized romantic piano transcription at the end of this wholly modernistic suite of pieces! Clearly (example 2.13) Shostakovich’s wit and unpredictability are clearly already intact in this opus (example 2.13). Experimental and daring, Aphorisms demonstrated that the young Shostakovich could be as fluent in the modernist idiom as he was in more conventional spheres of composition. He succeeded in creating a new kind of

chap_02.fm Page 58 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

58

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 2.13 Aphorisms, op. 13: Lullaby, bars 1–2.

piano texture – that was exactly what he was aiming for – extremely economical and exclusively contrapuntal. Shostakovich planned to premiere Aphorisms in Leningrad on 19 May 1927 at a concert of the Association of Contemporary Music.44 These extraordinary miniatures, first published by Triton during the same year, nevertheless suffered an unfortunate fate similar to that of his Piano Sonata No. 1: seldom performed, they are still virtually unknown to the majority of listeners.

d i v e r s i t y o f ta l e n t s The year 1927 proved to be particularly eventful. A month after completing Aphorisms, Shostakovich was already at work on a symphonic composition with chorus that had been commissioned by the Propaganda Department of the State Music Publishers to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the October revolution. Although he found the propagandistic poem by Alexander Bezimensky extremely weak, he did use it for the final chorus of the work that was eventually entitled Symphony No. 2, Dedication to October, op. 14. In this piece, Shostakovich concentrated on what was most exciting for him at that moment – experimentation in new orchestral sonorities. Writing his report for the Conservatory, he explained that in this work, “twenty two instruments are playing simultaneously, each with its own line. The resulting ultra-polyphony, then transforms into a polyphonic timbre.”45 True to the eccentric tendencies of the time, Shostakovich even included factory hooters in the score. The composition was completed by 1 August 1927. Nicolai Malko recalled that Shostakovich “quite often, and willingly, would play this cantata on the piano” and that he played it “remarkably well, with perfect ease.”46 The orchestral premiere of the Symphony No. 2 took place on 5 and 6 November in Leningrad, with Malko conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. In the summer of 1927, Shostakovich began working on another largescale project: his first opera, The Nose, based on the novel by Nikolai Gogol. While he had felt nothing but repulsion toward Bezimensky’s text,

chap_02.fm Page 59 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

59

Gogol’s book was one he adored. There is a similarity between Shostakovich’s own proneness to sarcasm and the eccentricity of the nineteenth century writer. Gogol’s phantasmagoria, his tale about the nose of a collegiate assessor, Major Kovalyev, traveling on its own around St Petersburg before being eventually returned to its owner, provided appealing material. According to the composer, the story’s bold social satire, compact size, colourful language, and theatrical adaptability, all attracted him greatly.47 He found the material ideal for a new kind of opera, in which the music would not be an end in itself, but would instead translate the meaning of the words and their precise intonation into sounds. Attempting “to create a musical, symphonic and theatrical spectacle,”48 Shostakovich believed it paramount that the music would, first of all, depend on and reflect the theatrical action. In the libretto, written by the composer with the help of Georgiy Ionin, Alexander Preys, and Yevgeniy Zamyatin, only Gogol’s own writing – sometimes borrowed from his other works – was used.49 Although, there are some influences of Berg’s Wozzeck and of the national operas composed by Prokofiev, Musorgsky, and Dargomyzhsky, Shostakovich’s opera represents a unique and daring endeavour. The opera consists of three acts with eighty-two singing and/or spoken parts. Instead of conventional arias or cantilenas, the music is mostly recitatives that follow the minute verbal inflections of the characters’ living language. The chamber orchestra includes two harps, piano, flexatone, domras, and balalaikas. As unorthodox as the plot, Shostakovich’s orchestration is both eccentric and brilliant. For example, the second entr’acte, scored for eleven percussion only, is effective and seems natural within the context of the tale. Also during 1927, Shostakovich befriended Ivan Sollertinsky, whose extraordinary personality had fascinated him for a long time. Sollertinsky had a university degree in Spanish, but he was a self-taught polyglot who could express himself in dozens of languages and dialects. Like Shostakovich, he possessed an amazing memory. This, combined with his creative and inquisitive mind, made Sollertinsky’s learning abilities quite unique: he was capable of quickly becoming an expert in any field in which he was interested. In fact, in many areas including literature, theatre, ballet, and music, he was, in fact, unanimously recognized as an authority. Endowed with the gift of speech, Sollertinsky taught all these disciplines in various academic institutions; in 1929, he took the position of pre-concert speaker at the Leningrad Philharmonic, lecturing and writing prolifically on subjects relating to music and the arts. In addition to intellectual interests, the friendship of Shostakovich and Sollertinsky was based on the common values they applied to people, life, and current political events, as well as their shared respect and admiration of each other. In addition, in everyday communication, they enjoyed a similar sense of humour. From 1927 until his untimely death in 1944, Sollertinsky remained Shostakovich’s best friend, confidant, advisor, and protector.

chap_02.fm Page 60 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

60

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Another precious friendship begun in 1927 was with Nina Varzar, whom Shostakovich met in the fall while vacationing at Detskoye Selo, near Leningrad. Lively and intelligent – she loved singing and ballet, studying them both – this charming young woman with “fair, light skin … thick, chestnut brown hair, and golden brown eyes”50 was to become Shostkovich’s wife some five years later. It is difficult to understand how, while composing so intensely during 1927–28, Shostakovich still managed to find time both to practise the piano and to socialize. Yet he did just that. During these two years, he continued to appear as both soloist and accompanist, nevertheless drastically cutting his practising time. A musician and, in later years, arranger of Shostakovich’s works, Levon Atovm’yan, recalled that, Shostakovich rarely approached the piano: “Only on the days of performances did he sit down at the piano for about half an hour, stretching the fingers of both hands on the keyboard (by the thirds: C, E, G, B, D) and raising each finger, one after another. Having repeated this exercise five to seven times, he considered his warm-up entirely sufficient. It may, indeed, have been true that, for him, such a routine was enough, since he possessed an outstanding inborn and well-trained technique and, in addition, had as they say, an amazing photographic memory.”51 Two months after the Chopin competition, on 11 March in Leningrad and on 18 March in Moscow, Shostakovich played in concerts featuring Leonid Nikolayev’s students. His Leningrad program included two nocturnes, two études, and the third ballade by Chopin, along with Variations for Two Pianos by Leonid Nikolayev (performed with Isai Renzin). His Moscow program included Venice and Naples by Liszt. In his review of the Moscow recital, the well-known critic Grigoriy Kogan wrote: The wonderful yet still very young pianist, Shostakovich, nourishes great hidden potential, the eventual fruits of which not only he himself [but also others] will probably enjoy. His performance of the entire Liszt cycle Venice and Naples (Gondoliera, Canzone, and Tarantella) was on an extraordinarily high level, both artistically and musically. His rhythm creates a particularly strong impression: unlike Rachmaninov’s “iron” rhythm or Paderewski’s “whimsical” rhythm, Shostakovich’s rhythm, possessing a “flowing” logic of its own, is natural, free, and saturated with intense musical expression.52

From the autumn of 1927 through the winter of 1928, Shostakovich continued to appear in recitals with soprano Lydia Vyrlan, and also participated in other ensemble performances, one of which included Schumann’s Piano Quintet.53 Together with Bogdanov-Berezovsky, he demonstrated Lev Knipper’s opera-ballet Candide in a four-hand arrangement at the 1927 meeting of the Leningrad Opera Theatres’ Committee.54 On 12 December 1927 in Leningrad and on 6 February 1928 in Moscow, Shostakovich took

chap_02.fm Page 61 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

61

part in performances of Stravinsky’s Les noces, conducted by Mikhail Klimov; the other three pianists were Maria Yudina, Alla Maslakovetz, and Isai Renzin.55 Being fond of Yudina’s performance of Krenek’s Piano Concerto in F-sharp major, op.18, Shostakovich accompanied her at the second piano before her rehearsals and performances with the orchestra.56 The end of November 1927 was a particularly busy time. On 21 and 22 of that month he rehearsed, and on 23 November performed, Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos with pianist Gavriil Popov and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Fritz Stiedri. On 25 November he rehearsed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 for a performance the following day under the baton of Nicolai Malko. Malko, annoyed by Dmitri’s temperamental character, wrote in his diary: “Shostakovich rushes the concerto and refuses to follow my advice.”57 On 22 December 1927, Shostakovich performed in Moscow once again.58 On the recommendation of his friend Leo Arnshtam, who was at that time also a pianist, Shostakovich was invited by the prominent theatre director Vsevolod Meyerhold to take the position of musical director at his theatre in Moscow. Excited both by the opportunity to work with a great revolutionary of dramatic art and by the prospect of a steady employment, Shostakovich gladly accepted this invitation and in January 1928 began his new job at the Meyerhold Theatre. Meyerhold and his beautiful wife, actress Zinaida Raikh, decided that Shostakovich would stay in their spacious flat. The warm and stimulating atmosphere proved ideal for Dmitri, who continued composing The Nose in this friendly home. Meyerhold, who in his youth had played the violin and even dreamt of a musical career, turned out to be a great listener. Dmitri and his adopted family experienced mutual delight when he played sections of his own works or selections of music by different composers for them. Many years later, Shostakovich reminisced: ^

My work in the theatre consisted basically of playing the piano. If, for instance, during a performance of the Inspector General, in the last act, an actress sang a romance by Glinka, I would put on my little tails, enter the stage as one of the guests, and accompany her at the piano. I also played in the orchestra … He [Meyerhold] was fond of Chopin, Liszt, Scriabin and … often asked me to play for him my own and other composers’ music. He always listened to music with great interest, was extremely fond of it, and felt it very deeply.59

For about two months, Shostakovich worked in the Meyerhold Theatre. But it turned out that playing the piano during performances and even occasionally compiling the music for plays proved neither challenging nor interesting. By May, therefore, Shostakovich decided to leave the theatre and return to Leningrad, where he finally completed his first opera in the summer of 1928. Shostakovich often played and sang the entire opera or fragments from it for various audiences.60 Auditioning The Nose in May 1928, for example,

chap_02.fm Page 62 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

62

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

he demonstrated the first two acts of the opera for the Artistic Council of the Leningrad Opera Houses. He also completed an orchestral suite consisting of seven numbers from the opera, and performed it for Nicolai Malko.61 Malko premiered the suite on 25 November 1928 in Moscow. In January 1929, Shostakovich played some episodes from the opera at the Leningrad Society of Dramatists and Composers. Five months later, on 16 June 1929 in Leningrad, a concert performance of the opera took place, in spite of the composer’s opinion that without a proper theatrical mounting the opera would not survive. Although The Nose was accepted for production at the Leningrad Maly Opera Theatre in 1928, the premiere did not take place until 18 January 1930, with director Nikolai Smolich and conductor Samuil Samosud. After its first concert performance, The Nose was mercilessly criticized in the press for its alleged formalism, anti-Soviet escapism, vulgarity, and inaccessibility to proletarian listeners. Sollertinsky’s defence of Shostakovich’s music failed to save his friend from this humiliating scandal. It was the composer’s first serious brush with a system under which the arts were subjected to total control by the official state ideology. In spite of its troubled official reception, The Nose had fourteen performances before June 1930 and was repeated twice during the next season at the Leningrad Maly Opera Theatre. Thereafter, this daring work did not see the light of day in the Soviet Union for some forty-four years. It was restaged in 1974 in Moscow by director Boris Pokrovsky and conductor Gennadiy Rozhdestvensky. During the intervening years Shostakovich, played and sang the opera for his friends; these performances remained in their memories forever.62

a ca r e e r d e c i s i o n During a conversation with his friend, film director Leo Arnshtam, Shostakovich said,”It may be that Stravinsky is a greater genius than I am, but he cannot do everything, and I can.”63 Indeed, Shostakovich was able to create not only outstanding symphonic and operatic works but also much remarkable music in other forms and genres. His extraordinary diversity of talent pulled him through the many trials and tribulations of his professional life. In this respect, the period from 1929 to 1932 is typical. During this time, Shostakovich did not refuse any reasonably interesting proposition, whether it was a short episode of a theatrical play, an entire show, or music for films, ballet, and the music hall. In January 1929, Meyerhold invited Shostakovich back to his theatre for a production of Vladimir Mayakovsky’s play The Bedbug, announcing that “an extremely young, exceedingly gifted pianist and aspiring composer” would write the music for the show.64 (Amazingly, in 1929, even after Shostakovich had written The Nose and two important symphonies, Meyerhold still regarded the young musician primarily as a pianist.) Shostakovich wrote twenty-three numbers for The Bedbug and played these dances and

chap_02.fm Page 63 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

63

other fragments, full of sharp sonorities and grotesque elements, for the director and actors. Mayakovsky’s satirical text was enhanced by this original music. From 1929 until 1931, Shostakovich collaborated with the famous TRAM theatre,65 writing music for three productions: The Shot (1929, text by Alexander Bezimensky), Virgin Soil (1930, text by Nikolai L’vov and Arkadiy Gorbenko), and Rule Britannia! (1931, text by Adrian Piotrovsky). Despite imaginative stage direction, bold acting, and excellent music, the plays themselves were formulaic and openly propagandistic – characteristics that did not contribute to their success. Still without a steady income, from 31 January 1929, Shostakovich taught music appreciation and theory at the Leningrad Choreographic Technikum (now the Vaganov Academy of Ballet), where he worked until 15 April. His schedule at that time was extremely busy: besides composing, rehearsing, and teaching, he participated in discussions about the agenda of the cultural revolution, gave interviews, and wrote about important topics of the day. No wonder he had so little time to practise the piano and to appear publicly as a soloist. During 1929 Shostakovich performed only once with an orchestra – on 3 February, playing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 under conductor Georgiy Sheidler. Reminiscing about this concert, Alexander Rozanov wrote: I remember the matinee performance of an “ordinary” symphonic concert, conducted by G. Sheidler in the half-empty Great Philharmonic Hall. For this concert, Shostakovich was scheduled to play Prokofiev’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra – it seemed that this fact alone attracted musicians. Shostakovich’s interpretation was not joyful as much as it was sarcastic. He played the fast sections with a somewhat dry, toccata-like tone, abrasively rather than mirthfully or boldly, and the slow ones with a reserved feeling that reflected a lyrical emotion instead of reproducing it. The integrity of his interpretation was remarkable.66

At the end of December 1928, intrigued by the controversial production of The Nose and its prodigious composer, film directors Grigoriy Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg invited Shostakovich to write the orchestral score for the silent film The New Babylon. Their creative vision included a special musical score that would accompagny the film throughout and convey the emotional message of the plot (a romance set during the Paris Commune of 1871). Accompany the writing about Shostakovich’s first performance of the score for The New Babylon in the basement of Sovkino (Soviet Film) – the building was under repair and many puddles remained on the floor – Kozintsev recalled: “The composer, balancing on the boards, stepped across the water, sat at the piano, and tried it out. An expression of absolute bewilderment appeared on his face … My God … how terrible the screen was, how out-of-tune the piano, and how filthy the room. And yet, how beautiful this session seems to me in retrospect – Shostakovich himself playing the first music he ever composed for cinema.”67

chap_02.fm Page 64 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

64

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Confirming the memories of his colleague, Trauberg remembered that when Shostakovich demonstrated The New Babylon in Leningrad, the composer “himself performed his own music, and this made a gigantic impression.” In Moscow, after hearing Shostakovich play “marvellously, putting his whole soul into the performance,” the chairman of the Repertory Committee commented that the film was excellent and that the directors should express their thanks to Shostakovich for his music (notwithstanding the fact that, at that time, Shostakovich was not yet well-known).68 For many film directors, Shostakovich’s performances of his own scores was an unforgettable experience. On 30 October 1934, after completing the music for the animated film The Tale of the Priest and his Worker Balda (which was never released), he played it for director Mikhail Tsekhanovsky who excitedly recorded in his diary: “His playing was strong and clear. It appeared as though his fingers were chipping precious stones away from the instrument. So great was his desire to keep a steady tempo that he almost tore the score to pieces as he turned the pages. When he finished, he was breathing heavily as though he had just completed a marathon race … He sees his work as a truly inspired first-class artist does. All of this hit me like the stroke of a lash. No longer can I do anything mediocre or grey. The screen itself should sparkle with colour and rhythm, no less so than the music does.”69 In 1920–31, two more films with music by Shostakovich were produced: a sound film (with the soundtrack added to the finished footage) entitled Alone, directed by Kozintsev and Trauberg, and a talking film, The Golden Mountains, directed by Sergei Yutkevich. Shostakovich later arranged the music for The Golden Mountains in a brilliant six-movement orchestral suite. In 1929, still registered as an aspirant (postgraduate student) at the Conservatory, Shostakovich submitted his Symphony No. 3, Op. 20, as his graduation project. In his accompanying report, he wrote that this work, entitled The First of May Symphony, differed markedly from his previous symphony. Unlike the second, this symphony expressed “the festive spirit of peaceful construction.”70 Notwithstanding Shostakovich’s caveat, some similarities between the compositions are also evident. Both works have a one movement structure with a chorus in the final section. The text for the third symphony, written by Semyon Kirsanov, was unfortunately as formulaic and poor as that written by Bezimensky for the second. The First of May Symphony is, however, much more mature and balanced in style than its predecessor. In his attempt to create a work without thematic repetition, Shostakovich composed a myriad of beautiful melodies developing them contrapuntally without going to the modernistic extremes typical of his Symphony No. 2. He also used the coda from this appealing and accessible symphony in the film The Golden Mountains and in the suite arranged from the film score. The Symphony No. 3 was premiered on 21 January 1930 by the Leningrad Philharmonic orchestra under the baton of Alexander Gauk.

chap_02.fm Page 65 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

65

From 1929 to 1931, Shostakovich also tried his hand at ballet. In June 1929, the composer was at work on his first ballet score, The Golden Age (the original libretto by Alexander Ivanovsky was entitled Dinamiada).71 On 17 September 1929, he demonstrated the first completed act – fifty-five minutes of music – for the Theatres’ Artistic Council. His performance met “with unanimous admiration,” but the ballet itself was not destined for success. It had ten performances in 1930 and eight in 1931, but press coverage remained highly negative, and Shostakovich was deeply disappointed. Among the numerous transcriptions of music from The Golden Age, the orchestral suite, op. 22a, and the Polka for piano solo remain the most popular. The composer often played the Polka in recitals and he recorded it in 1947. Shostakovich’s second ballet, The Bolt, written in 1930–31, met an even less propitious fate. It was dedicated to a typical Soviet subject of the day – industrial sabotage – and the libretto was just as propagandistic as that of The Golden Age. Even though Shostakovich despised the scenario, he nevertheless wrote the music for the production at the same Academic Theatre. Fyodor Lopukhov was the choreographer of the ballet. Musicologist Lev Lebedinsky, who in those years was chairman of the RAPM [Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians], recollected that Shostakovich played The Bolt, providing explanations during the performance that betrayed his excitement about the new piece.72 The composer was likely worried about the reaction to his opera by the head of the most extremist Soviet musical organization. His concern was understandable in light of the ideological terror that was already gripping the country in the early 1930s. Shostakovich’s presentiment proved unfortunately true: the ballet was performed only once, on 8 April 1931, and was considered a failure. Since the ballet was also accompanied by a great scandal, which was dangerous for all involved in the production, it was removed from the repertoire. Shostakovich, however, arranged a brilliant suite of the ballet music, which was premiered in 1933 and published in 1934. Later, he used the waltz from The Bolt in a set of children’s pieces, Dances of the Dolls, under the title “Waltz-Joke.” Despite his busy schedule, in February 1930 Shostakovich departed on a concert tour to Rostov-on-Don, where he performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the local orchestra conducted by Grigoriy Yakobson. In his letter to Sollertinsky of 10 February, the composer described his concerts: The orchestra is not bad, unlike the conductor Yakobson, who is useless. In spite of this, the concert (my performance) met with a great success. They clapped a great deal, and I played three encores. Dressed in my tails, I look very much like an elegant manservant. “What can I do for you?” I pronounced, several times by mistake, instead of “hello” or “good-bye” … On the sixteenth, I play Prokofiev’s First. My own symphony in F minor is included in the same concert. On the fifteenth, on the invitation of the Rostov musicians, I will deliver a speech, “The Current Situation in Musical Art.” On the whole, I am bored, though I do enjoy doing nothing.73

chap_02.fm Page 66 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

66

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

The Rostov concerts represented Shostakovich’s last appearances as a solo pianist playing compositions that were not his own. From then on, he performed only his own piano music, as was the case on 25 March 1930, when he played his Piano Sonata No. 1 at a concert of the pianists of the school of Leonid Nikolayev.74 On rare occasions, however, he did play other composers’ ensemble works in chamber recitals. At this stage of his life, Shostakovich decided that his work as a composer was more important and satisfying for him than was his career as a piano virtuoso. He practised piano much less frequently and after 1928 learned no new concert repertoire. His early and steady successes as a composer and his passion for writing music were so overwhelming that the choice between the two careers was likely a relatively straightforward decision for this twenty-four-year-old, already famous musician. In 1956, however, looking back and evaluating his life at age fifty, Shostakovich expressed some regrets about this career direction. “After graduating from the Conservatory, I faced the dilemma of what to become – a pianist or a composer? The latter won out, but to tell the truth, I should have been both. It is too late now to blame myself for such a categorical decision.”75

return to the concert platform Shostakovich’s extensive work for various theatrical productions and films could never fulfill his main aspiration as a composer. Assessing his theatre and film scores, he referred to them disparagingly as “applied” compositions, in contrast to his opera and symphonic works, which he considered to be true works of art.76 On 14 October 1930 he began writing his second opera, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, the most wonderful and controversial masterpiece of his entire oeuvre. The libretto (written in collaboration with Alexander Preys) derives from a story by Nikolai Leskov, a nineteenth-century Russian writer who, along with Gogol and Chekhov, was among the composer’s best-loved authors. Weary of shallow, dull plots, Shostakovich was excited about working with material that permitted him to explore themes such as love and lust, as well as crime and punishment, set within the “local” context of a Russian provincial town. Leskov’s dramatic and gloomy story provided Shostakovich with enough scope to express his power as a tragedian and lyricist and to demonstrate his mastery of social satire in music. The heroine, Katerina Izmailova, the childless wife of a wealthy merchant, falls in love with their manservant, and in order to marry him, murders her despotic father-in-law and her unloved husband.77 After she and her lover are convicted, the lover dumps her. Katerina then commits suicide, but as she takes her own life, she also pushes her young rival into a deep Siberian lake where they both drown. Lady Macbeth differs from The Nose both in plot and in music. While The Nose consists mainly of recitatives, Lady Macbeth is written for singing; the expressive cantilena predominates. The depth and originality of the

chap_02.fm Page 67 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

67

vocal parts are matched by the orchestration, a feature that makes it one of the greatest symphonically conceived operas of the twentieth century. In spite of its more conventional means of expression, Lady Macbeth stunned listeners both in Russia and abroad with its almost naturalistic reflection of human passion and its integration of satiric, mocking images into a tragedy of Shakespearian dimensions. Still occupied with his ongoing theatrical and cinema productions, Shostakovich was unable to focus solely on his opera, it took him two years and two months to complete the work. He dedicated the opera to his fiancée and soon-to-be wife, Nina Varzar. Each time he finished a section or episode, he immediately tried it out in a private gathering of friends or colleagues. For example, in November 1931, while on vacation in Tiflis, he played the recently completed first act to the composer Andrei Balanchivadze. On 10 March 1932, when he demonstrated the first and second acts to his Leningrad colleagues, the opera made a strong impression; they enthusiastically discussed and analyzed it at length.78 Actress Anna Nikritina remembered that “we were invited, along with a few friends, when Shostakovich played and sang the entire Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District himself for the first time. Sollertinsky and Arnshtam, the film director, were there, of course. It was incredible, even with the composer’s singing voice. One sensed immediately that it was a great work.”79 Shostakovich auditioned the new opera, playing and singing it himself, for members of the Bolshoi and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatres in Moscow and the Maly Opera Theatre in Leningrad. The singer Nadezhda Welter remembered that: “Shostakovich played various episodes from the opera with great sincerity and extraordinary expression.”80 In April 1933, Shostakovich also went to Sverdlovsk to introduce Lady Macbeth to the administration of the local opera theatre. On 10 April 1933, in a letter written from Sverdlovsk, he informed Sollertinsky: “Tonight, at seven p.m., I am demonstrating Lady Macbeth. The local newspaper, The Urals Worker, reported that I had arrived and that, on 10 April, at seven p.m., I would be performing “the text of the opera on an upright piano.” All the musical instruments at the state opera are horrific: the piano keys lack ivory so that one has to play on the bare wood.”81 Some three days later, the composer informed Sollertinsky that, “on the evening of the tenth, I demonstrated the entire Lady Macbeth. The directors received it very well. On another occasion, I played some excerpts for the musicians of the orchestra, who also received it well.”82 The opera was staged in both the Leningrad Maly Theatre (with director Nikolai Smolich and conductor Samuil Samosud) and, under the title Katerina Izmailova, in the Moscow Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre (with director Boris Mordvinov and conductor Grigoriy Stolyarov). Premiered on 22 January 1934 in Leningrad and two days later in Moscow, the production enjoyed an unprecedented success. By January 1936, Lady Macbeth had run for ninety-four full-house performances in Moscow and eighty-three

chap_02.fm Page 68 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

68

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

performances in Leningrad. Like his Symphony No. 1, after the Russian premieres the opera was soon staged abroad, gaining international recognition and fame. During the summer of 1931 while composing Lady Macbeth, Shostakovich decided to try his hand at the genre of musical vaudeville, accepting an invitation to write the music for a show at the Leningrad Music Hall entitled Declared Dead. A talented crew, featuring the famous musicians Leonid Utyosov and Isaak Dunayevsky transformed the dull subject of civil defense preparedness into a sparkling revue that contained not only varied comic songs and dance but also film and circus scenes, including a role “played” by a trained German shepherd. Despite this, the premiere, which took place on 22 October 1931, was unsuccessful. Unfortunately, the spectacle as a whole did not work but Shostakovich was able to use fragments of the forty numbers that he composed for it in other works of the same year, including, the opera Lady Macbeth,83 and the play Hamlet. He also recycled the folk-like tune from the “Petrushka” episode in one of the themes for the ballet The Limpid Stream, and later, in “Hurdy Gurdy” from Dances of the Dolls, a set of children’s piano pieces. In late 1931, despite Shostakovich’s aversion to composing for the theatre, he accepted a proposal from the well-known artist and director Nikolai Akimov to write music for a new production of Hamlet at Moscow’s Vakhtangov Theatre. Eccentric and intentionally outrageous, this production received negative responses from the critics, although many found that Shostakovich’s idiosyncratic and witty music corresponded better to the text than did the production. Among Shostakovich’s compositions completed in 1932, two works are dedicated to his future wife Nina Varzar: his monumental opera Lady Macbeth and an intimate song cycle, Six Romances on Texts by Japanese Poets, op. 21, written originally for tenor and orchestra and transcribed for voice and piano. The first three songs were written in 1928, the fourth in late 1931, and the last two on 5 and 6 April 1932. Only five weeks later, on 13 May 1932, Shostakovich and Nina Varzar were married, secretly from their families, in a civil ceremony in Detskoye Selo near Leningrad. If there was a connection between these songs and this event of his private life, Shostakovich never acknowledged it. Although the texts relate to love and sensuality,84 these songs are also among Shostakovich’s first works about death and suicide, and interestingly, the music does not reflect the erotic aspect of the verses. It is striking how much these exquisite miniatures resemble his late vocal works, such as “Whence This Tenderness?” and “Hamlet’s Dialogue with his Conscience” from the song cycle Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, op. 143, “Love” and “Night” from the Suite on Texts by Michelangelo Buonarroti, op. 145, and of course, the Symphony No. 14. The Japanese Romances received their premiere only in 1966 and the score was not published until 1982 – some fifty years after the completion of the cycle.85

chap_02.fm Page 69 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:31 PM

at the crossroads, 1923–1933

69

The newlywed couple spent their honeymoon in Gaspra in the Crimea. There, in August 1932, aside from completing the third act of Lady Macbeth, Shostakovich also participated in a concert, performing his Symphony No. 1 on the piano. Not long after this trip, Shostakovich confided something totally surprising to a colleague and friend. This friend, musician Levon Atovm’yan, recalled: In one of our conversations, Shostakovich let slip his desire to quit composing and start performing. I attached no importance to this at the time. But soon thereafter, I received a letter, in which he informed me that, in order to prepare for his appearances as a performer, he was composing a piano prelude every day. On his return to Moscow, Shostakovich played his Twenty-Four Preludes, op. 34 for Shebalin and me.86

Shostakovich was ready to return to the concert platform.

chap_03.fm Page 70 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

3 Composer-Performer, 1933-1945

tw e n t y - f o u r p r e l u d e s , o p. 3 4 Shostakovich’s wish to play publicly again prompted him to write a new cycle of preludes. On 30 December 1932, only two weeks after the completion of Lady Macbeth, he wrote the first prelude of his new opus; continuing work through January and February, he finished the last one on 2 March 1933.1 Other factors aside from his wish to perform also influenced his decision to return to the concert platform. First, public performance of his own works represented an ideal way to promote and publicize them. A more practical reason was his need for additional income, brought about in large part by his recent marriage. No other works of Shostakovich reflect his applied composition experience as well as these twenty-four short pieces, with their Chaplinesque images. The set is arranged according to the sequence of ascending fifths: the C-major and A-minor preludes are followed by G-major and E-minor ones, etc. Each prelude, no matter how laconic, either embodies a psychological characteristic or depicts a lively scene. The characters range from the grotesque (no. 6 in B minor and no. 20 in C minor) to the lyrical and contemplative (no. 1 in C major, no. 4 in E minor, no. 7 in A major, and no. 22 in G minor), and the song-like (no. 12 in G-sharp minor and no. 19 in E-flat major), from the dramatic (no. 14 in E-flat minor) to the naïve and playfully gentle (no. 8 in F-sharp minor and no. 10 in C-sharp minor). Some of the preludes hint at a genre: waltz (nos. 2 and 17), march (no. 16), fugue (no. 4), a Czerny-like study (no. 5), and gavotte (no. 24). Shostakovich’s meticulous notation of performance directions, including metronome and pedal indications, provides invaluable insight into his interpretation. Such detailed markings are rare in his later piano works. Although performing solo on a concert stage requires flawless technique, Shostakovich’s inborn virtuosity permitted him to regain his top form quickly. On 17 January 1933, he premiered eight of the op. 34 preludes in Leningrad’s Great Philharmonic Hall. This concert also included orchestral

chap_03.fm Page 71 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

71

suites from two ballets, The Bolt and The Golden Age, conducted by Alexander Gauk, and the “Passacaglia” with organ from Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. It seems that the concert lifted Shostakovich’s spirits. Isaak Glikman, a well known theatre scholar and close friend of the composer described Shostakovich’s mood at the post-performance party as “bewitchingly cheerful, light, and impetuous. A trifle inebriated, he willingly played his own and others’ music for those who wanted to dance.”2 In April 1933, the composer participated in two similar concerts in Moscow.3 Shostakovich performed the entire cycle of twenty-four preludes five months later, on 24 May 1933, in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Although the preludes are less musically sophisticated than his earlier piano works, such as the Piano Sonata No. 1 or Aphorisms, they required audience exposure in order to become familiar and popular. Thus, on 23 June 1933 he played the cycle again in a recital at the House of Defence in Baku. Since we have no detailed review of either performance, we can only surmise that his playing on both occasions was at least as refined and individual as that of later recorded performances of selections from op. 34 in 1946, in May 1947, (nos. 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 24), and in July 1950 (nos. 8, 22, and 23). These recordings reveal some remarkable qualities of Shostakovich the pianist: his exquisite pedalling and faultless phrasing, his idiosyncratic rubato, and his varied articulation. Other more contradictory aspects of his pianism are also present. For example, in both the 1946 and 1950 recordings of Prelude No. 22 in G minor, we can observe a certain emotional reserve that results in a brittle, inexpressive legato. However, his 1947 recording of the preludes in A-flat major and Eflat minor are undoubtedly among his best. In the first bars of the Prelude in A-flat major, we sense the sincerity of the atmosphere of dolce, espressivo, and amoroso; Shostakovich’s interpretation lacks the ironic flavour brought out by other pianists. Through refined pedalling and touch, he creates a slow, poetic waltz of illusive and delicate tenderness, such as one might easily imagine in a Shostakovich interpretation of Chopin. Sometimes, he holds the pedal longer than indicated. For example, the release of the long pedal covering bars 1–4 is indicated on the final beat of bar 4, but Shostakovich holds the pedal until the first beat of bar 5, thus creating an atmospheric pedal “stretch” (example 3.1). A similar approach can be heard with the pedal in bar 8 and the one spanning bars 24–6. In two instances he releases the pedal earlier: the pedal held from bar 29 is released in bar 31 (instead of bar 33); the pedal held from bar 36 is released on the second beat of bar 37, which seems to enhance A flat-major – the final harmony – after the preceding A-flat-minor chord. In his recording of the Prelude No. 14 in E-flat minor, Shostakovich’s performance tempo ( G = 54) is much slower than that indicated in the score ( G = 63). At this slower tempo, Shostakovich’s spectacular pedalling, combined with his expressive rubato and dynamics, enhances the inherent

chap_03.fm Page 72 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

72

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.1 Prelude in A-flat major, op. 34, no 17: bars 1–7.

Example 3.2 Prelude in E-flat minor, op. 34, no. 14: bars 1–3. (The lower pedal indications are mine.)

intensity and drama of the piece. As in the A-flat-major prelude, he sustains the pedal longer than noted. For instance, he pedals through the eighth rest in bar 2, creating a sense of continuity and strengthening the pesante character of the music (example 3.2). He also maintains his unorthodox pedalling indicated in bars 20–26, blending unrelated dissonant harmonies to support this impressive culmination (example 3.3). Shostakovich’s total command of tone colouring is evident in his recording of the tranquil Prelude No. 23 in F major. In bar 26, he uses a subtle half-pedal nuance that allows him to both sustain the long bass note throughout the final four bars and create the impressionistic effect of a glimmering morendo. At this point, we can clearly hear that he does not use the middle pedal, enjoying instead the colourful resources of the damper pedal (example 3.4). Like all great pianists, Shostakovich’s sense of rhythmic energy and pulsation is highly individual and specific. We can easily recognize an inherent “Shostakovichian” rhythm from the first notes of any of his recordings. As one example, let us take his recording of the Prelude No. 16 in B-flat minor.

chap_03.fm Page 73 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

73

Example 3.3 Prelude in E-flat minor, op. 34, no.14: bars 20–26

Example 3.4 Prelude in F major, op. 34, no. 23: bars 24–9.

Example 3.5 Prelude in E-flat major, op. 34, no. 19: bars 28–32. (The poco rit. and accel. are mine.)

By holding back a little on the first chord, Shostakovich effectively enhances the insistent march rhythm ( ) in the following bars. His rhythm seems totally unique, largely because of his flexible and capricious rubato, which is nevertheless always natural and faultlessly balanced. In his performance of the Prelude No. 19 in E-flat major, this rubato is especially obvious in bars 28–31 (example 3.5). He treats the repeated E flat in bar 30 as any good singer would – freely yet tastefully – thus adding even more warmth to this charming piece. The same unfailing sense of proportion shapes the rituenutos at the cadences in bars 12–13 and 24–5.

chap_03.fm Page 74 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

74

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.6 Prelude in F minor, op. 34, no. 18: bars 23–28.

Example 3.7 Prelude in F-sharp minor, op. 34, no. 8: bar 6.

(a)published score

(b)1947 recording

(c)1950 recording

Shostakovich’s tempo in his recording of the Prelude, No. 18 in F minor is considerably faster than that of the published score ( G = 158, as opposed to G = 126). From the outset, his touch is playful and his accents light, but on the second beat of bar 24 he introduces a subtle, lyrical shading of unexpected sadness. The score alone does not convey this hue: the only hint is the pedal indication for bars 24–5 (example 3.6). Shostakovich tended to use the marking espressivo when he wanted either to intensify the dynamic effect or to indicate emphasis or a particular manner of performance. In his recording of this prelude, at bar 45 he not only plays the forte espressivo as a sudden forte, but also accents the chord on the second beat of the bar. This emphasis highlights the beginning of the final phrase. It is interesting to compare the differences in performance details in the two recordings Shostakovich made of the Preludes in F-sharp minor and G minor (nos. 8 and 22). In the 1947 recording of the F-sharp-minor prelude, the rhythm of the right-hand melody in bar 6 sounds like (example 3.7-b). In the 1950 recording, that same rhythm sounds like (example 3.7-c). Both are different from the rhythm written in the score: (example 3.7-a). Shostakovich was also open to instrumental arrangements of his piano compositions. When violinist Dmitri Tsyganov showed his violin and piano arrangements of Preludes 10, 15, 16, and 24 to Shostakovich in February 1935, the composer received them enthusiastically and played them for Dmitri Kabalevsky and Aram Khachaturian. However, while looking

chap_03.fm Page 75 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

75

through Tsyganov’s transcription of the Prelude in D minor (no. 24), Shostakovich modified the piano part and apportioned more material to the violin. When Tsyganov published his arrangements in 1935, he included the composer’s revision. Tsyganov later recalled that Shostakovich had expressed a preference for string arrangements of his Preludes, giving the following surprising explanation: “You know this is much better than the piano version. I’ll explain to you why this is so. You have probably noticed that I have not written a lot for the piano. I am not particularly fond of this instrument. I don’t even know why I wrote the Preludes as piano pieces; I think they sound better on the violin.”4 Much later, on 2 February 1956, Shostakovich recorded Tsyganov’s transcriptions with violinist Leonid Kogan. There are some notable differences between this recording and Shostakovich’s solo performances of the same preludes. For example, in the solo recording of the D-minor prelude (no. 24) he chose an extremely quick tempo ( D = 106, instead of the D = 76 written in the score). In his recording with Kogan, however, the tempo is D = 76. As an accompanist, Shostakovich follows Kogan’s tempo, which coincided with his own initial, more moderate speed.

p i a n o c o n c e r t o n o . 1 , o p. 3 5 After having composed and performed the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34, Shostakovich felt he needed more piano works of his own and, in particular, a concerto for piano and orchestra – an important part of any great composer-pianist’s repertoire. Only four days separated the completion of the last prelude (2 March 1933) from the beginning of his composition of his first piano concerto (6 March 1933). We might thus conclude that the two compositions were shaping themselves simultaneously in his mind. The Piano Concerto No. 1 is written for an unusual ensemble: a string orchestra plus two soloists – a pianist and a trumpeter. Like Stravinsky in his Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, Shostakovich was experimenting with a neo-baroque combination of instruments. Much later, recalling his work on the concerto, Shostakovich confessed to a student that he had initially planned to write a concerto for trumpet and orchestra and then added the piano to make it a double concerto; eventually it became a piano concerto with a solo trumpet.5 On finishing the orchestral score, he wrote an arrangement for two pianos in which the solo piano part is more elaborate than it is in the orchestra score; thus he created two versions of the same piece. The metronome indications and the tempo markings of the orchestral version and the two-piano arrangement often differ. Although the markings of the piano arrangement are much more detailed, both scores remain important and distinct variants of the piece.6 The concerto consists of four movements. The first and fourth are in sonata form, the second movement is a slow waltz, and the third is a short intermezzo that serves as an introduction to the fourth. While the

chap_03.fm Page 76 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

76

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.8 Autograph of the theme of Apostle Gavriil from Declared Dead.

kaleidoscopic and often grotesque images of the Preludes are relatively conventional, the eccentric diversity of the concerto is much more controversial. Some of the motives resemble and even quote famous classical works: for example, the “Appassionata” motive (in the first movement, the third bar after rehearsal number 1), and the theme from Haydn’s sonata in D major (in the fourth movement, the seventh bar after rehearsal number 51). Shostakovich not only inserted these melodies into the completely “unsuitable” context of his own circus-like music, but also replicated blatnye (street) tunes. In the solo trumpet theme of the finale (bar 239), Shostakovich used the motive of the Apostle Gavriil (example 3.8) from the 1931 revue Declared Dead. This was the second recycling for this melody. Shostakovich also used this tune, composed in 1929, as the Yankee theme in his musical contribution to the production of Erwin Dressel’s opera Columbus. In sharp contrast to the teasingly witty, fast motives of the outer movements, the second and third movements are profoundly lyrical. Shostakovich finished the concerto on 20 July 1933 and premiered it three months later (on 15 and 17 October) at the opening concerts of the Leningrad Philharmonic season, with conductor Fritz Stiedri and trumpeter Alexander Schmidt. By all accounts, Shostakovich played brilliantly.7 Encouraged by his success, on 10 November 1933, he performed the concerto again at a convention of Leningrad composers, with conductor Vladimir Dranishnikov. According to the critics of the time, he played with remarkable vitality: “The composer’s performance was distinguished by its deep meaningfulness: unlike an ordinary composer’s simple ‘reporting’ of a piece, it was both strongly emotive and evocative.”8 The reviews of the Moscow premiere, conducted by Alexander Gauk on 9 and 14 December 1933, were equally enthusiastic: “With elasticity, ease, and precision, Shostakovich overcame all technical difficulties. It was wonderful; he played as only a composer can – inimitably. Even those who do not entirely agree with his compositions have not even the slightest doubt about his virtuosity as a pianist.”9 Shortly after this Moscow triumph, Shostakovich and Gauk began a tour that included Baku and Voronezh (20 December) as well as Kharkov (7 January 1934).10

chap_03.fm Page 77 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

77

Table 3.1 Tempos for the first movement of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Rehearsal number

Tempo marking in orchestral score

Tempo marking in two-piano score

Tempo in 1954 recording

Tempo in 1958 recording

Tutti or solo1

1

G

= 96

G

= 96

G

= 85

G

= 84

solo

2

G

= 160

G

= 108

G

= 107

G

= 101

tutti

2 bars after 3

G

= 132

G

= 137

G

= 134

solo and tutti

2 bars after 6

G

= 160

G

= 134

G

= 130

solo and tutti

2 bars after 16

G

= 132

G

= 119

G

= 113

tutti

2 bars after 18

G

= 144

G

= 121

G

= 119

solo

G

= 84

G

= 70

G

= 72

solo

23

G

= 84

1. The “Tutti or solo” column indicates whether the tempo is taken up by the soloist, the orchestra, or both.

Shostakovich’s two recordings of the Piano Concerto No. 1 came much later – on 27 November 1954 (with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Samuil Samosud with Josif Volovnik, trumpet) and on 24 May 1958 in France (with the Orchestre nationale de la RTF, conducted by André Cluytens with Ludovic Vaillant, trumpet). Both recordings reveal the same youthful energy and vitality that had captivated his audiences some two decades earlier. The gap of over two decades separating the composition of the concerto from the recordings may explain the substantially slower tempos of the latter (especially in the second subject of the first movement: two bars after rehearsal number 6 and two bars after rehearsal number 18). Nevertheless, the tempos in the two recordings are close. Table 3.1 compares the first movement tempos of the orchestral score, the piano score and the two recordings. One might argue that the slower tempos in the recordings were the result of weakened technique, brought about by Shostakovich’s increasing age and progressing illness (in 1955, he began experiencing pain in his right hand). However, on closer examination, this explanation lacks foundation. Even in the second movement, which contains no significant technical problems, Shostakovich slowed the tempos considerably in his recorded performances (see table 3.2). Furthermore, in the 1958 recording, conductor André Cluytens opted for a substantially reduced tempo for the opening of the second movement. In the solo episode that follows rehearsal number 26, Shostakovich did not change this tempo to any considerable degree, but instead, seemed to enjoy this pace. It is probable that they both agreed on a slower tempo. Shostakovich may have reconsidered the tempos for the Concerto No. 1 in later years, a reinterpretation subsequently reflected in these recordings. In his recorded performances, Shostakovich also introduced changes in ties and other details. For example, in both recordings, at rehearsal number 37

chap_03.fm Page 78 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

78

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Table 3.2 Tempos for the second movement of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Rehearsal number 24

Tempo marking in orchestral score G

= 76

Tempo marking in two-piano score G

= 76

26 27

Tempo in 1954 recording

Tempo in 1958 recording

Tutti or solo1

G

= 73

G

= 61

tutti

G

= 67

G

= 64

solo

G

= 88

G

= 78

G

= 72

solo

3 bars after 30

G

= 120

G

= 120

G

= 107

G

= 101

solo

4 bars after 31

G

= 100

G

= 100

G

= 90

G

= 86

solo

32

G

= 88

G

= 88

G

= 80

G

= 79

solo

5 bars after 33

G

= 76

G

= 76

G

= 72

G

= 66

tutti

1. The “Tutti or solo” column indicates whether the tempo is taken up by the soloist, the orchestra, or both. Example 3.9 Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 35: second movement, bars 132–6. (a) score

(b) recordings

he ties the left-hand third (D sharp–F sharp) in bar 134 to the one in bar 135 rather than repeating it. Although he did not include this small alteration in the published score, his performances testify that he most likely preferred to tie the thirds in these bars (example 3.9).

“polka” from the golden age In 1935, Shostakovich created a piano arrangement of the polka from his ballet The Golden Age. This delightfully humorous miniature is close in style to the sparkling virtuosity of the Twenty-Four Preludes, op. 34 and the Piano Concerto No. 1. This transcription was actually his second

chap_03.fm Page 79 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

79

Example 3.10 Paul Hindemith, Suite “1922,” op. 26: March, bars 1–5.

Example 3.11 “Polka” from The Golden Age: bars 1–4.

arrangement of this piece. The first one was an arrangement for string quartet, written on 31 October–1 November 1931 during a vacation in Batumi, where he had met the Vuillaume Quartet for whom he transcribed this piece. Combining this ironic and lively “Polka” with Katerina’s lyrical aria from Lady Macbeth, Shostakovich produced a set of two contrasting pieces for the quartet. Much later, in 1962, the composer made a third transcription of the “Polka,” this time for two pianos. Shostakovich clearly enjoyed the delight this polka evoked in listeners. Noting the happy response caused by such pieces, Shostakovich once admitted: “I derive a great deal of satisfaction when, during the performances some of my works, the audience laughs or even just smiles.”11 Like Paul Hindemith in the “March” from his Suite “1922” for piano, Shostakovich spares neither wit nor harmonic mischief in this “Polka,” which in many ways resembles piano pieces by Hindemith (compare examples 3.10 and 3.11). Although he did not include a metronome speed in the published score, the performance tempo of this recording can serve as a reliable tempo direction. His rubato – his whimsical, intrinsic agogics – adds an edge to the humorous effect of the piece. His crisp articulation and light staccato also help him to “tell” this short musical joke with irresistible charm. The score contains a variety of accent indications. Incidentally, it was the last piano score in which he used the sign LG to indicate the strongest accent. After this, he preferred such markings as G , G. or G. instead (example 3.12). In the recording, at bar 89, his rolling of the chords substitutes for a strong accent on the second beat (example 3.13). L

L

L

IB

chap_03.fm Page 80 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

80

dmitri shostakovich, pianist Example 3.12 “Polka” from The golden Age: bars 57–8.

Example 3.13 “Polka” from The golden Age: bars 89. (a) score

(b) recording

o n to u r , 1 9 3 4 – 1 9 3 5 By 1934–35, Shostakovich was touring frequently: he enjoyed travelling (even calling himself an inveterate traveller), despite the many inconveniences and rough conditions. In a letter written on 17 June 1934 from Baku, he began by describing the physical difficulties of the place, but ended revelling in his artistic triumphs. After Leningrad’s cold, this heat is very hard to take. Besides the heat, there are strong winds – “Bo-ku” means “city of winds” in Russian … At this moment, the so-called “nord” is blowing from the city to the sea. It is, I think, the most unpleasant of all winds since it raises whole columns of dust. The wind blowing from the sea to the city is called “Marianne.” While I was rehearsing today, the “nord” was blowing. The whole piano became covered with sand. Our common acquaintance B.M. Freidkov was also rehearsing. His throat was so badly choked with dust (he is, of course, a famous singer) that he is still spitting up clumps of it. For the first time in my life, I blessed fate that I am not a singer. However, it is also no picnic to play on dust-covered keys. Because of the large crowds of people, we will repeat the entire concert tomorrow. Concerts here are held in the open air, in the park. Also, on

chap_03.fm Page 81 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

81

the 21st, an entire concert consisting of my compositions will be held. The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra is playing here. The trumpeter Yur’yev is marvellous. My concerto comes off like a dream! He plays expressively – not like trumpeter Schmidt in Leningrad.12

On 22 June 1934 Shostakovich informed Atovm’yan: “This time I enjoyed my stay in Baku. I performed three times instead of two: on the 17th, 18th and 21st. I met with some success, although it [the performance] does not sound so good in the open air. On the 18th, because of the rain, the concert was moved to an indoor location. It was better.”13 On this same tour, Shostakovich met Aram Khachaturian, and the two became fast friends. The former’s praise of his new companion also discloses much about his own sensitivities, tastes, and sense of humour. In Moscow, the Armenian composer Khachaturian got on the same carriage as mine, but in a different compartment. He turned out to be a wonderful travelling companion. We had lunch together in the dining car, and I must tell you that I enjoyed Khachaturian much more than I did the lunch. Because, after lunch, I was still hungry, he then brought me a superb salami and would not leave me alone until I had finished it … [the next day] Khachaturian’s wife, who now lives in Zheleznovodsk, came to meet him. They shamelessly kissed and hugged right on the platform, totally unembarrassed by the presence of perfect strangers. Now, Khachaturian shines like the sun, or more correctly, like a well-polished boot, and he continues his journey in a much cheerier mood. His wife is very pretty, and she is also a composer. I myself would not marry a composer. But this is a matter of taste.14

Shostakovich was, on the whole, an interesting and revealing correspondent. The above letter was addressed to Yelena Konstantinovskaya, a twenty-year-old translator and English teacher with whom he was conducting a love affair at the time. His daily letters to her, similar to a little diary, reflect his innermost feelings during his life on tour. On the day of his recital, 21 June, for example, he wrote: “I feel so sad. I am sitting now and shaking from a terrible nervousness. Thirty-three misfortunes have fallen on my head. One, this evening will be a concert featuring my compositions. Two, the upcoming trip to Batumi and the Crimea with all of its inconveniences and troubles. Three, thoughts about my private life.”15 Such attacks of melancholy were, however, rare while Shostakovich was on tour; more typically, he was upbeat and cheerful. In his letters, he even related many humorous anecdotes in which the narrator’s voice – the same mischievous and ironic voice heard in his preludes and piano concerto – could be easily recognised. Here is one such story: The passengers are anxious, as is the ship’s barber. In Sukhoumi, an assistant manicurist is supposed to join him. If she does not do so, he will be very unhappy since it is on this cruise that she is to give him her final response to his amorous advances – an

chap_03.fm Page 82 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

82

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

answer of yes or no. So his hands and legs tremble constantly, and he hacks away at his customers rather mercilessly. He relayed all this to me when I expressed to him my sympathy for his plight, having noticed his heightened nervous state. He replied that he was passionately in love with the manicurist and (see above). Life is everywhere, as the Holy Scriptures say. And I am in love with Lyalya, although I did not confide this to the barber. So, having hidden my passion, I began to treat my own wounds, the results of the efforts of this too-ardent Figaro on board our ship, with iodine.16

At the beginning of 1935, Shostakovich played recitals in Leningrad17 and Moscow,18 but the most exciting event of the year was his spring tour to Turkey (13 April to 24 May 1935). He was one of a select few permitted at that time to go to a foreign capitalist country. On the tour he befriended David Oistrakh, another member of this privileged group. Writing from Ankara on 17 April, Shostakovich described his schedule to Sollertinsky: “My life is quite busy. Starting from today, there are concerts every day. Oborin’s and my joint klavierabend will take place on the 10th [of May]. And at the big (mixed) concerts, I am playing piano trifles. For the moment, time is flying by. Only one thing remains unpleasant: because of my neurasthenia, I get terribly nervous before every performance. I envy Leva [Lev Oborin] as well as all the singers, for whom playing at concerts is a habitual and commonplace affair.”19 In a letter to Levon Atovm’yan dated 18 April 1935 Shostakovich informs him that they gave three concerts in Ankara – one at the Soviet Embassy and another two at the People’s House – and that all were extremely successful.20 Three days later, he wrote to Sollertinsky: “Almost every day, I perform in concerts. The day before yesterday [19 April], I had the greatest success. I played the 24 Preludes and the Concerto. Leva Oborin played instead of the orchestra, and he did so magnificently. On the 25th, I’ll play the Cello Sonata, provided the cellist manages to learn it.”21 During this five-week whirlwind journey, Shostakovich gave many concerts. Besides playing in Ankara, giving solo recitals in Istanbul and participating in two concerts in Izmir, he was able to perform as much of his own music as he wanted. According to Oborin’s reminiscences, the tour met with great success – Shostakovich was lauded as both composer and pianist. Shostakovich, himself, found the trip exceptionally interesting. This first trip abroad since the Warsaw Chopin competition and his short visit to Berlin in 1927 provided him with a wealth of impressions.

c e l l o s o n a t a , o p. 4 0 When not touring, Shostakovich continued to evolve as a composer. By August of 1934, he was hard at work composing a new sonata for cello that reflected many of his current personal anxieties and dramas. Shostakovich’s marriage was, at that time, in trouble. His wife, Nina Varzar, undoubtedly his most loyal friend and admirer, was also a talented physicist in her own right. Even though she genuinely loved music, she could not share Shostak-

chap_03.fm Page 83 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

83

ovich’s creative world to the fullest extent. In addition, her relationships with Shostakovich’s family were complicated, and, she also suffered from nephritis, a disease that, at that time, prevented her from having children. Although Shostakovich had fallen in love with Konstantinovskaya (their affair continued until 1935), he found it difficult to make a final decision and ask his wife for a divorce. Nina, on the other hand, when asked, readily agreed to a divorce; this willingness forced him to reconsider the whole situation.22 In August 1934, during a temporary separation that came about after a bitter argument with his wife, Shostakovich began writing a cello sonata, as suggested to him by cellist Viktor Kubatsky. The new sonata contained little if any of the gaiety and glamour of the Piano Concerto No. 1. The first movement, written in sonata form, has an elegiac main subject and an embracingly intimate second one. In the development, the harmonic tension and rhythmic intensity, enhanced by an ostinato figure (
), depict a desperate struggle that leads, at the end of the movement, to the dark and gloomy Largo of the coda. The second movement, which the composer referred to as a Menuet,23 is in ternary form with a scherzo-like, mechanical carousel of short motifs and nagging unison repetitions in the piano part. The third movement, Largo, a mournful monologue, is one of the first of Shostakovich’s many profound, slow movements. The fourth and final movement is a sinister Rondo, in which the episodes, although in opposition to the main theme, provide no respite; instead, their rapid tempos and pulse rush the movement along like a rattling wind. Only the last episode, a bittersweet farewell, reminds the listener of a gentler world. Together with Kubatsky, Shostakovich premiered the Cello Sonata on 25 December 1934 in the Maly Hall of the Leningrad Conservatory. The sonata apparently failed to make any significant impression on the listeners. Cellist Arnold Ferkelman, who was in the audience, later blamed Kubatsky’s playing for the poor reception: Kubatsky played at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow: he conducted and taught at the Conservatoire. He had a great talent as a musical organiser, but his technical skill as a cellist was limited. Undoubtedly, the sonata has received many better performances since then, and of course is now a part of every cellist’s repertoire. I have to say that when the sonata was first performed, it got a hostile reception. People didn’t understand it and were somewhat disappointed, and I regret to say that I was amongst them. It wasn’t the sort of new music we were used to. Later, I played the sonata very often, not only with Shostakovich, but with many other pianists, and then I understood the great value and beauty of the work.24

Shostakovich also premiered the sonata in Moscow with cellist Sergei Shirinsky. Dobrokhotov described the composer’s playing as “extremely idiosyncratic, with a marked sharpness and rare rhythmic intensity. All the technically difficult episodes, over which pianists now often stumble, were executed wonderfully by him, seeming so easy.”25

chap_03.fm Page 84 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

84

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.14 Cello Sonata, op. 40: first movement, bars 65–70. (a) First edition (1935)

(b) Collected Works edition (1982)

For the first eleven years after its initial publication, the Cello Sonata was performed according to the markings on the first edition, published in 1935 by Triton Editions in Leningrad. We know this from listening to Shostakovich’s recorded performance of the piece with cellist Daniil Shafran made in 1946. His second recording of the Sonata, made with Mstislav Rostropovich in 1957, reflects certain differences that appeared in the later editions under the editorship of Viktor Kubatsky.26 For example, in bars 68–70 and 188–190 of the first movement, the cello part was eliminated and the piano part slightly changed (example 3.14). This alteration and many other modifications, are not mentioned in the editorial comments of the Collected Works, which was based on the 1971 Kubatsky edition. Kubatsky, also changed Shostakovich’s tempo markings for the first, second, and fourth movements. In Shostakovich’s edition (1935) the tempo progression moves logically from slow to fast: Moderato (1), Moderato con moto (2), Allegretto (4). Kubatsky arranged the tempos more statically: Allegro non troppo (1), Allegro (2), Allegro (4). These modifications were

chap_03.fm Page 85 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

85

Table 3.3 Tempos for the Cello Sonata, op. 40. Movement and bar

First edition (1935) = 116 = 100 = 50

I at bar 54 at bar 200

Moderato

II

Moderato con G = 152 moto

III IV at bar 103 at bar 181

G G

Largo

G

Largo G = 69 Allegretto G = 152 Più mosso G = 160 G = 184

Kubatsky’s edition

Recording with Shafran (1946)

Allegro non troppo G = 138 [no marking] 1 l Largo G = 60

G

Allegro

G

Largo

G

Recording with Rostropovich (1957) G

G

= 118 = 103 = 52

G

= 146 = 129 = 59–60

= 176

G

= 160

G

= 183

= 69

G

= 50

G

= 62

G

= 125 = 193 = 180

G

= 168 = 192 = 190

Allegro G = 176 [no marking]1 2 G = 184

G

G G

G

G G

1 Kubatsky ignored Shostakovich’s changes in tempo. 2 This change was omitted in both the Sikorski edition (NR 2157) and the Collected Works edition (vol. 38, p. 31).

likely made in order to correspond with the altered metronome speeds that Kubatsky inserted in the score (see table 3.3). In the first movement, for instance, Kubatsky replaced Shostakovich’s G = 116 with G = 138. Although 138 corresponds to conventional metronome indications for Allegro non troppo, Kubatsky failed to take into account that the marking moderato in Shostakovich’s music embraces a tremendously wide range. For example, in his Prelude, op. 34, no. 1, Moderato is as slow as G = 69; in the song, “The Poet and the Tsar,” op. 143, no. 45 it is as quick as G = 144. Thus, for Shostakovich, a metronome marking of G = 138 could easily be considered Moderato, making Kubatsky’s adjustment completely unnecessary. Kubatsky’s metronome indications suggest feasible speeds that are, in fact, close to the tempos that Shostakovich used in his recording of the sonata with Rostropovich. In the recording with Shafran, however, the tempos for the first movement are virtually identical to those in the 1935 edition. In modifying Shostakovich’s metronome indications and terminology, Kubatsky also neglected most of Shostakovich’s tempo deviations for the first and fourth movements (see table 3). These deviations are nevertheless significant and were followed by Shostakovich in both recordings. When the well-known Russian musician and scholar Boris Dobrokhotov asked Shostakovich which edition of the Sonata could be considered the most credible, the composer answered: “During these years, life went forward and various performance interpretations began to accumulate. But I myself believe that it is possible to play [the Sonata] by precisely following my autograph. After all, my score appeared at the same time I composed the Sonata, when the text was sounding very clearly in my inner ear. So I think that the truth can be found only there.”27

chap_03.fm Page 86 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

86

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.15 Celle Sonata, op. 40: third movement, bars 96–103. (The added cresc. and dim. markings correspond with the 1946 recording.)

Despite the overall faithfulness of the 1946 recording to Shostakovich’s original score of 1935, it is interesting that the composer did permit the young Shafran, who was twenty-three at the time, a certain artistic leeway in expressing his individual interpretation. For example, at the beginning of the third movement, Shafran begins his solo at a tempo of G = 50, as opposed to G = 69 as printed in all editions. Shafran himself was aware of Shostakovich’s sensitive support of his interpretive ideas. In reminiscences about meetings with Shostakovich at the time of the recording, Shafran commented on the surprising openness of the older composer. In his words: In 1946–47, I enjoyed the privilege of frequently performing Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata together with the composer. When getting together with Shostakovich, one immediately sensed the unusual generosity and wisdom of his creative personality. No matter what I asked or suggested about the Sonata’s text, Shostakovich always listened to my every word with his undivided attention and, as a rule, agreed with any new performance details that were new for him, and even with those that went against his own notations in the score. Of course, these were relatively insignificant “corrections” of his superb composition. Nevertheless, many much less talented composers are also much less flexible. I recall, for example, that I asked him to allow a crescendo instead of the indicated diminuendo in the last bars of the third movement – this was another of my interpretive attempts to “break away from the numbness.” And Dmitri Dmitriyevich agreed to do so.28

Shafran’s interpretive crescendo in the final bars of the third movement is clearly audible (example 3.15). In both the Shafran and the Rostropovich recordings of the Cello Sonata – made eleven years apart – Shostakovich’s pedalling in the last movement (bars 181–3 and 185–7) is spectacular. Far from being an accidental blurring of pianistic difficulties, his pedalling creates an impressive climax (example 3.16). Although he indicated no pedal in the score, his performance pedal is both intentional and convincing.

chap_03.fm Page 87 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

87

Example 3.16 Cello Sonata, op. 40: fourth movement, bars 177–190. The tempo of the 1946 recording is G = 180. The tempo of the 1957 recording is G = 190. The inserted pedal markings correspond with both recording.

s u r v i v i n g i n a ti m e o f te r r o r The year 1936 began in a deceptively ordinary way for Shostakovich. The previous fall, he had made major concert appearances in Leningrad (on 14 September playing the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34; the Piano Sonata No. 1, and the Cello Sonata with Yosif Livshitz) and in Moscow (playing the Piano Concerto No. 1, conducted by George Sebastian). His new year was also heavily booked. As scheduled, he performed his Piano Concerto No. 1 (with conductor Albert Coates and trumpeter Leonid Yur’yev) on

chap_03.fm Page 88 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

88

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

11 January in Moscow. Then he travelled to Arkhangelsk, where Kubatsky conducted the Piano Concerto No. 1 and they also played two cello sonatas – one by Rachmaninov and one by Shostakovich. Kubatsky recalled these events, beginning with the day of Shostakovich’s rehearsal of the piano concerto with Coates (probably on 10 January 1936): I listened to the rehearsal. Shostakovich was getting desperate because the piece was not holding together at all. He wanted to cancel, but during the break I managed, despite certain difficulties, to persuade him not to. And what should I have felt!!! Only about week or so later, in Arkhangelsk, I was going to be conducting a young and inexperienced orchestra for Shostakovich, while here, such a famous master could not keep up with Shostakovich. What could I do?! I took the trumpeter Yur’yev and the bassoonist Kurkulov with me. Then, I arranged with D.D. [Shostakovich] that he would not attend any rehearsals in Arkhangelsk until I had finished teaching the orchestra players their parts … Suddenly, during one of the rehearsals … I saw a pale Shostakovich trying to press himself into the wall. His whole appearance seemed to be saying: “I couldn’t care less about the music right now.” Inside his pocket was the article, “Muddle Instead of Music.” The rest of the story is known.29

The “rest of the story” was that this article, “Muddle Instead of Music,” which was published that same day, 28 January, in Pravda, the Communist Party daily, viciously attacked Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. In the terrifying climate of the great purges, which had been rocking the entire country since at least late 1934, this article triggered the beginning of a crude harassment campaign against Shostakovich and his music.30 Despite this, the composer’s concerts were received enthusiastically in Arkhangelsk. Meanwhile, on 3 February 1936, while meeting with some young local composers in Arkhangelsk, Shostakovich demonstrated fragments from his recently completed ballet, The Limpid Stream.31 Little did he know that only three days later, on 6 February, an article entitled “Balletic Falsity” would appear in Pravda, attacking that same ballet for its “formalism.” From that time on, Shostakovich was, like millions of his contemporaries, a hunted victim who could, at any moment, disappear. After the publication of these articles, his life changed drastically: his music and performances were no longer tolerated, and he had to keep a low profile in order to survive. Both his circle of friends and his income shrank quickly, the latter coming in only sporadically from incidental music. Yet despite these circumstances, Shostakovich continued work on his fourth symphony; still young, he was likely hopeful that presenting a new symphony could improve his situation. By the end of May 1936, Shostakovich was ready to show his newly completed symphony to Otto Klemperer, who was at that time on a conducting tour in Leningrad. According to Isaak Glikman, Shostakovich was concerned that he “would have to work really hard to be able to play such an enormous and complex symphony for which he held such high

chap_03.fm Page 89 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

89

hopes.”32 The night before the performance, on May 30, Shostakovich’s daughter Galina was born: “after the sleepless night he was not himself.” Nevertheless, he pulled himself together and played the symphony “with great brilliance and exuberance.”33 The symphony made a huge impression on Klemperer, Fritz Stiedri, and Alexander Gauk, all of whom gathered in Shostakovich’s apartment for the occasion. The Symphony No. 4, a gigantic work, represents the most enigmatic of all Shostakovich’s compositions. Its three movements, which together last for over an hour, depict darkly grotesque images of Mahlerian proportions and depth. With daring boldness, Shostakovich used the resources of a huge orchestra to create an atmosphere of sinister power and grandeur. Such a symphony was completely inappropriate for his situation. At a time when Shostakovich needed, more than anything else, to demonstrate his loyalty to the motherland by composing an optimistic, socialist realist piece of music, he produced this work of sombre foreboding. Obviously understanding the tremendous risks involved, Shostakovich withdrew the work from rehearsals. Months later, only his closest trusted friends – among them Aram Khachaturian and Nina Makarova – had the opportunity to hear Shostakovich himself perform the symphony on piano34 but the composer had to wait a full quarter of a century – until the Khrushchevian “thaw” – for the first public performance in 1961. The entire year of 1936 witnessed little in terms of creative output from Shostakovich; his fear of arrest was growing daily. He even began camping out in the corridor outside his apartment late at nights, ready with a knapsack of clothing in case of arrest, so that he would not disturb his family and his newborn daughter. With the exception of some occasional work in film (Maxim’s Return) and theatre (Salute to Spain, op. 44). His only other composition for the entire year was the Four Pushkin Romances, op. 46, for bass and piano, (completed on 2 January 1937), which was only premiered four years later in 1940.

p r o f e s s o r- p e d a g o g u e In Maximilian Steinberg diary’s entry of 6 January 1937 we read: “On 4 January, Mitya Shostakovich was here; he played two romances based on Pushkin’s verses, one of which is not bad. He wants to teach at the Conservatory because composing is not coming at the moment. We’ll see what it is possible to do.”35 By the spring of 1937, as a result of persistent solicitations on the part of Boris Zagursky, Steinberg, and other friends, Shostakovich landed a position as professor of orchestration and composition at the Leningrad Conservatory. His need for money was more acute than ever: that summer, his brother-in-law Vsevolod Frederiks was arrested and Frederiks’s wife – Shostakovich’s elder sister, Maria – was also exiled. Shostakovich’s mother-in-law, Sofia Varzar, also suffered arrest and labour camp. He greatly welcomed this new job.

chap_03.fm Page 90 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

90

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

He began by teaching orchestration in 1937; a year later, he was teaching composition as well. His first composition students included Veniamin Fleishman, Igor Boldirev, Yuri Levitin, Georgiy Sviridov, and Orest Yevlakhov. Subsequently, among others, Moisei Katsnel’son, Abram Lobkovsky, Boris Tolmachev, and Galina Ustvolskaya joined his classes. His orchestration classes were also open to the students of other teachers.36 Shostakovich never developed a particular teaching method or style; his main aim was to provide his students with concrete and practical advice about their own work. Abram Lobkovsky described his pedagogy: “His teaching was unlike that of other composers. He would sit down and play. And then he would say: ‘This is good, and this is bad.’ And he did not always explain why it was good or bad. He would also say: ‘This should have been done like this’; and the students would understand him because everything was made precise.”37 Like his own teacher of many years ago, Maximilian Steinberg, Shostakovich tended to saturate his lectures with music, playing works by a great variety of composers on the piano. He used this method because he believed it was essential to expose students to as many different musical styles as possible. Although his phenomenal memory allowed him to demonstrate his favourite compositions spontaneously, he also enjoyed playing fourhands with his students. He maintained that his students’ own performances would give them the best possible insight into and sense of the structure of the music. Thus, Shostakovich made numerous four-hand transcriptions of newly published compositions that had been sent to him from Moscow by musicologist and editor Pavel Lamm. Among these arrangements were works such as Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. Shostakovich generally played the lower part while one student played the upper part and the rest followed the score carefully. He directed the students’ special attention to the most interesting and instructive parts of the work. In sessions such as these, a student had no choice but to become an excellent sight reader. Shostakovich insisted that his students be fluent and confident sight readers. He would permit some minor errors in the reading of a passage, but a student had to be in full command of the overall score and keep strictly to the rhythm.38 Indeed, he preached this unchangeable teaching rule throughout his entire life. Yevgeniy Makarov recalled that, in 1947, when he arrived for his audition with the composer, Shostakovich was going to play Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 with Revol Bunin. Makarov wrote in his diary that Shostakovich, “having learned that I play the piano and wishing to check my sight reading, sat Bunin and me at the piano, and took the score himself. Bunin read quite fluently, whereas my part, which was difficult and absolutely unknown to me, was too hard to handle.”39 When they finished playing, Shostakovich discussed the music with them. Expressing his views about the role of piano in compositional process, Shostakovich insisted that:

chap_03.fm Page 91 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

91

It is useful to think the piece over. But it is paramount to write down absolutely everything: one should not rely on one’s memory – it can let you down. One should not avoid the piano. However, improvising at the piano is not the same as composing something. Somebody told me that a device that records a composer’s improvisations has been invented. I think that such an invention would be harmful … Nevertheless, sometimes a piano can be helpful. I myself had moments when I was stuck in a certain place. Then, I would sit at the piano, play things that I had written and, approaching the “bewitched spot,” literally shut my eyes as though I were preparing to plunge into cold water. Sometimes, this helped.40

s pace to b re ath e In April 1937, Shostakovich began work on his fifth symphony; in early May, he demonstrated the first movement to Tikhon Khrennikov, Aram Khachaturian, and Vissarion Shebalin.41 In June, he played the first two movements for Nikolai Zhilyaev and Grigoriy Frid.42 Although it consists of four movements, this symphony is shorter (lasting about forty-five minutes) and more compact than the fourth. Shostakovich also used a smaller orchestra but included a piano part, something he had not done since the Symphony No. 1. Despite the climate of fear and unpredictability, on 8 October 1937 Shostakovich played a four-hand arrangement of the Symphony No. 5 with Nikita Bogoslovsky for Leningrad composers and conductor Yevgeniy Mravinsky. Following this, Shostakovich and Mravinsky began rehearsing and preparing the symphony for its premiere. We find no clues within the music itself to explain why this particular work managed to pass the arbitrary litmus test of Stalin and his censors.43 Most likely the reasons lie far beyond any musical matter, and are connected instead to complex political intrigues within top party circles – manipulations and dangerous games among party “apparatchiks” in their struggle for power. It is entirely possible that someone gave Shostakovich a tip that the moment was right for his reappearance in the public eye, but we have no solid evidence of this. Whatever the case, the fact is that on 16 November 1937, the opening day of the Soviet Music Festival in Leningrad, Shostakovich played his Piano Concerto No. 1 (with conductor Nikolai Rabinovich). Five days later, on 21 November, Mravinsky conducted the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere of the Symphony No. 5, which was received with unprecedented audience enthusiasm and wide critical praise. This crucial victory granted Shostakovich physical survival and even allowed him to stabilize his life to a certain degree. A month later, on 29 December 1937, Mravinsky gave a lecture at the Leningrad Composers’ Union, analysing and explaining his interpretation of the symphony with the composer illustrating the discussion at the piano. Once again enjoying official acceptance of a sort, Shostakovich confided his new concert plans to Kubatsky in a letter of 28 December 1937: “Of

chap_03.fm Page 92 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

92

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

course, I am ready to go with you to Stalingrad and to Kiev … we will go whenever you wish.”44 These plans changed, however; Shostakovich ended up visiting Stalin’s own motherland, playing his Piano Concerto No. 1 on 7 February 1938 in Tbilisi, Georgia.45 The late winter and early spring of 1938 brought several Leningrad engagements. In February he performed the Variations for Two Pianos by Leonid Nikolayev, together with Vladimir Sofronitsky in the Maly Hall of the Leningrad Conservatory. Then, on 18 April, he played a recital of three cello sonatas – one by Grieg, one by Rachmaninov, and his own – with Arnold Ferkelman. On 20 April he was the soloist for his own Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Eliasberg. In May of the same year, Shostakovich’s son Maxim was born. At this time, Shostakovich began composing his String Quartet No. 1 – a work that contains no dramatic conflict but is instead graced by subtle lyricism, exquisite lightness, and transparency. We read in Maximilian Steinberg’s diary: “18 November. Shostakovich called us in and played his quartet (more than anything I liked the scherzo and the first movement).”46 Besides the quartet, Shostakovich also composed his Second Jazz Suite and several film scores (Friends, The Vyborg Side, and The Man with a Gun) during the latter half of 1938. By 1939, he was back in full swing on the concert tour circuit, beginning with a successful appearance at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on 6 January 1939, when he played his Piano Concerto No. 1 under Kirill Kondrashin. This year, he received consistently high praise in the press for his “perfect” performing talents: Shostakovich has travelled a complex road as a composer. He has performed his own piano works frequently – his dances, preludes, and concerto – and has ceased playing the works of other composers. His compositions are so poignant and have elicited so much debate that audiences tend to overlook his incredible talent as a pianist. Nevertheless, Shostakovich remains one of the most gifted and original of Soviet pianists. Never giving in to mere showmanship or empty virtuosity, Shostakovich’s path is one of heartfelt emotion … Those who heard the wonderful performance of Chopin’s works in the joint concert of young pianists before their Warsaw trip will have certainly stored in their memory Shostakovich’s moving interpretation of this great Polish composer’s works, an interpretation both melancholic and triumphant, lacking any salon-like pretentiousness. And we have said nothing yet of his performance of his own compositions, which is exceptional and merits further study.47

Fellow performers also commented frequently on Shostakovich’s abilities as a performer. One such musician, cellist Arnold Ferkelman, often played Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata with the composer. Ferkelman has left his reminiscences about one of these recitals, which took place on 18 April 1939 in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.48

chap_03.fm Page 93 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

93

When it came to deciding on the programme, it was Shostakovich who selected from a list of sonatas I put forward. I remember suggesting Brahms and Chopin, but he very much wanted to play the Rachmaninov sonata, as he was very fond of it. During our rehearsals, Dmitri Dmitriyevich made very few remarks; apparently, he accepted my interpretation of his sonata. In general he was very modest, and it was very easy to play with him. He had no sense of ambition or pride, and he wasn’t offended if one made a suggestion. Most of his comments in regard to his sonata related to the tempi. Dmitri Dmitriyevich was a brilliant pianist and had an incredible technique, but in those years he didn’t practise very much. He must have been a natural pianist, and, of course, he had a sound technical grounding as a Nikolayev pupil. He knew all the music from memory, not just his own sonata. When we started rehearsing, he gave the impression that he had been practising day and night. He had no difficulties with the virtuoso passages in the Rachmaninov sonata and the Finale of his own sonata. In fact, he liked playing quickly and loudly, and he took incredibly fast tempi. I never succeeded in getting any other pianist to take such tempi. His playing was on the dry side, but on the other hand, he played very loudly, no doubt because of his great force of temperament.49

Shostakovich maintained his schedule of public performances throughout the year: he visited the Urals twice in 1939, presenting a piano recital in Sverdlovsk during April, and playing his Piano Concerto No. 1 on 30 September and 1 October.50 His final recital of 1939 took place on 30 October in Leningrad, where he performed the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34, and the Cello Sonata (with Ferkelman). Despite the fact that Shostakovich enjoyed relative personal stability at this time, he lived in a country wracked by fear, where millions continued to die as slave labourers in the Gulag. Many of Shostakovich’s friends and acquaintances fell victim to this merciless leviathan: in June 1939, for example, the pre-eminent theatre director Vsevolod Meyerhold was arrested, tortured, and on 2 February 1940 killed in prison; his wife, Zinaida Raikh, was also murdered in their home. Shostakovich’s compositions reflect the sombre shadow that had blackened his homeland; in particular, his Symphony No. 6, composed in 1939, forcefully portrays this darkness. Like the Symphony No. 4, it consists of three movements. The expansive first movement – a gloomy and lamenting Largo – dominates the entire work. The scherzo (Allegro) and final (Presto) movements are short, enhancing rather than balancing the tragedy of the opening movement with their eccentric liveliness. On 4 September 1939, Steinberg recorded in his diary: “Shostakovich and Nikolayev were here tonight; Mitya played two movements of his new (Sixth) symphony (h-moll). There is beautiful music in the first movement, but some tedious passages as well. The different sonorities in the scherzo are like a brilliant display of fireworks; but I did not like it much.”51 In 1939 during an interview on Leningrad radio, Shostakovich played this symphony on air; later he described the event in a letter to Yavorsky:

chap_03.fm Page 94 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

94

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

“The conversation with me was staged as follows: I’m playing the piano; the bell rings; a special [sobstvenniy] correspondent interrogates me about my creative plans. The entire lively scene is recorded and broadcast. I had the opportunity to listen to the whole production, and I enjoyed my playing of the second movement of the Sixth Symphony very much.”52 The first people to hear the symphony, including Shostakovich’s students at the Conservatory as well as his friends Sollertinsky and Glikman, had nothing but praise for the new work. Revealing Shostakovich’s great hopes for the symphony, Glikman wrote: “Long before the premiere, Shostakovich showed his new symphony to Ivan Sollertinsky and myself. He repeated the finale twice, and contrary to his habit, praised it: ‘It’s the first time I have written such a successful finale. I think even the severest of critics can find nothing wrong with it.›53 Shostakovich’s great hopes for this work, however, were dashed when official critics disapproved of the symphony at its premiere on 21 November 1939 (conducted by Mravinsky), castigating it for not conforming to the standards of socialist realism.

p i a n o q u i n t e t , o p. 5 7 Throughout late 1939 and early 1940 Shostakovich worked on a reorchestration of Musorgsky’s opera, Boris Godunov, a task that gave him great pleasure, since Musorgsky had always been one of his favourite composers.54 In March 1940 Shostakovich’s old devoted friend Boleslav Yavorsky invited him to play at a seminar for postgraduate students at the Moscow Conservatory. Shostakovich performed his Twenty-four Preludes, the String Quartet No. 1, and the Symphony No. 6 and discussed with students the problem of the “consciousness of the creative process.”55 As a result of the recent cool reception of his sixth symphony, however, the composer was under considerable pressure to succeed with his next major work, the Piano Quintet, op. 57. We learn something of the genesis of the Piano Quintet from Dmitri Tsyganov, the first violinist and head of the Beethoven Quartet. He recalled: “In 1938, after a successful performance of the first quartet, we suggested that Shostakovich compose a quintet. He became interested; as a pianist, he wanted to take part in the performance. He fulfilled his promise in 1940.”56 Indeed, on 16 July 1940, Shostakovich wrote in a letter to Vasiliy Shirinsky, the second violinist of the Beethoven Quartet, that “three days ago, I began composing a piano quintet.”57 In his next letter, on 6 August 1940, he confided to the same correspondent: “Of course, I myself would like very much to play it [the quintet] together with you. Although I have never performed in public in such an ensemble, I think that it will be possible to try, even more so, because so far the piano part is not difficult, and I can play it with ease. Thus, I would be delighted to appear with your quartet.”58

chap_03.fm Page 95 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

95

The quintet is an exciting composition to perform with instrumental parts that are both effective and bold. The themes possess tremendous communicative power that appeals greatly to listeners. There are five movements. The first, Prelude, written in ternary form, combines neo-baroque intonations with the rich resources of romantic writing. The second movement, an eloquent fugue, is masterfully shaped to a spectacular climax that has an orchestral fullness and intensity. The scherzo, with its ringing piano passages and forceful incessant drive, provide a sharp contrast to the succeeding tranquil intermezzo, which has a nostalgic baroque flavour. Although the finale, written in sonata form, has contrasting themes, it lacks conflict, so the “story” ends placidly and serenely. After completing the work on 14 September 1940, Shostakovich first performed it in October with the Glazunov Quartet in Leningrad.59 After the concert, Steinberg recoded in his diary: “Tonight I was at the Union, listening to Shostakovich’s quintet performed by the Glazunov Quartet, together with the composer. There were multitudes of people; they played the Quintet twice. It is a very good composition, perhaps not inferior to the Fifth Symphony. I think, however, that the fugue is a bit long, and that in the finale, before the second theme, the music ‘wanders’ somewhat. All is done with a wonderful mastery, and, at times, the sonority is amazing.”60 In November, Shostakovich began rehearsing the Piano Quintet in Moscow with the Beethoven Quartet, and on 12 November, the ensemble performed it for the Stalin Prize committee. According to Tsyganov, Shostakovich developed a definite method of collaborative rehearsing: “Shostakovich figured out a certain routine of working with us. First, he played his new piece on the piano from the score; then he distributed the various parts to us, always requesting strongly that we not begin rehearsing without him.”61 The group rehearsed in room no. 10 at the Moscow Conservatory, often beginning as late as 11 p.m. and usually continuing until dawn; even on the day of the concert, they finished rehearsing only at 5 a.m. On 23 November 1940, Shostakovich, together with the Beethoven Quartet (Dmitri Tsyganov, first violin; Vasiliy Shirinsky, second violin; Vadim Borisovsky, viola; and Sergei Shirinsky, cello), gave the official premiere performance of the quintet in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Although Shostakovich’s nerves were on edge, the premiere, according to Tsyganov, “without exaggeration, was a triumph. As our encore, we repeated the intermezzo and the finale, and then the scherzo from the quintet, so that we played almost the entire piece twice.”62 After the performance, Shostakovich visited the writer Marietta Shagynian, who wrote in her diary that same evening: “Shostakovich came to me very pale, very excited, and said: ‘I have been so shaken by the success of the Quintet that I could not go home immediately after the concert. Instead, I have been wandering the streets of Moscow – my soul filled with bliss. And the traces of this bliss still glimmer inside of me, awakening feelings of joy, even exultation, within me.’

chap_03.fm Page 96 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

96

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

As far as I remember, his hands – those of a genius – always felt dry to the touch, but when we said good-bye that evening, his hand was quite damp.”63 Quickly becoming an audience favourite, the Piano Quintet was performed many times in November–December 1940 in Moscow64 by the Bethoven Quartet. Tickets for the concerts of 8 and 9 December were sold out even before the posters appeared. On 8 December, they performed in the Concert Hall of the Polytechnic Museum, where Shostakovich also played twelve of his Twenty-Four Preludes, op. 34, and the Four Pushkin Romances, op. 46 with bass Alexander Baturin. After the concert, Vasiliy Shirinsky wrote in his diary: “The audience consisted of students, musicians, and intelligentsia who were sitting on all the stairs. For an encore, the scherzo and finale of the quintet were repeated. The concert enjoyed an absolutely unbelievable success. At the end of the concert, the whole audience stood up, giving a long standing ovation to the composer and the performers. The concert on 9 December was equally successful, except that, after two encores, the audience demanded a repeat of the fugue, which the performers could not do because they were leaving for the night recording.”65 After the concert, overnight from 9 to 10 December, Shostakovich and the Beethoven Quartet made a recording of the Piano Quintet on “tonefilm” [magnetic stock] in a session that lasted from 1:30 to 7:30 a.m. This recording was often broadcast on radio, but was released on disc only fiftythree years later, in 1993, on the Multisonic label (310179–2). On 15 December 1940, five days after the Moscow radio recording, Shostakovich gave the public Leningrad premiere of the Quintet with the Glazunov Quartet in the Maly Hall of the Leningrad Conservatory. Also included in the same concert were twelve of his op. 34 preludes, and the Four Pushkin Romances, op. 46 with Veniamin Arkanov. In May 1941, the Piano Quintet was awarded a Stalin Prize; this was the first time that Shostakovich had received such a prestigious state honour. Tsyganov recalled: Later we made a new recording of the quintet for the gramophone.66 This recording was awarded a “Grand Prix” in Paris. Shostakovich has said many times that when he composes something, he often has a particular performance or performer in mind. To some extent, I think, the quintet does reflect the inherent abilities of our Quartet, but especially of Shostakovich’s own specific pianism. Shostakovich was an unsurpassed performer of his own solo and chamber work, playing them, as a composer of genius, in his own unique way – his approach then became the ideal for all performers. It was impossible to differentiate his compositions from his interpretations, as was also the case for those of Medtner, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev. His playing had a kind of “bewitchment” about it, a magic through which his creative intellect expressed itself. In his piano performances, as in all his creative work, one sensed the air of a genius. His playing was wilful, unusually focused, disciplined, surprisingly organized in terms of rhythm, and lacking any superfluous deviations. But it was, at the same time, very free, as though improvised … Even the greatest of pianists can not begin to approach Shostakovich’s genius as a pianist.67

chap_03.fm Page 97 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

97

Table 3.4 Tempos for the Piano Quintet, op. 57. Movement

Autograph score (1940)

First recording Second recording Published score (1940) (1955) (1956)

Prelude rehearsal number 3

G

= 58 = 52

G

G

= 72 = 61

G

G

= 53 = 45

G

G

G

= 72 = 72

Fugue

G

= 72

G

= 58

G

= 75

G

= 84

Scherzo

G

= 160

D.

Intermezzo

G

= 72

G

= 57

G

= 71

G

Finale

= 72 Moderato poco allegretto

D

= 86

D

= 96

D

D

= 74

D.

= 88

D.

= 84

= 72

= 96 Allegretto

Both of Shostakovich’s recorded performances of the Piano Quintet are exciting and noteworthy. While the 1940 recording, made soon after the premiere, represents a raw and still imperfect interpretive sketch, the 1955 recording is polished and refined. By comparing the two recordings, we can trace the different stages of the ensemble’s work that lead to this fine interpretation. It is not surprising that most of Shostakovich’s tempos in the first edition of the Piano Quintet, published in 1956, are similar or even identical with the 1955 recording, which was made only a year earlier. Remarkably, though, some tempos of the 1955 recording closely resemble those in the autograph. The most striking difference between the 1940 and 1955 recordings is in the tempos (see Table 3.4). In the earlier recording, all the speeds are markedly slower. For example, the initial tempos of the Prelude in the 1955 recording and the published score are much faster than those of the autograph and the 1940 recording. The tempo at rehearsal number 3 is also faster on the 1955 recording. In the 1940 recording, Tsyganov chose an extremely slow speed for the Fugue; in the 1955 recording his tempo was considerably quicker. Although neither is as fast as the metronome speed indicated in the score, the 1955 recording is amazingly close to Shostakovich’s original marking in the autograph. In the 1940 recording of the Scherzo, we can hear that despite the composer’s attempts to push forward, the sound is sluggish and heavy with the string players keeping the tempo on the “safe” side.68 In the 1955 recording, however, the initial speed is a little faster than indicated in the published score. The initial tempo of the Intermezzo in the 1940 recording, like that of the Fugue, seems to be too slow. In contrast, the faster pace of the 1955 recording allows for a naturally flowing pulsation. In the autograph, the Finale is marked Moderato poco allegretto and the metronome marking of 72. It is not clear why, in the published score, this was changed to Allegretto and metronome 96 with a ritenuto marking above the first bar. The reason was likely to emphasize the idea that after the

chap_03.fm Page 98 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

98

dmitri shostakovich, pianist Example 3.17 Piano Quintet, op.57: Prelude, bars 1–2. (The lower pedal markings correspond with the recordings.)

slower speed of the Intermezzo, the Allegretto speed does not starts right away; instead there is a gradual accelerando toward bar 9 where the speed stabilizes at 96. This is indeed exactly how Shostakovich played it on both recordings, although in the 1940 recording the tempo is somewhat slower. While the tempos differ between the two recordings, Shostakovich’s pedalling and touch are similar in both. Starting the Prelude powerfully with ample pedalling and a compelling rhythmic drive, he maintained a clear articulation. (In example 3.17 the lower variant of pedalling corresponds with the recordings.) He used the same kind of pedalling in the Fugue in bars 99–100. The Scherzo perfectly suits Shostakovich’s brilliant finger technique and his somewhat metallic quality of articulation. Even in the Intermezzo, especially in bars 29–34, Shostakovich’s celesta-like piano tone contrasts sharply with the warmth of the strings. David Mogilevsky, the cellist of the Glazunov Quartet, recalled Shostakovich’s “structural” style, describing it from the perspective of the string players: “We, the string players, wanted to “sing” more, to play more emotionally. Shostakovich, however, placed more stress on the structural and motor elements, achieving his impact through rhythmic precision. The emotional reserve of his playing contradicted somewhat the nature of the strings. He required a minimum vibrato. Also, the fast tempos on their own excluded any possibility of emotional exaggeration and open cantilena for the strings.”69 Many musicians, including Dmitri Tsyganov and Valentin Berlinsky, the cellist of the Borodin Quartet, complained about Shostakovich’s habit of adopting incredibly rapid tempos. It is true, for example, that within the

chap_03.fm Page 99 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

99

second and third movements of the Piano Quintet he increased the tempo significantly. Christopher Rowland, the first violin of the Fitzwilliam Quartet, correctly observes that in the Fugue: “from the first episode there is a gradual increase in speed which is emphasized the louder the music becomes and the smaller the denomination of the notes. This propensity is even clearer in the Scherzo where there is a “gear change” both at the G major quaver section and again at the piano’s F natural pedal.”70 Rowland also observes that in the Finale, “the tendency to gain momentum through the movement is again predominant with Shostakovich pressing forward wherever he has continuous quavers. The dynamic climax also marks the point of maximum speed; thereafter, as texture thins and dynamics reduce, the speed relaxes correspondingly.” Rowland contends that the effect of those continual accelerandos “is not of being unrhythmic, but of increasing drive and propulsion.”71

th e m o t h e r l a n d a t wa r In early 1941, besides composing music for the stage production of King Lear and the film, Korzinkina’s Adventures, Shostakovich made several stage appearances – his last before the outbreak of war. On 2 and 5 January 1941, he performed his Piano Quintet in Leningrad’s Great Philharmonic Hall with the Glazunov Quartet. Not particularly happy with these performances, the composer wrote to Vasiliy Shirinsky on 14 January 1941: I played with Glazunov’s players, and I must say that my quintet does not come off in their playing. Besides, I feel that in the recent performances in Moscow and Leningrad … I played completely automatically, not feeling any “inspiration.” This occurs solely because of my lack of stage experience. And, frankly speaking, the experience hurt me. I still remember the thrill and delight with which I played my first concerts in Moscow. Later, though, these feelings disappeared. I have probably played the Quintet too many times in a row, making it “habitual.” And habit is the enemy of performance and of creativity.72

In the spring, Shostakovich’s busy concert schedule included appearances on 1 April in Moscow, where he played his Piano Concerto No. 1 (with Grigoriy Stolyarov). The concerto was repeated on 5 April in Taganrog and on 6 April in Rostov-on-Don (under conductor Mark Paverman) where, the next day, Shostakovich also played twelve of his Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34 and the Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet). He also planned to make a new recording of the quintet with the Beethoven Quartet but this project was prevented by the outbreak of war with the Nazi invasion of 22 June 1941. While, German troops day by day, were overrunning hundreds of miles of territory, getting closer and closer to Moscow and Leningrad, Shostakovich,

chap_03.fm Page 100 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

100

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

like millions of his countrymen, tried to enlist. Fortunately, he was refused (his eyesight was pronounced too weak), but he was advised instead to continue working as a composer and a pianist. His primary official duty became arranging popular music for the various small ensembles that were entertaining troops at the front line. His own concert performances also greatly contributed to raising popular morale in those early frightening months of war. Shostakovich recalled one concert that took place in Leningrad’s Great Philharmonic Hall on 14 September 1941: “Two or three blocks from the concert hall (although an air-raid siren had just stopped, and nobody knew when the next one would begin), people approached me continually, all with the same question: “Do you happen to have a spare ticket for tonight’s concert?” Exhausted by sleepless nights, the people of Leningrad were also starving for some kind of spiritual or aesthetic respite. I played my Preludes with great enthusiasm for this special audience under these unusual circumstances.”73 In July 1941, in the very shadow of the Nazi invasion, Shostakovich began work on his Symphony No. 7, which was destined to become a stirring symbol for the outside world of Russian heroism and sacrifice. In early September, he played the first movement of the symphony for his student Orest Yevlakhov. Then, in typical fashion, on 17 September, he invited other colleagues – Valerian Bogdanov-Berezovsky, Yuri Kochurov, A. Peisin and Gavriil Popov – to his apartment to listen to two newly completed movements. He played the symphony twice. Bogdanov-Berezovsky captured the incredible excitement of this private performance in his memoirs: We expected something extraordinary. And the extraordinary certainly happened, captivating and thrilling us. Shostakovich played with élan, imitating the orchestral colors of the symphony – his rhythm also tracing the impetuous dynamic of the symphony’s form – his playing expressed his overpowering thoughts and feelings … The music perfectly captured our everyday life, reality, and sufferings … After the overwhelming impression left by the first movement of the symphony, not a sound could be heard. Shostakovich then nervously opened a package of cigarettes and began smoking, thus creating a pause in the performance. I think that the impressions produced by this first movement somewhat overshadowed the content of the second one. Listening to the transparent, lively music of the second movement … we still sensed the gigantic shadow of the first that continued to hang over the second. When it was over, everybody simultaneously demanded a repeat performance of the second movement. But all of a sudden, an air raid siren sounded. Shostakovich suggested that we take only a short break – he had to take his wife and children, Galina and Maxim, to the bomb shelter – and then we would continue later on. On being left alone, we remained silent. After what we had just experienced, words seemed completely superfluous … We were hypnotized by the close proximity we felt to the creative process, a process that is usually so mysterious and secretive, and by the absolutely unique expressiveness and emotion of the composer’s

chap_03.fm Page 101 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

101

performance. Such playing was endowed with all the rich resources of “Shostakovichian” pianism and saturated with the excitement and thrill of the composer’s inner emotional state.74

Bogdanov-Berezovsky’s description matches many others: by all accounts, Shostakovich’s piano renditions of his symphonic works were truly unforgettable experiences. Fortunately for us, a few of these performances were recorded and film footage of a performance of the seventh symphony does exist.75 The only officially released recording is that of his four-hand arrangement of the Tenth Symphony – an impressive and strong interpretation – made with Moisei Vainberg. In his performances and recordings of piano works such as the Prelude in E-flat minor from op. 34 and the Preludes and Fugues in E flat minor and D minor from op. 87, Shostakovich demonstrated many traits of his symphonic interpretations and orchestral imagination. Shostakovich’s “instrumentation” of the piano texture distinguishes his recordings from all the others, making them truly unique. On 20 September 1941, Shostakovich performed his new symphony for Isaak Glikman, the writer Nikolai Tikhonov, and his students Yuriy Levitin and Orest Yevlakhov. After he was moved, along with his family, to Moscow on 1 October, Shostakovich played the symphony privately for some of his Moscow friends, including the composer Aram Khachaturian, the writer Yevgeniy Petrov, and the diplomat K. Umansky.75 A public performance of three movements of the symphony was also held on 12 October at the Moscow Central Artists’ Club. A few days later, on 15 October, the entire Shostakovich family boarded an evacuation train for the Urals, arriving a week later in the city of Kuibyshev. Joined by many outstanding musicians (the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra was also moved there), Shostakovich enthusiastically participated in the concerts they organized. On 4 January 1942, he wrote to Glikman about one such recital, in which the program consisted of his Twenty-four Preludes, Four Pushkin Romances (sung by Alexander Baturin), the Cello Sonata (with cellist V. Ostrovsky), and the Piano Quintet (with the Bolshoi Theatre Quartet).77 He also played his own and other composers’ works on the radio and in war hospitals. In Kuibyshev, before and after he completed the Symphony No. 7, Shostakovich often played it for his friends and for conductor Samuil Samosud; he also arranged the last movement for two pianos so that he could perform it with Lev Oborin. Samosud, who at this time was conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, began rehearsing the symphony with the orchestra. The composer, however, worried that neither the size of the orchestra nor Samosud’s technique could live up to the challenging task that the symphony represented.78 Despite this uneasiness, the Kuibyshev premiere of the Symphony No. 7 on 5 March 1942, was a resounding success. On 20 March the

chap_03.fm Page 102 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

102

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

composer flew to Moscow to attend the symphony’s premiere in the capital on 29 and 30 March, also conducted by Samosud. The radio broadcast of the Moscow performance received a sensational response: orchestras in the Soviet Union and around the world began including it in their repertoire. In April 1942, in blockaded Leningrad, conductor Karl Eliasberg started rehearsing the symphony with those musicians who remained in the city and were physically able to attend rehearsals. The legendary official Leningrad premiere took place on 9 August 1942. Maximilian Steinberg attended many of the rehearsals. Honest and sensitive about everything concerning his now famous former student, he wrote in his diary on 10 June: “some years ago, it was called ‘muddle instead of music,’ and now it is a manifestation of high humanity and patriotism. So go dialectics!” On 13 June, he added: “Yesterday, at my class, we went over the finale of Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony. Of course, the entire ideological ‘lining’ is far-fetched; similarly, in its time, his totally formalistic and abstruse sonata [Piano Sonata No. 1] was suddenly declared to be ‘The October Sonata.’ How unpleasant all this is!”79 Meanwhile, back in Kuibyshev, in April 1942, Shostakovich received his second Stalin Prize at a ceremony where he played the symphony for the awarding committee.

l i f e i n ku i b ys h e v After the success of the Seventh Symphony, Shostakovich began work on a new opera, The Gamblers, based on a play by Nikolai Gogol, but he soon came to the conclusion that the project was not feasible. He had been using an unabridged Gogol text, and consequently the opera was too cumbersome. Unfortunately, he left the score unfinished. When Isaak Glikman visited Shostakovich in Kuibyshev in May 1942, the composer, anxious to show someone his recent composition, played fragments from his uncompleted opera as well as his Seventh Symphony and Verdi’s Otello, one of his personal favourites. Reading and interpreting musical scores was Shostakovich’s passion – his ideal way to spend his leisure time from youth to old age. He could never get enough of studying scores; to him, “music made with your own hands and heard in your own head and heart” was always “incomparably the best.”80 This addiction to score reading was well known; in Kuibyshev, his friends Lev Oborin and David Rabinovich enjoyed many hours playing four hands with him or simply listening to his playing and discussing the music with him. In Kuibyshev, where symphonic scores were difficult to obtain, playing from memory also enriched these hours of music making: a contemporary remembered that at one of such gatherings, Shostakovich played fragments from Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 for Samuil Samosud.81 From the very depths of provincial Russia, with his country suffering deadly onslaught and destruction, Shostakovich continued to pine for his Leningrad friends, who were scattered all over Russia. In particular, he

chap_03.fm Page 103 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

103

longed to see his best friend Ivan Sollertinsky, who was then living in Novosibirsk. During the war this Siberian centre of cultural and academic life was also temporary home to Yevgeniy Mravinsky and to Shostakovich’s beloved Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra; at this time they were hard at work rehearsing his Symphony No. 7. Eager to visit his friends and to work again with his most trusted conductor, Shostakovich opted to undertake the journey to Novosibirsk in June 1942. En route to Novosibirsk, he stopped at Sverdlovsk, where another old friend, Vissarion Shebalin, was living. During this visit Shostakovich presented Shebalin with three of his new Six Romances, op. 62, based on verses by British poets; one of the songs was dedicated to Shebalin. Shostakovich also played his Symphony No. 7, and the two friends discussed the work, Shostakovich valuing highly Shebalin’s professional opinion. Once safely in Novosibirsk, Shostakovich’s spirits were revived. After the dreary and provincial Kuibyshev, he immensely enjoyed his stay in this “little Leningrad” in exile, renewing acquaintances with friends and performing a great deal as well. He played his Seventh Symphony for Mravinsky and also gave a recital in which he played his Piano Quintet (with the Glazunov Quartet) and the Four Pushkin Romances, op. 46 (with Veniamin Arkanov). Shostakovich later wrote about the reinvigorating effect of his visit to Novosibirsk: “I spent almost a month in Novosibirsk. Far away, in the very depths of Siberia, I suddenly experienced the old feeling of Leningrad, to which I had grown unaccustomed, but which continued to attract me so much.”82 Another welcome and refreshing break from the Kuibyshev routine was a two-week trip to Moscow in September 1942. While in the capital, on 5 and 10 September, Shostakovich played his Piano Quintet with the Beethoven Quartet in the Conservatory Maly Hall. That autumn, back in Kuibyshev, more time was spent performing. He demonstrated his Six Romances, op. 62 at the Composers’ Union, and also accompanyied the cycle in recitals with bass Alexander Baturin. In addition, he helped violinist Isaak Zhook to learn the Violin Concerto in G major, op. 2, by Shebalin. On 11 November 1942, he not only sight read this difficult score effortlessly but also, after becoming acquainted with the music, wrote to Shebalin proposing some changes in the orchestration.83 Shostakovich also toured a little. In December 1942 he travelled first to Ufa, where he performed on 17 and 18 December, and then to Belebei for a recital on 20 December. His programs included the Piano Quintet (with the Bolshoi Theatre Quartet) and the Piano Sonata No. 1. We also know from his letters that he preferred Belebei to Ufa: “Belebei is a small town of magical beauty; I spent three splendid days there.”84 Nevertheless, after the trip he complained about various tribulations – his tiredness and the fact that he caught a cold on the road. Indeed, shortly after the tour, he came down with more serious ailment – gastric typhoid. In addition to his physical ailments, the dullness of life in Kuibyshev continued to gnaw at Shostakovich psychologically as the months wore on. He

chap_03.fm Page 104 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

104

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

grew increasingly frustrated by the cultural and social limitations. He wrote, “I am extremely bored here. Mostly because of the complete lack of any musical life, but also because I miss my friends.” In another letter he expanded on these themes: “Printed scores are a bibliographical rarity in Kiubyshev. Musical life here is anything but stable. Concerts happen only once in a blue moon. Life, on the whole, is grey and joyless.”85

p i a n o s o n a t a n o . 2 , o p. 6 1 Once his health began to improve, Shostakovich started work on his second piano sonata, which was dedicated to the memory of Leonid Nikolayev. In October 1942, his beloved piano teacher had perished from typhoid fever and starvation in the central Asian city of Tashkent. Shostakovich wanted, through this composition, to pay tribute to the man who had been not only an inspiring teacher but also one of the first to recognize his genius for composition, and had wisely encouraged him to pursue a career as a composer. On 12 January 1943, he wrote to Sollertinsky: “As soon as the pain left me, I began thinking over the piano sonata. Now that I’ve outlined it, little by little, I am writing it.”86 In his letter of 19 February to Shebalin, he informed the latter: “Having left my work on The Gamblers, I began writing the piano sonata and have already written the first movement. It’s going to be in four movements.”87 Shostakovich finally finished the sonata in March 1943 in Arkhangelskoye, near Moscow, where, after his long illness, he was receiving treatment in a sanatorium. Despite his initial plan, in its final form, the Sonata was comprised of not four but three movements. Composed between the seventh and the eighth symphonies, the Piano Sonata No. 2 is, in effect, a piano symphony. A monumental work, it was viewed by Shostakovich as his best piano composition.88 The main subject of the first movement, which is written in sonata form with a vast coda, combines a sad, lyrical melody with a relentless figuration of sixteenths. The exposition presents a dramatic development of this subject and the transitional themes (bars 17–54), leading to a passage of resolute chords (bars 50–54) that announce the march-like second subject (at bar 55). The vigour of this victorious E-flat theme accompanied by an E-flat major pedal triad quickly subsides into the careful tiptoeing of the soft, chromatic closing subject. Spooky motives initiate the development (at bar 97, L’istesso tempo). In the development, which is based on both the first and closing themes, the first subject undergoes tremendous dynamic growth. A triumphant climax coincides with the beginning of the recapitulation (bar 168, Tempo I). This climax reaches its peak when the second subject appears (bar 188): the two main subjects are combined fortissimo in a glorious bitonal “marriage” of the two tonics, B and E flat (example 3.18). As in the exposition, this climax dissolves rapidly with the appearance of the pedal point of the closing subject (bar 201). The short mini-develop-

chap_03.fm Page 105 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

105

Example 3.18 Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 61: first movement, bars 188–91.

Example 3.19 Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 61: second movement, bars 78–81.

ment finishes with the transitional theme (bars 248–57). In the following coda, the first subject receives no significant elaboration and quietly fades away. Resolute chords bring the movement to a conclusion. The second movement, marked Largo is in ternary form with elements of rondo form; the movement represents one of the earliest examples of the introspection that is so characteristic of Shostakovich’s later compositions. Such meditative introspection frequently reflects the composer’s musings about death and mortality. On the other hand, the slow waltz rhythm, the melodic patterns, and the changing metres are reminiscent of his early compositions, such as the Prelude in A-flat major, op. 34 no. 17 (both are in the same key and are marked Largo) or the Prelude in G minor, op. 34, no. 22. In the sonata, however, the motives and harmonies are more refined and dissonant; the sweetness of the earlier works is gone. In the middle part of this movement (Meno mosso, bar 45), the only contrast in dynamics is between ppp and piano espressivo. In the “recapitulation” (bar 78), Shostakovich combines the sparse texture of canon with a two-bar pedal, producing a rich tone picture (exemple 3.19). Nevertheless, at bar 94, a more fragile sonority returns, delicately adorned with ppp grace notes to quietly complete this mysterious piece of exquisite beauty. The finale, an immense variation cycle, consists of a thirty-bar theme with nine variations. The theme’s sorrowful monody (example 3.20) includes the

chap_03.fm Page 106 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

106

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.20 Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 61: fourth movement, bars 1–13.

typically Shostakovichian intervals of diminished fourths and diminished octaves. This movement also includes the contour (in bars 3–4) of Shostakovich’s musical monogram D–E-flat–C–B (derived from the German note names for his initial and the first three letters of his last name: DSCH). The composer used this motive frequently in later works as a symbolic signature. The first (bar 30) and second (bar 60) variations enrich the melody of the theme with harmonic support (in the first variation) and with rhythmic figurations (triplets, in the second variation). With the third variation (bar 91, Più mosso), the tempo increases and the metamorphosis of the theme begins: staccato throughout with an intense dynamic swelling, it becomes an insistent toccata. The fourth variation (beginning at bar 129, Tempo I) is a chorale with acrid dissonant chords and alternating dynamic waves. In the fifth variation (bar 163, Allegretto con moto), the toccata returns, growing into a wild, diabolic carousel (bar 200) that calms down only toward the end of the variation. The sixth variation (bar 235) is an austere canon in a diminished octave with a fixed rhythmic figure ( ). At the seventh variation (bar 292, Poco meno mosso), the tempo relaxes, while the persistent pulsation of the ostinato enhances the stillness of the long, pedalled chords. The entire variation – eighty-seven bars – is embraced by a single slur, which has a strong visual impact. In the context of this variation, the slur also serves to intensify the poetic symbolism of the music, which alludes to death and eternity. After the piano dynamic of the seventh variation, the powerful forte beginning of the eighth variation (bar 378, Adagio) marks the central climactic point of the movement – the funeral march that brings back the movement’s main key. At the end of this variation (bar 435), a “quotation” of the chorale from the fourth variation appears. In the ninth and last variation (bar 445, Moderato), the sixteenthnote figuration unites the images of the first and last movements.

chap_03.fm Page 107 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

107

Shostakovich’s first performances of his second piano sonata took place in the spring of 1943 in Moscow: at a meeting of the Arts’ Committee on 12 April, at the Composers’ Club on 15 April, and at the Soviet Information Bureau in early May. On 6 June 1943, the sonata had its official premiere in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory; in the same concert, the composer accompanied singer Efrem Flaks in a performance of his Six Romances, op. 62. The Piano Sonata No. 2 was published in the autumn of 1943. Although Shostakovich often performed it in the late 1940s and early 1950s, no official recording was issued. Since we have no recorded performances by the composer, we have to trust the memories of those who heard him play this work. Erik Tawaststjerna was present at the composer’s recital in Prague in 1947. His description of Shostakovich’s interpretation is one of the most detailed and valuable: The tone of the piano says much about the player. Under Shostakovich’s fingers, piano sounds are contrapuntal: like feathery pencil drawings, tending more towards linear development than towards vertical structure … When Shostakovich began performing the figurations in the first movement, I remembered the descriptions of Mozart’s murmuring non legato. The descending third of the main theme was interpreted by him with a restrained melancholy, the majestic octave theme being tinged with the colour of steel. Shostakovich’s playing is rooted in a symphonic concept. The climax of the first movement he sees with the return of the main theme, which is preceded by a tremendous intensity in the development. Then the images disappear, as if swept away by a winter darkness or storm. The speed and precision of the pianissimo passages confirm Shostakovich’s pianistic virtuosity. Until now, I have always perceived the Andante movement as being almost impressionistic. I was astounded by the sharpness of the thematic outlines in Shostakovich’s interpretation. The melodic line evolves in an endlessly subtle rubato. In the middle episode, one is amazed by his orchestral imagination – as if a solo flute, accompanied by lower strings, is heard playing. In the recapitulation, Shostakovich reveals all of his pianistic brilliance to the fullest. With the melody being woven into cascading arpeggios, the sonority becomes absolutely impressionistic. And, ultimately, the theme of the Finale [appears] – single voiced, without supporting chord. Even now I can hear how Shostakovich [played it], as if measuring the varying levels of interval intensity – from the neutral intervals of triads, through to bolder chromatic steps, toward the tension of the diminished octave and tritone and to the final culmination on a minor ninth.89

soul searching Finally, during the spring of 1943, Shostakovich was able to move to Moscow for good – the capital was no longer immediately threatened, and the enemy had begun its slow and tortuous retreat. We are treated to a rare and

chap_03.fm Page 108 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

108

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

intimate glimpse into the real persona of the composer of that time – his inner fears, conflicts, and self-perception – through the detailed reminiscences of his devoted admirer, Marietta Shagynian, who recorded them in her diary during May 1943. The two friends enjoyed an unusually frank chat after Shagynian had attended one of Shostakovich’s concerts. This meeting obviously made a strong impression on Shagynian. In her words: “My most memorable event in Moscow was visiting Shostakovich. On this occasion, he made a very special impression on me – as a resolute, knowledgeable person who knows what he wants and how to get it. He is a just, honest, intelligent, and surprisingly strong – invincibly strong – child … with the mind of a forty-year-old man.”90 Her basis for such an assessment of Shostakovich’s character was partially the litany of complaints to which she had been treated. She related, in her own words, Shostakovich’s description of his hardships in wartime Moscow: In terms of my material life, everything is very tough. Life is difficult; I am not very settled. I lack the basic necessities: I have only one frying pan – how much food can one cook on that? We have no potties for the children. Nevertheless, on the inside, life is fine. But I have not been able to work lately, and this is tortuous. When I am not working, my head aches constantly; it is hurting right now. This does not mean that I am not doing anything. Quite the contrary, I am very busy: I am reading a huge number of manuscripts and I am supposed to be giving advice to everybody – but this is not really what I should be doing. I am not composing at all. The sonata I wrote is a trifle, something impromptu. It seems that I am having a real break at the moment.91

In addition to these creative anxieties, Shostakovich also revealed to Shagynian what he perceived as his social and emotional shortcomings. According to her, he admitted, “I am not able to communicate with people at all. I cannot understand them; I don’t know how to approach them. I don’t know why this is so.” Shagynian apparently replied that, in her view, a lot had to do with his “enormous ego” and his “unkindness” on the inside. Shostakovich retorted with his own self-analysis. Shagynian explained: “During our conversation about palmistry, Shostakovich looked at both our palms and told me that my fate line was strong, but that his fate and life lines were separated. Then he showed me his heart line – he had a double one – and said: ‘I am not making this up. I am only following what the books explain, scientifically. You say that I am not kind, but I am kind. I have the kindness of Christ. The double heart line on my hand is like the one of Christ, a sign of great kindness. I do not consider myself an egoist.›92 Shostakovich’s personality – the myriad of complexities and conflicts of his inner world – fascinated and puzzled Mikhail Zoshchenko, a writer of exceptional talent with deep insights into the labyrinths of human psycho-

chap_03.fm Page 109 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

109

logy. He once painted an amazingly profound portrait of Shostakovich as a person. This portrait is probably the one closest to the truth or, at least, the clearest picture we will ever have of Shostakovich’s enigmatic soul. On 1 April 1941 Zoshchenko wrote to Shagynian about Shostakovich: Marietta, I am doing what you asked me to do – I am writing to you about Shostakovich. Your impression of him is correct. But not entirely correct. It seemed to you that he was “a fragile, delicate, introverted, extremely ingenuous, and naive child.” It is so. But had it been only so, then a great art (like his own art) would not have been possible. He is precisely what you are saying, but also he is tough, caustic, extraordinarily smart, and a rather strong, despotic, and not entirely kind man (although by voice of his reason – kind). It is in this combination that he has to be seen. And then – to a certain extent – one can understand his art. There are enormous contradictions in Shostakovich. They are incompatible. This is a conflict of the highest level. This is almost a catastrophe … Marietta, it is very good that you liked Shostakovich so much. He is a wise man. And, of course, very pure. It seems to me that he is a great musician. And I always thought so, even fifteen years ago …93

r et ur n to th e cap i tal In 1943 Vissarion Shebalin, the recently appointed director of the Moscow Conservatory, invited Shostakovich to teach composition there, beginning in April. Among Shostakovich’s Moscow students at the time were Revol Bunin, Kara Karayev, Yevgeniy Makarov, Karen Khachaturian, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Boris Tchaikovsky. Shostakovich took advantage of his return to Moscow, playing frequently at both official and private meetings. During his summer vacation in 1943, he played his Symphony No. 7 for the cadets of the Infantry School near Ivanovo (a composers’ retreat near Moscow). Besides performing his Piano Sonata No. 2 (on 1 May, he played it for Bogdanov-Berezovsky)94 he also demonstrated some fragments from his opera The Gamblers at an April recital of the Composers’ Union. Yevgeniy Makarov recorded that on 20 March 1944 Shostakovich played and sang the opera for him, Revol Bunin, and Nikolai Peiko. The performance lasted for about an hour, and the piece made a strong impression on the listeners.95 The year 1944 also included several concert engagements in Moscow. On 20 May at the Tchaikovsky Hall, he played the Piano Concerto No. 1 under conductor Alexander Orlov.96 On 14 September he played the Piano Quintet with the Beethoven Quartet. On 27 November he played the Piano Sonata No. 297 at the House of Scientists. He also performed the sonata and his Six Romances, op. 62 (with singer Efrem Flaks) in Leningrad in October of that year. Soon after his return to Moscow, Shostakovich also started thinking about a new symphonic work. In the summer of 1943, he finally fulfilled

chap_03.fm Page 110 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

110

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

this desire by starting a new symphony, his eighth. As usual, he worked extremely quickly, completing the first movement in one month. Three weeks later, on 25 August, he had already finished the second and third movements, so he gave a private performance for his friends Aram Khachaturian and Nina Makarova in Ivanovo. On 21 and 22 September 1943 he demonstrated the completed Symphony No. 8 to his friends Ivan Sollertinsky, Vissarion Shebalin, Nikolai Myaskovsky, and Mikhail Starokadomsky.98 While in Leningrad, on 4 April 1944 Shostakovich played the entire symphony for Maximilian Steinberg, who listened with “great interest.”99 We also know that on 24 September 1944, the composer performed the symphony for Yergeniy Mravinsky. After hearing this performance, Shostakovich’s student Yevgeniy Makarov recorded in his diary: “He played exceptionally well. It was especially beautiful when he played the slow sections of music, as though he was purposely holding the tempo back. I liked the first and third movements of the symphony better than anything else. The first movement made me think of the first movements of the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, and the third one – the Quintet’s remarkable Scherzo. Shostakovich’s performance of the Symphony lasted for one hour and seven minutes.”100 The Symphony No. 8 is a five-movement work of gigantic dimensions. As in the fourth symphony, Shostakovich allowed his voice – that of a great tragedian – to sound at full volume. Unlike the seventh symphony, however, the eighth received a hostile reception after its public premiere, conducted by Mravinsky, on 4 November 1943 in Moscow. The tragic concept of the work was obvious to both Shostakovich’s friends and his enemies. Despite a few favourable reviews – Sollertinsky, for one, highly praised this work – after the second publication in 1946, it was republished only in 1963. Following the first performances in Moscow and Leningrad, the work became taboo and was not performed in Russia for many years.

p i a n o tr i o n o . 2 , o p. 6 7 Personal tragedy struck Shostakovich on 11 February 1944 when his best friend, Ivan Sollertinsky, who was only four years his senior, died suddenly from a heart attack at age forty-one. With Sollertinsky’s death, Shostakovich had lost his soulmate and his equal; his life became inexpressibly lonely. He decided to dedicate his second trio, which he had begun in late 1943, to Sollertinsky’s memory, but because of the deep depression occasioned by his friend’s untimely death, it took him several months to finish the work. After completing the Piano Trio No. 2 on 13 August 1944, Shostakovich brought it to his students at the Moscow Conservatory – his favorite audience. When he finished playing, the students remained respectfully silent. Revol Bunin recalls: “We listened to it in mute delight, but when Shostakovich had finished playing, he repeated continually: ‘So, come on, criticize!

chap_03.fm Page 111 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

111

criticize!›101 Of course, Shostakovich’s students found it exceedingly difficult in general to criticize their teacher; moreover, the new trio was among Shostakovich’s best chamber compositions. The Piano Trio No. 2 consists of four movements. The first movement (in sonata form) has a slow fugato introduction in which the cello begins a sad, folk-like tune in harmonics; the tune is repeated by the violin and followed by the piano in unison octaves. The main subject (starting in bar 45), although melodically close to the introduction, is much faster and features an active eighth-note pulsation. This ostinato – a distinct, rhythmic leitmotif– has a symbolic significance that becomes evident in the finale, the dramatic climax of the entire work. The texture of the first movement is predominantly linear; the piano part is mostly in two single lines with occasional chordal highlights. The movement develops intensely towards the recapitulation but subsides softly in the last bars. The second contrasting movement, a robust scherzo with elements of both rondo and ternary form, embodies a relentless and forceful drive in its passages, chords, repeated melodic patterns, and accents. In the third movement – a passacaglia – the strings sing a mournful melody above the piano’s austere, sustained chords. The finale, which follows the previous movement attaca, is in sonata form with rondo features. The main theme, with its lowered second scale degree (Phrygian) and ostinato rhythm in the accompaniment, moves in the range – a vicious circle – of a diminished third in the initial bars, producing the gloomy atmosphere of a doomed dance within an inferno. This music is always associated with images of human suffering, and especially with that of the Jews who perished in the Nazi death camps. All of the themes in this movement include diminished intervals, adding an edge to the overall picture of torment and desperation. The stormy development (bars 133–280) leads to a climax (bars 221–244), marked ff and fff for all three instruments, with octaves in the piano part and a chordal ostinato in the strings. This instrumentation achieves the power of an orchestral sonority. The rich resounding texture and dynamic are sustained through the rest of the development (bars 245–280). The introductory theme of the first movement appears suddenly in bar 286, introduced by the passacaglia theme stated in arpeggios in the piano part, and followed by the themes of the finale (bars 330–353 and 354–376). The trio concludes with a brief coda (bars 377–404) in which the first and the passacaglia themes of the finale sing a final requiem for the dead. On 25 September 1944, Shostakovich played the Piano Trio No. 2 and his String Quartet No. 2 (which he had completed only five days earlier), for the Beethoven Quartet.102 Polishing the new pieces, the composer, together with Dmitri Tsyganov and Sergei Shirinsky, rehearsed the trio at Shostakovich’s home from 25 September until the beginning of November 1944. At last, on 9 November, they introduced the trio and the string quartet to the Composers’ Union; on 14 November, they premiered the two works in

chap_03.fm Page 112 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

112

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Leningrad’s Great Philharmonic Hall. Two weeks later, on 28 November, Shostakovich and the Beethoven Quartet presented the Trio No. 2, the String Quartet No. 2, and the Piano Quintet at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. This performance met with even greater success than the one in Leningrad. Two years later, in 1946, he made his first recording of the Piano Trio No. 2 with Tsyganov and Shirinsky. Shostakovich recorded the Trio again on 26 May 1947 at the Prague Spring Festival with David Oistrakh and the Czech cellist Milos Sádlo (born Milos Zátvrzský), who had met Shostakovich in 1946 during his visit to Russia. At the Prague Festival, Shostakovich also played his Piano Sonata No. 2 and the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34. Later recollections by both Sádlo and Oistrakh differ in their respective assessments of the extent of Shostakovich’s direction of the recording process. Sádlo was excited about playing the trio with the composer, later remembering Shostakovich’s performance in the following manner: ^

^

Really excellent! Perhaps a little “dry” for my own personal taste, but such a technique! My admiration for the man already knew no bounds, but imagine my astonishment when I discovered that he was not only a great composer, but a virtuoso pianist as well! And, of course, when it came to making the recording, it quickly became clear to me that Shostakovich and Oistrakh were already “professionals” of the recording studio: they were so used to this modern phenomenon that they played with as much energy and inspiration as on the stage – the whole thing was recorded in practically one take! … Taken as a whole, it is so spontaneous, so full of such sincerity, that I’m still drawn to it: Shostakovich in the second movement, Oistrakh’s powerful bowing technique, which he had specially adapted for the trio, and the “motor effect” in the final movement. Indeed, the conception was quite different from that which I had developed with the Czech Trio, with whom I first played the work. With Oistrakh and Shostakovich, we played the movements more quickly, the music acquiring a great deal more dramatic tension – particularly in the scherzo. Of course it was he [Shostakovich] who “directed” us from the piano, but in quite a liberal way – always offering scope for our individual ideas and insights. And he never saw fit to make a single remark regarding interpretation.103

Oistrakh also recalled that “Shostakovich never imposed his will – never,” but his view of the power dynamics within the ensemble differed from that of Sádlo. According to Oistrakh: “I was the leader. Shostakovich played carefully, holding his tongue, and I would check my comments by the expression on his face – by his eyes, which gleamed from behind his spectacles. Certain of his gestures – the way he would pull at his bangs or adjust his spectacles – were reliable indications of whether he approved or not.”104 Moreover, Oistrakh remained extremely pleased with the ensemble’s performance, later acknowledging: “Without meaning to boast, I believe that this recording of the trio is the best of all that I have heard.”105

chap_03.fm Page 113 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

113

Table 3.5 Tempos for the first movement (marked Andante) of the Piano Trio No. 2, op. 67. Bar number

First recording (1946)

Score

Second recording (1947)

11

G

= 69

G

= 61–64

G

= 72

46

G

= 96

G

= 121–123

G

= 100–102

81

G

= 120

G

= 134–136

G

= 149–151

107

G

= 138

G

= 166

G

= 196–200

1. In the first edition of the score (published in 1945), this initial metronome marking for the movement was G = 88; in later editions this was changed to G = 69.

Since Shostakovich recorded the Piano Trio No. 2 twice with different ensembles, and the musicians highly praised both performances, we must consider the tempos in these recordings as possible authentic variants. Although the actual recording speeds differ from the score indications, the general idea of an accelerando towards the development is preserved in both recordings (Table 3.5). In the Collected Works edition (1983), the second movement is marked Allegro con brio, D = 132, whereas some earlier editions suggest Allegro non troppo, = 108. In the 1946 recording, Tsyganov begins at = 113– 114, while in the 1947 recording, Oistrakh plays at = 110–113. In both recordings, the speed increases within the movement, in the final bars almost approaching the tempo marked in the last Collected Works edition. In the autograph the third movement is marked Largo non troppo = 88, but, in most editions, it is simply Largo = 88. In the Collected Works edition, it is Largo = 112. Shostakovich’s initial tempo in the 1946 recording is = 88 (tempo rubato), but from bar 8 (Tsyganov’s part) it becomes much slower ( = 76–78). In the 1947 recording, Shostakovich’s tempo for the first eight bars of chordal theme is virtually ad libitum, but from bar 8, Oistrakh plays at = 79. In the last movement, there are two main tempos in all editions: = 144 (for bars 1–97 in the exposition, bars 245–80 in the development, and bars 330–91 in the recapitulation); and = 168 (from bar 98 in the exposition and from bar 282 in the recapitulation). An analysis of the tempos in the recordings, however, reveals that although both recordings begin at a tempo close to the indicated one, they do not resume that tempo in the development (bar 245) or in the recapitulation (bar 330); instead, there is a continuous accelerando throughout the movement that reaches its highest peak in the 1946 recording about bar 245 and in the 1947 recording about bar 282 (Table 3.6). Shostakovich’s playing, on the whole, is truly remarkable in this movement, exhibiting an extremely wide dynamic range and powerful rhythmic drive. His dynamics and inner energy in shaping the culmination in both recordings, from the mysterious pianissimo (bar 133) to the volcanic .

h .

h

.

h .

q

q

q

q

q

q

e

e

chap_03.fm Page 114 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

114

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Table 3.6 Tempos for the finale of the Piano Trio No. 2, op. 67. Bar number 1 98 245 282 330 392

Score

First recording (1946)

Second recording (1947)

A = 144 A = 168 A = 144 A = 168 A = 144 G = 69

A = 142–144 A = 168–170 A = 183–180 A = 168 A = 164 G = 40

A = 147–149 A = 176–178 A = 176–178 A = 178–180 A = 170 G = 42–44

fortissimo appassionato (bars 240–4) is unforgettable. Also remarkable are his agogics in bars 267–80, where he holds back the tempo, creating an impressive pesante character. Although he did not include pedal indications in his score, his pedalling from bar 282 onwards is generous and daring, supporting the ensemble with the richness and colour of an orchestral sonority (example 3.21).

piano music for children At the end of 1944, Shostakovich began work on something completely different – a charming cycle of short piano pieces entitled Children’s Notebook, op. 69, written for his eight-year-old daughter, Galina. On 23 February 1945, having heard a suite for oboe and bassoon, written by one of his students, Shostakovich played Funny Story, March, and Waltz from his Children’s Notebook, stating that these pieces could be arranged for such an ensemble and would sound well in performance.106 One piece from the set, The Clockwork Doll, is based on the first theme from Shostakovich’s orchestral Scherzo in F-sharp minor, op. 1 written in 1919 (example 3.22). Six pieces of the cycle were initially published in 1945 by the Muzfond of the ussr. The seventh, Birthday, was not published until 1983 in volume 39 of the Collected Works edition. Shostakovich played the pieces for a radio broadcast107 and recorded all seven in 1947. Galina herself, in an interview with Sofia Khentova, provides a rare account of the origins of these delightful pieces: I received a recording of these pieces as a gift. The date indicated there is 1945: I think that is an error. They were composed on Kutuzovsky Prospekt in 1947. Father composed one piece at a time, and right afterwards, Viliams [a family friend and artist] illustrated the piece. “Birthday” was written later than the others. It is difficult, actually, to date the entire Children’s Notebook with only one date: each new piece was composed after I had mastered the previous one – and I learned them very slowly; I needed a month or two to learn each one, so it took about a year or a year

chap_03.fm Page 115 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

115

Example 3.21 Piano Trio no. 2, op. 67: fourth movement (The pedal indications are mine.) (a) bars 286-7

(b) bars 292-3

Example 3.22 Scherzo in F-sharp minor, op. 1 (1919): bars 1–3.

and a half to compose all of them; later, my father unified them all under one date. I remember that I played these pieces at the Composer’s Union at a children’s recital in the morning, either on 1 May or 1 September. After having played two pieces, I couldn’t remember the rest. Father then came up to the stage and said, “You’re a bit mixed up, I will finish playing them myself.” And he sat down and played the rest.108

chap_03.fm Page 116 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

116

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.23 Children’s Notebook, op. 69: Birthday, bars 1–16.

According to Tatiana Nikolayeva, editor of volume 39 of the Collected Works edition, the autograph of Birthday, has been lost. However, she states that there is a copy of it at the Central State Archives of Literature and the Arts in Moscow (TsGALI). Apparently the 1983 publication is based on this copy, which is the only existing copy of the piece. We may consider the recording of Birthday to be as authentic as the existing copy of the autograph, since it is the composer’s “live autograph” of the piece. The published version of Birthday is 53 bars long, but the recorded version is shorter: Shostakovich omitted the thirteen-bar coda, thus limiting the duration of the piece to thirty-seven seconds. He also plays different notes in bar 15, indicated as “ossia” in example 3.23. I have inserted metronome speeds and pedal indications in square brackets.

chap_03.fm Page 117 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

117

Table 3.7 Order of the pieces of Children’s Notebook, op. 69. Collected Works edition

Recording

Tempo of the recording

1 March

1 March

D

2 Waltz

2 Waltz

D.

3 Bear

3 Sad Story

G

= 100

4 Funny Story

4 Funny Story

G

= 176

5 Sad Story

5 Bear

G

= 144

6 Clockwork Doll

6 Clockwork Doll

G

= 152

7 Birthday

7 Birthday

G

= 126 = 72

bar 1 bar 7

= 144 = 88

D.

Example 3.24 Children’s Notebook, op. 69: Bear, bars 32–48. (The slurs and the non-legato indications are mine.)

The order of the recorded and published pieces also varies between the versions. As indicated in Table 3.7, Bear is no. 5 in the recording but no. 3 in the Collected Works edition. Tempos of the pieces – Shostakovich did not indicate speeds in the score – can also be gleaned from the recording. (Table 6 includes metronome markings taken from this performance.) Also, in his recording of Bear he played bars 33–6 and 41–4 legato (example 3.24), but he played bars 37– 40 and 45–8 non-legato (although he wrote no slurs in these bars). In 1949 Shostakovich wrote a short two-piano piece, Happy March, for his son, a work which he designated in the autograph as op. 81. This brief composition resembles his later two-piano work, the Concertino for Two Pianos, op. 94, and the first movement of the Piano Concerto No. 2. Later, he assigned opus number 81 to the oratorio Song of the Forests, written in the same year. March was published for the first time in 1983 in vol. 39 of

chap_03.fm Page 118 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

118

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 3.25 Waltz from the second act of the ballet The Bolt: bars 1–12.

the Collected Works. A one-page Murzilka was also published for the first time in the same volume, but the date of composition of this easy but sharply dissonant piece is unknown. Shostakovich’s next cycle of short piano pieces for children was drawn from his ballet scores The Golden Age, The Bolt, and The Limpid Stream arranged by the composer and by his friend Levon Atovm’yan into suites. These arrangements, in turn, encouraged the composer to write his own piano transcriptions of these pieces. In Dances of the Dolls (1952, no opus number), Shostakovich used music from the Ballet Suites Nos. 1 and 3. For example, he reworked the theme from the mocking Waltz (example 3.25) in his ballet The Bolt (which is also included in Ballet Suite No. 1) for the humorous and naive Waltz-Joke. Because of their simple texture, children and amateur pianists alike can enjoy the sweet elegance and tasteful humour of these miniatures. Romance, Polka, Waltz-Joke, and Hurdy-Gurdy are from the Ballet Suite No. 1; Lyrical Waltz and Gavotte are from the Ballet Suite No. 3. The last piece, Dance, is from the ballet The Limpid Stream. Some of the tunes were recycled more than once. For example, the folk-like “Petrushka” theme (example 3.26) from the music revue Declared Dead “travelled” first to the ballet The Limpid Stream and then to the Ballet Suite No. 1 before it was presented as Hurdy-Gurdy in Dances of the Dolls. In 1953, Shostakovich wrote Concertino for Two Pianos, op. 94, a composition intended for his then fifteen-year-old son Maxim, a gifted pianist who was studying at the Moscow Central Music School and preparing for a professional career. It is a brilliant one-movement concert piece that is nevertheless suitable for the technical level of aspiring young pianists. The Concertino contains elements of both sonata and rondo form with a slow introduction. This introductory epic Adagio also reappears: in the

chap_03.fm Page 119 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:32 PM

composer-performer, 1933–1945

119

Example 3.26 The theme of Petrushka from Declared Dead: bars 1–8.

middle (bar 151) and at the end (bar 254). The first subject (Allegretto) sharply contrasts the introduction. This beautiful song-like theme in octaves is played by the first piano with an ostinato accompaniment on the second. The first piano introduces the second subject (bar 85), also in octaves. (Scale passages in octaves prevail in the Concertino, as they do in many other Shostakovich piano scores, including the Piano Concerto No. 2 and fast movements of his chamber works.) The second subject is a happy “young pioneer” march that has an appealing youthful energy and a captivating rhythmic drive. The Concertino is extremely effective and quickly became popular. It was premiered by Maxim Shostakovich and Alla Maloletkova on 8 November 1954109 in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Two years later, on 2 February 1956, the composer and his son Maxim made a brilliant recording, both demonstrating flawless finger velocity and refined articulation. Taking into account the fact that Shostakovich’s hand affliction was progressing quickly at that time, this performance is even more remarkable. Since the score has no tempo markings, this recording serves as a useful guide for Shostakovich’s authentic speeds: Adagio (bars 1, 151, and 254) G = 74; Allegretto (bars 39 and 164) G = 174; and Allegro (bar 259) G = 168. Shostakovich’s final student piano work is the Tarantella for Two Pianos, composed in 1954. This bold and temperamental, short, “encore” piece was premiered on 8 November 1954 in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.

chap_04.fm Page 120 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

4 Return of Fear, 1945–1953

e n d o f wa r Shostakovich greeted 1945, the last year of the war, in an atmosphere of gloom and depression. The living conditions in Moscow were miserable: from 6:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening, there was no light or water. In winter, by 3:00 p.m. it was already so dark that Shostakovich, with his bad eyesight, could not write. His mood was bleak.1 Nevertheless life went on. Even though Shostakovich composed nothing during the last few months of the war, we have evidence that his powers of memory and playing abilities remained wonderfully sound. In 1945 a group of Conservatory students who were studying Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 1 approached the composer, hoping to find a good printed score of the piece. Shostakovich graciously agreed to meet with them. One of the students, Valentin Berlinsky (a cellist and future member of the Borodin Quartet), provided a fascinating recollection of this encounter: So we went to the classroom and D. D. (Shostakovich) asked if we wanted to play the piece through for him, or whether he should say something first about his ideas of tempo, and so on. We decided we wanted to hear what the composer had to say first. He went up to the piano – it was an upright. And without even sitting down at the piano – it is still a vivid image – Shostakovich standing at the piano – he played right through the First Quartet. Everybody knows that Shostakovich had a phenomenal memory. At the beginning, all went very well – perhaps he’d prepared himself very well for this meeting with us. But when, at some point in the finale, he stumbled slightly, he apologised, saying: “Please forgive me – I haven’t looked at the score since I wrote it!” That way, we knew that the whole meeting was in fact improvised.2

Shostakovich’s students knew that their teacher “needed music like food.” According to Yevgeniy Makarov, in 1945 they enjoyed many sessions at which they played various four-hand arrangements with him, including

chap_04.fm Page 121 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

121

Rossini overtures, Beethoven symphonies, and Stravinsky’s Concerto for Two Pianos.3 On 13 February 1945, Shostakovich invited the conductor Samosud and other musicians to listen to his Symphony No. 4, which he performed with his favourite ensemble partner, composer Moisei Vainberg. They played “exceptionally well. Absolutely undisturbed by the immense difficulty of the composition, they did not lose each other even once and did not stop, playing over an hour.”4 However, Makarov did not enjoy listening to Shostakovich playing Mozart piano sonatas; on 22 May 1945 he wrote, “Although it was sight reading, one could not rid oneself of the impression of the dry and ‘mechanical’ quality.”5 Shostakovich was aware of his pianistic shortcoming; according to his another student, Elmira Nazirova, “it was terribly painful for him that his tone was not beautiful, but rather brittle. In fact, his hands were extremely bony.”6 After the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945, Stalin clearly expected Shostakovich to compose a patriotic and pompous symphony glorifying the great vozhd [leader]. Shostakovich responded with his Symphony No. 9, completed in August 1945, surprising everyone. This compact five-movement symphony (only about twenty minutes long) is more like a sinfonietta than a symphony – a brilliantly witty musical joke. On one hand, through this work, Shostakovich expressed his definite refusal to play the part of a sycophantic court musician to Stalin. On the other hand, since the piece lacks text, it was virtually impossible to decipher; thus, Shostakovich could not be incriminated for political mockery. In writing this symphony, he cleverly used the only real freedom he possessed – the freedom of laughter. Most of his performances during 1945 were of the Symphony No. 9: on 4 September for conductors Samuil Samosud, Alexander Gauk, and Nikolai Anosov; on 10 September with Svyatoslav Richter at the Arts Committee; on 19 September for his former teacher Maximilian Steinberg; and on 25 September with Vladimir Serdechkov at the Leningrad Composers’ Union where the work was performed twice. Meanwhile in Russia, by 1946, the terror had reemerged, and with it old fears returned. Andrei Zhdanov, Stalin’s chief lieutenant after the war and the head of the Leningrad Party organization from 1934 to 1944, helped to mastermind a concerted anti-Western campaign, in which the great poet Anna Akhmatova, the brilliant humorist Mikhail Zoshchenko, and many others were vilified as “homeless cosmopolitans” and ruthless traitors. A great admirer of Akhmatova and a friend of Zoshchenko, Shostakovich keenly sensed a return of the 1930s horror, understanding that he, like everyone else in the cultural world, was undoubtedly vulnerable to such deadly attacks. In order to keep as low a profile as possible, Shostakovich decided to limit his solo public appearances. He did, however, make numerous radio broadcasts and, in 1946, he recorded his Cello Sonata, op. 40 (with Daniil Shafran).

chap_04.fm Page 122 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

122

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

In this gloomy and foreboding year, Shostakovich was able to compose a complex and profound chamber work – his String Quartet No. 3, which he dedicated to the members of the Beethoven Quartet. This five-movement piece relates the powerful story of a nation gripped by tragedy after suffering colossal human sacrifices. The imagery is thus close to that of the String Quartet No. 2. From 12 to 14 December 1946, Shostakovich joined the Beethoven Quartet for rehearsals of his Piano Quintet, the String Quartet No. 1, and the String Quartet No. 3, and, on 16 December, they played this program successfully in the Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. By 1947, Shostakovich had resumed his teaching position; he also took on several key administrative posts. On 1 February, he returned to his alma mater, the Leningrad Conservatory, where he once again became a professor of composition. In addition, time-consuming duties as chairman of the Composers’ Union and as Leningrad deputy to the Russian Federation’s Supreme Soviet (an “elected” position that entailed endless queries from his constituents) required frequent travel between Moscow and Leningrad. Despite his seemingly high official status, Shostakovich felt a continued lack of personal security in this period of “Zhdanovshchina,”and he was grateful to his friend Marietta Shagynian, who published a friendly, positive article about him in Izvestiya on 7 February 1947. In his letter to her of 16 February 1947, he expressed his gratitude frankly: “I want to thank you warmly for your article about me in Izvestiya. It gave me great pleasure, probably because for the last while, nobody has written much about me, and if they have written something, then … ”7 It is clear from the letter that both correspondents understood the extent of Shagynian’s courage in writing a glowing article about him in times of such political uncertainty. In May 1947, Shostakovich participated in the Prague Spring Festival, where he played the Piano Sonata No. 2, the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34, and the Piano Trio No. 2 (with David Oistrakh and Milos Sádlo). While in Prague, he recorded Three Fantastic Dances, the “Polka” from the ballet The Golden Age, “Children’s Notebook,” the Twenty-four Preludes, and the Piano Trio No. 2. Oistrakh later recalled about Shostakovich’s playing: ^

I was at the concert in which Shostakovich played his second piano sonata. Gilels spoke to me not very approvingly of this Sonata. In Prague, when the composer performed it, it was a success. Shostakovich also played his quintet with the Beethoven Quartet. Overall, he was at his peak. Back in Moscow, we continued making music with Shostakovich … sometimes at his place … but more often at mine … Shostakovich loved making music. This was his passion. I am not convinced that he was that attracted to concert performance. It seems that he got somewhat tense on stage. In a relaxed, home environment he made music with unconcealed delight. We played a lot of violin sonatas then.8

During 1947 Shostakovich also participated in a number of concert and radio performances. On March 14, he joined the Beethoven Quartet for a

chap_04.fm Page 123 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

123

performance of his Piano Quintet. He played this work with the Glazunov Quartet in Leningrad on 10 October 1947 at the Conference Hall of the Academy of Sciences and in December at the Maly Hall of the Leningrad Conservatory, where he also played his Piano Sonata No. 2.9 By January 1948, many of Shostakovich’s worst forebodings about the return of Stalinist repression began to materialize: Zhdanov’s campaign against “formalist” composers was picking up frightening speed. In his February 10 Decree “On the Opera The Great Friendship by V. Muradeli,” Zhdanov used Muradeli’s opera as an example, but his condemnation of the work virtually announced a new purge among composers and musicians. Shostakovich’s name appeared on a blacklist along with Sergei Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturian, Vissarion Shebalin, Gavriil Popov, and Nikolai Myaskovsky. Stalin’s recent assassination of Solomon Mikhoels, the renowned Jewish actor who was also the father-in-law of Shostakovich’s close friend Moisei Vainberg, indicated the depth of the terror and its frightening proximity. Shostakovich’s friend, film producer Leonid Trauberg, remembered that “Shostakovich dealt with the harsh criticism of 1948 far worse than that of 1936.”10 Harassed constantly by the press and at composers’ conventions, Shostakovich also experienced the humiliation of having his music banned from performance. The worst mortification of his life came when, at a meeting of the Composers’ Union, Shostakovich was forced to deliver a speech (written for him by a party official) accusing himself of formalism and denouncing his own work as antinarodnaya muzyka. [unpatriotic music]. In September 1948, when he was fired from his teaching posts at the Moscow and Leningrad Conservatories because of “professional incompetence,” his financial situation became hopeless. We gain an insight into the extent of this desperation from Shostakovich’s housekeeper, Maria Kozhunova, who recalled that terrible year: “I remember that difficult year of 1948. They had no money. I spent my and Fenya’s [the maid’s] savings to feed the family. What else could we do?”11 This cruel harassment and abasement definitely took its toll on Shostakovich – his wife feared that he was on the verge of suicide. His only recourse – and escape – was to compose; during this harrowing time, he continued work on his first violin concerto, which he had begun in the fall of 1947. Isaak Gikman remembered that Shostakovich had confided to him at the time: “In the evenings, after those disgusting and shameful discussions (at the composers’ convention), I used to come home and work on the third movement of the violin concerto. I have completed it, and it seems that it has turned out alright.”12 Having completed the concerto, on 9 March 1948 the composer demonstrated the work, playing it twice at a meeting with his Leningrad students.13 David Oistrakh’s son, Igor Oistrakh, then a young boy, was one of the first to hear the concerto performed by Shostakovich himself. Many years later, he recalled: “I had the chance to go along with my father – this time to Shostakovich’s apartment

chap_04.fm Page 124 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

124

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

in Moscow – to hear the composer present us with his new work. I remember it as though it were yesterday! We were shown into a large study in which there were two pianos. Shostakovich sat down at one of them and played through the whole score – the orchestral as well as the instrumental parts. He played this incredibly rich score brilliantly: it had such an immediate and overwhelming effect on us.”14

“ n ow i s e e m t o b e a j e w ” The Violin Concerto No. 1, op. 77, is a remarkable composition. It is not only one of Shostakovich’s most demanding violin works but also one of his most personal and autobiographical. There are four movements: Nocturne, Scherzo, Passacaglia, and Burlesque. The Scherzo, a contrast to the sad, sombre opening movement, portrays a fiendish twirl of evil forces in which Shostakovich interweaves his musical signature (DSCH) with a Jewish melody. These two themes are developed further in the third movement during an enormous cadenza that is actually an additional movement for solo violin. The concerto resembles the finale of the Piano Trio No. 2 in that both works contain Jewish tunes (or tunes customarily identified as Jewish). Shostakovich’s interest in Jewish themes can be traced back to the early 1940s, when he was completing Rothschild’s Violin, an opera that had been composed by his favourite student Veniamin Fleishman, a rabbi’s son who had been killed at the front in 1941. The second movement of the String Quartet No. 2, entitled Recitative and Romance, is clearly reminiscent of the singing of Jewish cantor. This quartet, a companion piece to his war symphonies, was composed after the second piano trio. Two years later, Shostakovich incorporated Jewish elements into the second and third movements of the monumental String Quartet No. 3; the third movement recalls the finale of the second piano trio. It is, of course, no coincidence that Shostakovich was experimenting with Jewish elements at a time when the Nazi Holocaust was claiming the lives of millions of European Jews. In the Violin Concerto No. 1, for the first time, Shostakovich interweaves Jewish themes with his D-S-C-H monogram. It is difficult to overlook the strong symbolism in this composition which was dedicated to a Jew, David Oistrakh, and was written when anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment were on the upswing in the Soviet Union, and Shostakovich himself was being persucuted as a “cosmopolitan enemy.” It is little wonder that the cautious Oistrakh was afraid to perform this work for many years, premiering it only in 1955, two years after Stalin’s death. Unable to hear his violin concerto performed, Shostakovich made a four-hand transcription of the orchestral part, which he and Lev Oborin used to accompany Oistrakh’s playing. Intending to record the concerto on tape, in July–August 1952, Shostakovich made another arrangement, this time for two pianos, eight hands, “so that not a single note would be lost.”15

chap_04.fm Page 125 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

125

In 1948, Shostakovich wrote another work consigned to “the drawer,” which, had to wait seven years for a performance: the vocal cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79, for soprano, contralto, tenor and piano. Although it was composed prior to the openly anti-Semitic campaign of late 1948 (during which the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, among other groups and individuals was liquidated by Stalin’s secret police), Shostakovich was undoubtedly aware of the secret assassination of Mikhoels in January of that year. Penning a work such as this represented an act of great courage, compassion, and humanity. The songs From Jewish Folk Poetry are meant to fit the lyrics to a collection of Jewish folk songs compiled by Yeheskel Dobrushin and A. Yuditsky and edited by Y. Sokolov.16 Despite the poor Russian translation of the original Yiddish, Shostakovich was likely touched by the strong imagery in these songs. Each of the eleven verses chosen by Shostakovich resembles a short theatrical scene. Although the first eight (the best of the cycle) are allegedly about Tsarist times, parallels with the 1940s are obvious. For example, the song Winter, contains following message: “I cannot be silent. Weep, children: the winter is here again.” Shostakovich composed the first eight songs between 1 and 29 August and the last three, about “joyful” Soviet life, between 10 and 24 October. Obviously, he could show this new song cycle only to people he fully trusted. The soprano Nina Dorliak recalled that the composer asked her and Svyatoslav Richter to listen to his new work. When he arrived at their place, Shostakovich “almost immediately sat at the piano, and having read the texts of all eleven songs, played them one after the other. The impression was striking: we were both astounded and amazed by the dramatic force and expressiveness of the settings.”17 The composer played the whole cycle twice, and then asked Dorliak to learn the soprano part and find two other soloists. Invited by Dorliak, mezzo-soprano Tamara Yanko and tenor Nikolai Belugin began rehearsing the cycle with the composer. According to Dorliak, Shostakovich was nervous at the rehearsals and his tempos were inconsistent: he changed the tempo almost every time he repeated a song, and his performing speeds did not correspond to those in the score. Since Shostakovich’s own style of interpretation was free of sentimentality, he could not stand any emotional exaggeration in the performances of others.18 “He accompanied so expressively – always, at all the rehearsals with a total dedication – and with such conviction, that we were united by the same wish and goal: to perform vocally as expressively as he performed on the piano. Several times he reminded us about the significance of the words, drawing our attention to the diction, which, at times, was not on the appropriate level.”19 Musicologist Daniil Zhitomirsky describes a rehearsal of the work on 18 December 1948, before the unofficial premiere at Shostakovich’s home: “The whole cycle is being performed twice. The singers are excited, and so is the composer, despite his reticence. The finale sounds brilliant ... The first, second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and ninth songs are also coming remarkably well. Maxim [Shostakovich] is one of the most attentive listeners.”20

chap_04.fm Page 126 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

126

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 4.1 From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79: Lament over the Death of a Small Child, bars 1–5. (The accents insertet in bars 2–4 correspond to Shostakovich’s 1955 recording.)

Example 4.2 From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79: Warning, bars 17–21. (The staccatos added in bars 18 and 20 correspond to Shostakovich’s 1955 recording.)

From Jewish Folk Poetry received its first public performance on 15 January 1955 in Leningrad, and on 20 January in Moscow, with Nina Dorliak (soprano), Zara Dolukhanova (mezzo-soprano), and Alexey Maslennikov (tenor), accompanied on piano by the composer. Later that year, Shostakovich recorded the cycle with the same singers. His incredible ability to portray subtle psychological characteristics by means of tone coloring, articulation, and dynamics is evident in these recorded accompaniments. Shostakovich’s playing narrates the story as much as the singers’ lines, and frequently expresses even more than their words. As an opera composer, Shostakovich felt completely at home with the musical theatre aspect of these songs; they allowed him to give free rein to his dramatic temperament. In the piano introduction to the first song, Lament over the Death of a Small Child, there is an impressive declamatory quality resulting from Shostakovich dynamic accents. (In example 4.1 the accents in bars 2–4 correspond to Shostakovich’s recording.) By contrast, in the fifth song, Warning, he created a totally different, even humorous, effect with the staccatos on the upbeats of bars 18 and 20, preceding the words “You’ll go out till morning.” These staccatos (not marked on the score but clearly heard in the recording) enhance the “visual” impact of this charming scene (example 4.2).

chap_04.fm Page 127 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

127

Example 4.3 From Jewish Folk poetry, op. 79: Song of a Maiden, bars 87–98.

In Song of a Maiden (no. 10), Shostakovich displayed his exquisite mastery of dynamic nuances in a striking contrast between the mezzo-forte in bars 88– 9 and the pianissimo in bars 96–7. This shading emphasizes the intentionally “odd” conflict between the words “play happier” and the music, which becames sadder and softer (example 4.3). Apart from the typically Jewish sorrowful gaiety, we sense that Shostakovich is expressing his own sad irony. As an extremely sensitive accompanist, Shostakovich was also aware of the need for subtle tempo deviations: he indicates such nuances with extraordinary precision in The Forsaken Father (no 6). The five metronome markings in this short song (consisting of only seventy-five bars) create an incessant accelerando that builds to a climax followed by a ritardando

chap_04.fm Page 128 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

128

dmitri shostakovich, pianist Table 4.1 Tempos for From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79: The Forsaken Father (no. 10). Bar

Tempo in score

Tempo in 1955 recording

1

G

= 88

G

= 92

20

G

= 112

G

= 112

54

G

= 192

G

= 1421

59

G

= 160

G

= 152

71

G

= 120

G

= 116

1. The singer made a ritenuto here, after which Shostakovich pushed the tempo.

toward the end. Shostakovich preserved this tempo structure in the recording, despite the fact that his actual performance speeds often differ from those indicated in the score (see Table 4.1). Such tempo changes, along with Shostakovich’s bold dynamics, determine the dramatic development of this song. In the introduction, where the singer makes a diminuendo on the words, “they say” (bar 13–14) the composer does not follow her lead, but maintains an even mezzo piano (example 4.4 a) thus throwing her diminuendo into relief. The ensuing crescendo heightens the explosive effect of the tenor’s entry in bar 20 (example 4.4-b). Here the piano’s mezzo forte espressivo (in both the score and the recording) is considerably softer than the singer’s forte espressivo. Shostakovich keeps the same balance in bars 45–6 (example 4.4-c). However, his accompaniment captures the full emotional drama of the song by means of the short, stormy crescendo-decrescendo waves in bars 47–8 (example 4.4 c). Shostakovich completes this dramatically charged scene with strong concluding accents that express far more than the unspoken words (example 4.4-d). In Winter (no. 8), Shostakovich’s pedalling enhances the overall sombre mood by painting the piano’s lower register in an even darker color, sharpening the contrast between the piano introduction and the high register of the weeping vocal parts. Fascinated from his youth by the genre of the Russian rayok – a satirical puppet spectacle – in 1948, Shostakovich embarked on composing his own Rayok, a short cantata for four basses, a small chorus, and piano. The outrageously funny text is based on original speeches of Stalin and Zhdanov dealing with the 1948 Decree. Using all his sardonic wit and outstanding talent for political parody, Shostakovich created a brilliant lampoon, portraying his persecutors as morons and mocking some of his treacherous colleagues. Only his closest of friends knew of this opus, which was be premiered in public only in 1989 – long after Shostakovich’s death – by Mstislav Rostropovich in Washington. In March 1949, Stalin’s “cat and mouse” game with Shostakovich took another unpredictable turn when Shostakovich was suddenly ordered to

chap_04.fm Page 129 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

129

Example 4.4 From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79: The Forsaken Father.

(a) bars 13–14

(b) bars 20–21

(c) bars 44–8

travel to the United States as a member of the official Soviet delegation to a New York peace conference. The composer was to represent a live example of Stalin’s fatherly care of Soviet artists. Apart from delivering an official speech that had been written for him, he also had to perform his piano arrangement of the Scherzo from his fifth symphony for a huge audience in New York’s Madison Square Garden. This performance, on 26 March 1949, was his only public appearance during two years of total silence (1948–49), aside from an unofficial performance for a group of children in September 1949, while he was vacationing in Sochi.

chap_04.fm Page 130 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

130

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 4.4 From Jewish Folk poetry, op. 79: The Forsaken Father. (continued)

(d) bars 71–5

In 1949, Shostakovich produced only two major compositions: the String Quartet No. 4 and the oratorio Song of the Forests. While the string quartet resembled his previous quartets (the finale of the fourth quartet contains a “Jewish” dance-like theme), the oratorio is clearly a socialist-realist composition designed explicitly to meet the requests of the country’s “leading comrades.” After his ordeals of 1947 and 1948, it seems he deliberately chose this route to official acceptance, but we now know that such a Faustian deal did not sit easily on his conscience. A former student, Galina Ustvolskaya, recalls Shostakovich’s bitter mood after the premiere of Song of the Forests: After the Leningrad premiere of Song of the Forests, we went to the European Hotel, where Shostakovich was then staying, and he burst out sobbing, burying his face into a pillow. On the table were a bottle of vodka and some appetizers. He then drank a little and quickly calmed down.21 As much as Shostakovich wanted to hear his String Quartet No. 4, he was also very anxious and thus too frightened to insist on a public performance. Dmitri Tsyganov recalled that after completing the quartet, Shostakovich came to Tsyganov’s apartment and played it on the piano. He was anxious to check whether this composition was safe to play in light of “the tastes and requirements of today.” Although Tsyganov liked the piece, and the Beethoven Quartet began rehearsing it, Shostakovich finally decided to withhold performance.22 The quartet did not receive its first public performance until 1953.

tw e n t y - f o u r p r e l u d e s a n d f u g u e s , o p. 8 7 After his official participation as a delegate to the 1949 American peace conference, Shostakovich’s personal situation seemed somewhat ambiguous. On one hand, most of his best compositions were not being performed; on the other hand, his new conformist works, such as the oratorio

chap_04.fm Page 131 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

131

Song of the Forests and Ten Poems on Texts by Revolutionary Poets were quickly premiered and enthusiastically received by official critics. In 1950– 52 he was twice awarded the Stalin Prize (along with a substantial sum of money) and presented with a dacha on the outskirts of Moscow. On many occasions, he travelled abroad as a Soviet cultural ambassador. He was also given a new lease on life as a performing pianist: in 1950, in Leningrad’s Maly Philharmonic Hall, he played his Piano Quintet on 5 January (with the Moscow Philharmonic Quartet) and on 15 January (with the Beethoven Quartet). In July 1950 he travelled to Leipzig to take part in a Bach Bicentennial Festival as a member of the piano competition jury. While there, he also performed Bach’s Concerto in D minor for three keyboards and orchestra, with pianists Tatiana Nikolayeva and Pavel Serebryakov. In fact, Shostakovich was a last-minute replacement for Maria Yudina, who, because of a finger injury, was unable to play. This festival, along with the music of Bach and Nikolayeva’s performance of the entire Well-Tempered Clavier (she was the winner of the competition), inspired Shostakovich to pen his own cycle of Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues for piano, op. 87. His choice of the prelude and fugue genre was not coincidental, and it was not simply a homage to the great German composer. The very nature of the prelude and fugue form and its abstract language, more than any other form allowed Shostakovich to express his inner thoughts and ideas. This “pure” music provided an ideal escape for a composer who was literally suffocating within the narrow confines of socialist realist culture. Shostakovich began work on the cycle on 10 October 1950 and completed it on 25 February 1951. Tatiana Nikolayeva explained: A few days after we went back to Moscow, he invited me to his home and played some of the Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87. From then on, he did this almost every day. I have seen many things in my life, but this process was one of the most impressive. How accurately he confined his musical thoughts to paper! He was always busy with music. This creative process was non-stop, and not merely limited to “working hours.” It is even more remarkable in view of his various other commitments. He travelled often and had many other responsibilities. Nevertheless, every day there were new Preludes and Fugues. On one of my visits he said to me, “Today no Preludes and Fugues. I will play you something of my Tenth Symphony.” And then there was the Fifth String Quartet too. So he worked on many pieces at once. Yes, that was very remarkable.23

Like the Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34, the Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, op. 87, were aranged according to the sequence of the ascending fifths. However, unlike the earlier cycle, the preludes and fugues represent Shostakovich’s mature style, reflecting with an unprecedented generosity the magnificent microcosm of his music and its pianistic universe. We can view this composition either as a cycle or as a set of exciting polyphonic

chap_04.fm Page 132 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

132

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

pieces. The composer himself stressed that each prelude and fugue pair could stand alone, and that several selected pairs could be performed together as a group. Also the whole cycle could be played in any order.24 Most of the fugues are written for three or four voices (eleven of each), there is one in five voices (no. 13 in F- sharp major) and one in two voices (no. 9 E major). No. 4 in E minor and no. 24 in D minor are monumental double fugues. The variety of genres, characters, and moods in this cycle is truly remarkable. For example, Shostakovich alludes to a baroque idiom in the G-sharpminor prelude (a passacaglia), the E-major fugue (a two-part invention, in a key parallel to Bach’s two-part E-minor fugue from book 1 of the WellTempered Clavier), the B-minor prelude (with its French overture rhythm), and the contemplative chorale of the serene C-major prelude. Other pieces are written in a style that recalls the symphonic and operatic music of Musorgsky and Borodin: for example, the E-minor prelude and fugue, the Gmajor prelude, the E-flat-minor prelude, and the D-minor prelude and fugue. Close to this group is the dramatic F-sharp-minor fugue, with its “Jewish” recitative theme. In terms of mood, the scherzo-like pieces in the set range from humorous (the D-major fugue) and playful (the B-major prelude and fugue and the Aflat-major and B-flat-major fugues) to impetuous (the G-major fugue) and sarcastic (the A-minor fugue). This same diversity of expression is present in the more lyrical pieces: the pastoral D-major, A-major, and F-sharp-major preludes; the poetic F-major prelude; the radiant and lively A-major fugue (with its subject constructed from notes of the tonic triad); the melancholic E-flat-minor fugue, B-flat-minor Prelude and fugue, and F-minor and C-minor preludes. We also recognize a grotesque waltz in the D-flatmajor prelude and a sad barcarole in the G-minor prelude. The B-flat-minor prelude is a theme with four variations. Some of these pieces express intense rhythmic energy and exhibit an adventurous melodic imagination. For example, the G-sharp-minor and E5 flat-major fugues, both in 4 metre, reflect a concentrated rhythmic drive. The grotesque, toccata-like D-flat-major fugue also contains alternating 3 4 5 time signatures ( 4 4 4 ). The same incessant stream of energy is characteristic of the perpetuum-mobile A-minor and B-flat-major Preludes. As a talented song writer, Shostakovich was capable of composing poetic, song-like themes, which often resemble authentic Russian folk tunes. Examples include the themes of the C-major fugue, the F-sharp-major prelude and fugue; and the fugues in C-sharp minor, F major, F minor, C minor, and G minor fugues. Although the level of difficulty varies from piece to piece, some of the preludes and most of the fugues are long and challenging. At the same time, their melodic beauty, fresh and original harmony, and masterful texture make them classic in the piano repertoire. Shostakovich wrote a four-hand arrangement of op. 87 that he and Moisei Vainberg later recorded. As Vain-

chap_04.fm Page 133 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

133

berg commented: “His aim was to create a kind of ‘handbook of counterpoint’ for those who had difficulty playing the pieces in the two-hand version.”25 This arrangement was never published, and the whereabouts of both the manuscript and the recording are unknown. The first non-public performance of the cycle was on 31 March 1951. Shostakovich commented in a letter to Isaak Glikman, dated 4 April 1951: “On 31 March, I played twelve preludes and fugues at the Composer’s Union in front of a large audience. Tomorrow, I will play the remaining twelve.”26 The recollections of Nikolayeva, who was Shostakovich’s page turner at these performances, place the event in its oppressive political context. A lot of people showed up. The performance and discussion continued for two days. While Shostakovich was playing, he was very nervous, so he played badly. It was hard for him to perform in such an environment, and he still had not learned the pieces completely since he had just finished composing them. The speeches of many of his colleagues were depressingly negative … Shostakovich was extremely despondent …Yes, the preludes and fugues got a hostile reception. Nobody wanted to play them or publish them. It is essential that we not forget these things.27

The discussion that occurred after the performance was typical of the time; the 1948 Decree was, after all, still operative. A fragment from the discussion that was published in the journal Sovetskaya Muzika gives us a depressing flavor of the cultural repression of the period: “We must decisively warn Shostakovich and all those other composers who have not yet broken with all traces of the modernistic past from indulging in these extremely undesirable relapses.”28 The pedantic and hostile narrowness of official censure did not, however, deflect most of Shostakovich’s true listeners. Such renowned pianists as Maria Yudina and Yakov Flier appreciated the new composition as well as Shostakovich’s interpretation of it. Flier remembed: Shostakovich played for Moscow musicians in the office of the director of the Moscow Conservatory. In the midst of the deepest silence, this gigantic cycle reverberated. The audience was shaken. I understood then that, like Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, this composition was destined to become part of the concert repertoire of the world’s pianists. Shostakovich conveyed the atmosphere of the composition with a stupendous power. I have not heard anything like it since. It may be that this performance lacked the perfect polish and virtuosity of international pianists. However, nobody could have interpreted the imagery and unique colour of each prelude and fugue more brightly than did the composer on that occasion.29

The public premiere of four of the preludes and fugues took place on 18 November 1951 in Leningrad’s Maly (Glinka) Philharmonic Hall, where Shostakovich also played his Piano Trio No. 2 with Tsyganov and Shirinsky. A year later the official premiere of the entire cycle was given by Nikolayeva on 23 and 28 December 1952.

chap_04.fm Page 134 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

134

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Shostakovich made his first studio recordings of portions of op. 87 before the official premiere of the cycle. On 6 December 1951 he recorded the preludes and fugues in C major (no. 1), G major (no. 3), D major (no. 5), and F major (no. 23). On 5 February 1952 he recorded nos. 2, 4, 12, 13, 20, and 24; on 14 February he recorded nos. 6, 7, and 8; and on 19 February he recorded nos. 14, 16, and 22. In 1958 in France he recorded no. 18 (F minor) for the first time, and also made new recordings of the preludes and fugues in C major (no. 1), E minor (no. 4), D major (no. 5), B minor (no. 6), F-sharp major (no. 13), E-flat minor (no. 14) and F major (no. 23). All together, he recorded seventeen preludes and fugues in 1951–52 and 1958, seven of which were recorded on two separate occasions. We are, indeed, fortunate, to possess this rich and varied collection of recordings of Shostakovich’s performances. It is worthwhile to note the features that remain constant in his interpretations and those that changed or varied over the course of time. No existing editions contain information on many important details that the composer communicates through his own recorded performances. As a rule, Shostakovich composed away from the piano. Consequently, he often found that a tied or extended sound lacked sonority, a phenomenon particularly evident in his slow music because of his habit of interpreting moderate tempos much more slowly than indicated in the score: the slower the tempo, the greater the dying away of the sound. In such cases, Shostakovich never hesitated to repeat a long note or break a tie. He does this in his recording of the C-minor prelude, op. 87, no. 20: the score direction is Adagio G = 76, but Shostakovich plays it at G = 65–69 and he breaks the ties in bars 10 and 13, thus restoring the resonant bass (example 4.5). In her comments about this prelude in the Collected Works edition,30 Tatiana Nikolayeva points out that in Shostakovich’s autograph there is a tie linking the bass whole note and quarter note in bar 34 (see example 4.6a) This tie was not included in the published score (see example 4.6-b), most likely because the composer wished restore the bass sonority at an earlier point. Shostakovich developed this tendency to lengthen and strengthen the sound of the bass even further in his recording. We can hear clearly that he repeated the octaves on the fourth beat of bar 32 and the second beat of bar 34 (see examples 4.6-b and 4.6-c), thus emphasizing the more sonorous beginning of the next phrase. Unfortunately, Nikolayeva does not make reference to this recording; in fact, she does not even acknowledge the existence of any of Shostakovich’s piano recordings, alluding instead only to her own. Although it is impossible to determine whether Shostakovich’s repeated bass notes were deliberate – a single recording is not a sufficient basis on which to draw firm conclusions – these details of Shostakovich’s interpretation deserve consideration. In his recording of the four-hand piano arrangement of the Symphony No. 10 with Moisei Vainberg, Shostakovich also often repeated tied bass notes: for example, in the first movement, bars 6–7 and 10–11 after rehearsal number 15 (example 4.7). However he did not repeat the octave in bar 9.

chap_04.fm Page 135 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

135

Example 4.5 Prelude in C minor, op. 87, no 20: bars 9–19.

(a) score

(b) 1952 recording

Although this habit seems more acceptable with a piano arrangement of a symphonic work, for Shostakovich, it did not make any difference whether it was an original piano piece or an arrangement. Here, we witness the spontaneous manifestation of his instinct of improving details in a completed composition – something that he never allowed himself to do with a written text, but could not resist in performance.

chap_04.fm Page 136 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

136

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 4.6 Prelude in C minor, op. 87, no 20: bars 32–35\6.

(a) autograph bars 32–36

(b) score

(c) recording

Of the seventeen preludes and fugues (thirty-four pieces in total) that Shostakovich recorded only six have the same (or almost the same) tempo as that marked in the score. These six are the A-minor, B-minor, A-major, and F-sharp-minor preludes, and the G-major and F-minor fugues. Only six pieces have a tempo faster than the score marking (see Table 4.2). Shostakovich’s most common tendency, when he interpreted his own works, was to slow down the tempos of slow pieces. Out of the thirty-four performances (see Table 4.3), twenty-three have slower tempo on the recording than indicated in the score. It seems clear that he did not decrease these tempos because of technical impediments, since none of these pieces poses a great technical challenge. Instead, we should interpret this as an expression of his natural gift of shaping slow music and his mastery of maintaining musical intensity even at the most leisurely tempos. We must also take into account the fact that exaggerating tempos to their extremes is a characteristic feature

chap_04.fm Page 137 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

137

Example 4.7 Symphony No. 10, op. 93: four-hand piano arrangement, first movement, bars 167–186.

of the romantic school of piano playing. Shostakovich the pianist, as a representative of the Russian school, inherited some of these romantic traditions. To him, it was natural that the slower the tempo, the greater beauty and depth he could communicate to his audience. When Shostakovich made a second recording of a piece that he had initially performed at a slower tempo, he maintained the same tendency, regardless of the time gap between the two sessions. The only exception to this are the two recordings of the fugue in F major, (no. 23): in the 1951 recording, the tempo is slightly faster, but in the 1958 recording, the tempo is slower than that in the score. Because Shostakovich’s hands were quite small, he was usually forced to break or roll chords of a ninth or larger. For example, he arpeggiated the left-hand chord D–G–B-flat–E-flat in bar 24 of the Prelude in D minor, even though this is not indicated in the score. However, his manner of executing extended chords is often rather unorthodox, as we can hear in bar 54 of the Fugue in B-flat minor (example 4.8). On the first beat of this bar, he played the B-flat in the bass, followed by the F in the top voice, and inserted the D-flat of the middle voice just before the G-flat of the top voice. A fascinating example of Shostakovich’s rendition of wide chords is found in the two final bars of the Fugue in E minor, (no. 4). Here he broke the last chord in a manner typical for stringed instruments but not so common on the piano (example 4.9). In both recordings (1952 and 1958), he executed

chap_04.fm Page 138 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

Table 4.2 Faster tempos in Shostakovich’s recordings of the op. 87 preludes and fugues. Composition

Tempo in score

Prelude in D major

G

Tempo in recording

= 120

G G

Fugue in D major

G

= 138

= 155 [1951] = 173 [1958]

G

= 158 [1951] = 182 [1958]

G

Fugue in A minor

G

= 116

G

= 135 [1952]

Fugue in A major

D

= 92

D

= 108 [1952]

Fugue in G sharp minor

G

= 152

G

= 171 [1952]

Fugue in F major

D

= 92

D

= 100 [1951]

Table 4.3 Slower tempos in Shostakovich’s recordings of the op. 87 preludes and fugues. Composition

Tempo in score

Tempo in 1951–52 recording

Tempo in 1958 recording

Prelude in C major

G

= 92

G

= 81

G

= 83

Fugue in C major

D

= 92

D

= 861

D

= 861

Prelude in G major

G

= 126

G

= 1142

Prelude in E minor

G

= 100

G

= 69

G

= 77

Fugue in E minor

G

= 80

G

= 60

G

= 72–74

Fugue in B minor

G

= 100

G

= 86

G

= 85

Fugue in F sharp minor

G

= 84

G

Prelude in G sharp minor

G

= 138

G

Prelude in F sharp major

G

. = 66

G

. = 48–50

G

. = 51–54

Fugue in F sharp major

G

= 72

G

= 60–62

G

Prelude in E flat minor

G

= 84

G

= 59

G

Fugue in E flat minor

D

. = 100

D

= 573 = 84

. = 76–78

D

= 60 = 63 . = 66–69

Prelude in B flat minor

G

= 152

G

= 96–1003

Fugue in B flat minor

G

= 54

G

= 48–33

Prelude in F minor

G

= 88

Prelude in C minor

G

= 76

G

= 65–69

Fugue in C minor

G

= 116

G

= 78–80

Prelude in G minor

G

= 126

G

= 87–92

Fugue in G minor

G

= 120

G

= 77

Prelude in F major

G

= 48

G

= 33–403

G

= 33–403

Fugue in F major

D

= 92

D

= 100

D

= 79

Prelude in D minor

G

= 88

G

= 58–60

Fugue in D minor

G

= 92

G

= 72

1. with the tempo gradually increasing 2. with tempo rubato and più mosso from bar 8 3. tempo rubato

G

= 69

chap_04.fm Page 139 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

139

Example 4.8 Fugue in B-flat minor, op. 87, no. 16: bar 54, recording.

Example 4.9 Fugue in E minor, op. 87, no. 4: bars 126–8.

(a) score

(b) recordings

this chord in exactly the same fashion, leaving no doubt that his interpretation was deliberate. This particular variant effectively enhances the ending of this spectacular fugue. In both the scores and the recordings of the preludes and fugues, Shostakovich’s articulation is varied and refined. In his wide variety of shadings and gradations we find a veritable encyclopedia of piano articulation, ranging from the marcatissimo sempre al fine marking in the Fugue no. 15 in Dflat major to the legatissimo sempre al fine marking in the Fugue no. 16 in B-flat minor. These two adjacent fugues differ not only in marking, but also in character. The D-flat major fugue is aggressive and mechanical while the B-flat minor fugue is calm and meditative. They are literally in two different emotional, musical, and articulation worlds. A typical example of his masterly articulation is found in the various entries of the subject in the Gsharp-minor fugue (no. 12). In this Fugue, the articulation is an indispensable structural element shaping the whole piece. The contour of the subject, introduced toward the end of the preceding prelude at bar 107, is marked and performed pianissimo and legato. This theme, played by the right hand, forms a contrapuntal line to the basso ostinato of the prelude written in the form of a passacaglia (example 4.10).

chap_04.fm Page 140 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

140

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 4.10 Prelude in G-sharp minor, op. 87, no. 12: bar 102–119.

In the recording of the fugue, the first entry of the subject (in bars 1–4) sounds energetic and lively, forte and non-legato (example 4.11-a). Establishing the prevailing vigorous mood of the piece, Shostakovich enhanced it by taking a quicker tempo ( G = 171, instead of the G = 152 indicated in the score). However, in the final section the articulation changes surprisingly to legato in bars 76–80 (example 4.11-b). The most interesting feature is the incomplete entry of the subject in bars 83–86 almost as a solo, played legato and piano (example 4.11-c). From here to the end of the piece, the dynamic level does not exceed mezzo forte, and all entries are legato. These variants in articulation contribute to the contrasting moods within the composition; the subject itself undergoes a metamorphosis – from forceful dynamism to open lyricism. Unlike Shostakovich’s earlier op. 34 Preludes, which abound in pedal markings, the whole set of preludes and fugues, op. 87 contains only one pedal indication – in the Prelude in C-sharp minor (no. 10), bar 49. Shostakovich’s recordings of these pieces nevertheless clearly demonstrate the necessity of the pedal. It is therefore not surprising that in the Collected Works edition of op. 87, Tatiana Nikolayeva added pedal markings in accordance with the composer’s wishes. His pedalling in the recordings is both colorful and subtle, and is especially bold in the A-minor, E-minor, Fsharp-major, G-minor, C-minor, and F-major preludes as well as the E-minor, F-sharp-minor, F-sharp-major, C-minor, F-minor, and D-minor fugues, to name only a few. Because of Shostakovich’s virtuoso use of the pedal, it is difficult to provide adequate indications that correspond with his actual pedalling in per-

chap_04.fm Page 141 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

141

Example 4.11 Fugue in G-sharp minor, op. 87, no. 12. (a) bars 1–4

(b) bars 74–79

(c) bars 83–86

formance. Thus, Nikolayeva’s attempts to add the pedalling marks do not always prove successful. For example, in bar 96 of the Fugue in F-sharp minor (no. 8), she suggests holding the F-sharp in the bass by means of the pedal; she does not indicate whether this is her interpretation or Shostakovich’s wish. Had he intended to hold the F-sharp, as Nikolayeva indicates (example 4.12), he would likely have pedalled as she suggested. However, in his recording, he did not hold the F-sharp – this would blur the contrapuntal texture; instead, his pedal corresponds perfectly with the notation.

chap_04.fm Page 142 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

142

dmitri shostakovich, pianist Example 4.12 Fugue in F-sharp minor, op. 87, no. 8: bars 96–7.

Example 4.13 Fugue in A major, op. 87, no. 7: bars 1–4. (Both pedal indications are mine.)

As a general rule, when Shostakovich pedaled a melodic line, he prefered great clarity. For example, in the Fugue in A major, when comparing his presentation of the subject to that on Nikolayeva’s recording,31 we note that while Nikolayeva kept the dampers raised for the duration of the theme, Shostakovich used the pedal minimally in order to provide a subtle timral enrichment while maintaining the overall effect of an unblurred single voice (example 4.13). Nevertheless, examples abound of Shostakovich’s generous use of the pedal to add tone color and volume. For instance, in his recording of the Fugue in D minor, the long pedals create a rich sonority and enhance the symphonic power of this magnificent music.

concerts, 1951–1953 During the years 1951 to 1953, Shostakovich began performing more frequently as a pianist. Being fond of the Beethoven Quartet, on 17 March 1951, he participated in their concert at the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall.

chap_04.fm Page 143 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

143

Then, from 7 to 13 April, he undertook a concert tour with them to the cities of Minsk, Vilnius, Kaunas, and Riga, performing his Piano Trio No. 2 and his Piano Quintet. When he appeared on stage at the Minsk House of Officers 8 April 1951, the ensemble was greeted with a standing ovation.32 Despite the ongoing officially hostile attitude towards the Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, op. 87, he regularly included them in concerts. In 1952, for instance, he played them in Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku (28 February–12 March), where he also participated in performances of his Piano Trio No. 2 and his Piano Quintet (with the Komitas Quartet). Daniil Zhitomirsky, who gave a pre-concert talk at the Baku recitals, recalled very few tickets had been sold, and in order to fill in the empty hall, almost an entire sub-unit of military officers were ordered to attend. This kind of audience spelled disaster for both lecturer and soloist. Shostakovich played the preludes and fugues in G-sharp minor, F-sharp major, B major, and E minor at the end of the first half. Describing the event, in a letter to his wife, Zhitomirsky wrote that on 28 February during the recital the noise in the hall did not subside: He [Shostakovich] was spastically tense, his eyes looking nowhere. One could feel the desparate urgency to just play and get out of there. He then ran backstage in a cold sweat, saying: ‘Hurry the break, hurry the Quintet, and let’s get this over with!’ (To these words I can add only that he played badly, hurriedly.) During the second concert, there was no noise because the hall was empty. In the first half of this concert, he played six preludes and fugues (in C minor, A major, D major, B major, F major, and D minor); in the second half, the Trio and Quintet were performed.”33 Elmira Nazirova, who was present at the above concerts, explained that”after the notorious 1948 Decree, only a few would dare to go to performances of the works of Shostakovich. People were afraid to listen to his music, he was considered to be an “enemy of the people.”34 Despite this unfriendly atmosphere, the preludes and fugues remained on the program of Shostakovich’s recitals in Leningrad (24 April 1952), Moscow (3 May 1952), and Kiev (24 May 1952), along with the Cello Sonata (with cellist Svyatoslav Knushevitsky) and the Piano Trio No. 2 (with violinist David Oistrakh and cellist Knushevitsky). A friend of Shostakovich, actress Anna Nikritina, recalls visiting the composer backstage after the Leningrad premiere of op. 87: “In the early 1950s, Shostakovich came to Leningrad to play his preludes and fugues. I think this was either the first or one of the first performances of this work … the fugues tore my soul apart. Sofia Vasilyevna [Shostakovich’s mother] said to us: Let’s go to Mitya. I went to see him. He was all by himself. Nobody was around.”35 On 17 September 1952, Shostakovich rehearsed and then, three days later, performed his Piano Quintet with the Beethoven Quartet in the fully packed Maly Hall of the Moscow Conservatory during the opening concert of the 1952 – 53 season. Their performance was received warmly and the Scherzo was encored.36 On 22 January 1953, members of the same ensemble were

chap_04.fm Page 144 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

144

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

treated to Shostakovich’s performance of his newly composed String Quartet No. 5 in which all three movements represent an amazing blend of psychological intensity and polyphonic richness. That same day, they immediately began rehearsing it. The next day, 23 January, Shostakovich participated in a concert in memory of Boleslav Yavorsky, again in the Maly Hall, playing the Prelude and Fugue in D minor, op. 87, no. 24, as well as the Intermezzo and Finale from his Piano Quintet. The composer Edison Denisov recorded in his diary that Shostakovich did not play well. However, after Denisov heard Shostakovich again, on 10 February 1953, playing the D-minor and Cminor preludes and fugues, he admitted that this time Shostakovich’s interpretation had been excellent despite a piano that “did not respond.”37 Some two weeks earlier, on 25 January 1953, he also played the preludes and fugues, the Cello Sonata (with Knushevitsky), and the Piano Trio No. 2 (with Oistrakh and Knushevitsky) at the Maly Philharmonic Hall in Leningrad. On 12 June 1953, while visiting Vienna and Graz as a member of a Soviet cultural delegation, Shostakovich played his music in the hall of the Graz Academy of Music, after giving a speech about musical education in Russia. Shostakovich’s final concert of 1953, which took place in Leningrad on 23 December, also featured three preludes and fugues, as well as his Piano Trio No. 2 and the Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet).38

sy m p h o n y n o . 1 0 From 1950 to 1953, Shostakovich tried to improve his material situation by writing several “official” works, including the cantata, The Sun Shines over Our Motherland, op. 90, numerous other vocal compositions, popular songs, and film scores). His various official duties were also helpful: he continued his functions as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the rsfsr,39 and he often served as a delegate to peace congresses abroad. In spite of these jobs, Shostakovich’s creative life in the early 1950s remained under tough restrictions and the suffocating pressure of official censorship. During this time, aside from the Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, Shostakovich was able to write only a few serious and (by his standards) important compositions: Two Romances on Texts of M. Lermontov, op. 84 (1950), Four Pushkin Monologues, op. 91 (1952), and the String Quartet No. 5, op. 92 (1952). These works, together with the op. 87 preludes and fugues, are close “relatives” of the Symphony No. 10 – his major masterpiece of the early 1950s – and many of their motives bear a clear resemblance to themes of the symphony. These similarities are easily explained by the fact that Shostakoivch was working on these compositions concurrently with his tenth symphony, a work that took an unusually long time to finish. Although he did demonstrate several excerpts to Tatiana Nikolayeva in 1951, he did not complete the symphony until October 1953.

chap_04.fm Page 145 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

145

It appears that Stalin’s death represented something of a watershed in the composition process; after the “great leader” died in March 1953, Shostakovich’s speed increased. Within three months, four movements were finished: the first on 5 August, the second on 27 August, the third on 8 September, and the fourth on 25 October. For Shostakovich, as for millions of his countrymen, the tyrant’s death represented a huge relief. His close friend Moisei Vainberg had been arrested in February 1953 during the infamous “Doctors’ Plot” – Stalin’s final anti-Semitic pogrom.40 Shostakovich understood clearly that had it not been for Stalin’s death, Vainberg would have perished in a fashion similar to that of his father-in-law, Solomon Mikhoels. Once he had finished the symphony, Shostakovich made a four-hand piano arrangement, which he performed with Vainberg at the Moscow Conservatory on 27 October 1953 and soon afterwards in Leningrad for Yevgeniy Mravinsky and several Leningrad composers. The orchestral premiere took place on 17 December 1953 under Mravinsky at the Great Philharmonic Hall in Leningrad, where the work was enthusiastically received by the audience. A highly original, integral, and personal work, the Symphony No. 10 is one of Shostakovich’s greatest achievements. Its first movement (Moderato) is in sonata form with an introduction but it is quite atypical: the themes 3 have little contrast, the tempo is calm, and the 4 meter is unusal for a symphony first movement. This unhurried music is nevertheless captivating in terms of its epic breadth and deep lyrical sadness. The second movement (Allegro) is an impetuous and dynamic scherzo. This scherzo serves as an antithesis to the enigmatic and introverted third movement (Allegretto), in which the DSCH motive appears in both themes. In the fourth movement, a contemplative Andante introduction is followed by a group of refreshingly energetic themes. Despite the reappearance of themes from the introduction and the DSCH motive in the Allegro section, youthful gaiety and cheerfulness prevail in this finale. Shostakovich and Vainberg recorded the four-hand piano arrangement of the Symphony No. 10 on 15 February 1954. Vainberg later recollected: In this recording, I play the “violin” part, while Shostakovich plays the bass. This was suggested by Shostakovich, and we always played in this way. Later he began complaining about his hands; it was hard for him to perform, and at times I had to play instead of him, premiering some of his compositions such as his Seven Romances on Poems by Blok and his Violin Sonata (with D. Oistrakh). Shostakovich’s interpretations can be considered exemplary in regard to tempo, character, and grasp of the structure. They bear the images and feeling of the composition as conceived in his mind.41

Their recording of the tenth symphony is a fascinating document of the collaborative effort between Shostakovich and Vainberg. As Shostakovich’s

chap_04.fm Page 146 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

146

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

friend and as a composer himself, Vainberg closely watched the actual creative process of many of Shostakovich’s works and was able – possibly better than anyone else – to identify with this music and recreate it sensitively and authentically. This recording is of special interest in terms of tempos since it clarifies some discrepancies and misprints found in the orchestral and piano scores. For example, in the piano arrangement, the metronome indication for the second movement (marked Allegro), is D = 116. In the orchestral score (edited by Vainberg in the Collected Works edition), it is D = 176, which is not a feasible speed and is most likely a misprint. In the recording, the tempo is G = 174–176, which is probably what was supposed to be printed in the scores. Despite its duration of twenty-one minutes, the monumental first movement does not seem long in the recording because of its balanced proportions and the natural flexibility of the tempos. Shostakovich begins the introduction much slower than indicated in either the piano or the orchestral scores; while the score is marked G = 96, he plays it at G = 72–76. Incidentally, this is the speed he indicated in the autograph of the piano arrangement. Eight bars before rehearsal number 5, the tempo remains slower that marked in the score ( G = 90 instead of G = 108). In the main subject (two bars before rehearsal number 10 and at rehearsal number 11) there is an increase in speed initiated by Shostakovich. Here, as in his solo performances, he habitually presses forward when the intensity of the music increases. The second subject (at rehearsal number 17) is calmer: the speed here ( G = 126) is close to that indicated in the score ( G = 120). This was prepared, on Vainberg’s part, by easing the tempo before rehearsal number 15. However, within the second subject (from rehearsal number 22 onward) we can again sense a tendency to gain momentum. Shostakovich’s tempo at rehearsal number 24 is G = 144, and he slowed down only near the start of the development (rehearsal number 28). The development (rehearsal number 29) begins slightly slower than indicated ( G = 92 instead of G = 108). Throughout this section, there is a gradual increase in speed concomitant with the dynamic growth and the intensification of the texture. Whereas the volume of the first and second subjects subsides after their climactic peaks, the development itself has no decrease of volume, its peak functioning as the beginning of the recapitulation. In the recapitulation, there is a significant tempo reduction initiated by Shostakovich eight bars before rehearsal number 55, where the dynamic level also drops to piano. Vainberg starts the second subject (rehearsal number 57) at G = 132. This tempo is faster than that marked in the piano score ( G = 120) but it allows him to maintain the proportions suggested in the orchestral score: the tempo of the second subject is faster in the recapitulation than in the exposition. (This difference is not reflected in the piano score, where the tempos are equivalent.) In the coda (rehearsal number 65), Shostakovich re-establishes almost the same tempo as that of the introduc-

chap_04.fm Page 147 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:33 PM

return of fear, 1945–1953

147

tion (G = 80). The tempo and dynamic proportions shape this immense movement into an emotionally charged, captivating, and deeply exciting drama. Equally dazzling is the duo’s rendition of the fast second and fourth movements, in which both pianists demonstrate true virtuosity, brilliance, and temperament. Their interpretation of the mysterious third movement is unforgettable in its intensity and dynamic colour.

chap_05.fm Page 148 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

5 Recognition 1953–1975

al o ne aga i n In terms of both composition and performance, 1954 was one of Shostakovich’s least productive years. He considered his works of that year – music for the film Song of the Great Rivers, op. 95, Festive Overture,” op. 96, and Five Romances on Dolmatovsky’s Verses, op. 98 – meager. Obviously concerned about this lack of productivity, he openly expressed his worries at his birthday celebration of 25 September 1954 when, in response to a guest’s congratulatory toast, he said: “You should wish that I do some composing. For one whole year now, I have been unable to write.”1 Moreover, Shostakovich did not perform publicly for almost the entire year; his only important appearance took place on 27 November 1954 at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, where he played his Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and trumpeter Josif Volovnik, conducted by Samuil Samosud. This concert, dedicated to Shostakovich’s works and featuring the Symphony No. 10 and the Festive Overture, was broadcast live and was repeated the following day at the Scientists’ Club. The 27 November performance was recorded and issued as an LP recording in 1977.2 The second major recording of 1954 was the piano arrangement of the Symphony No. 10, played by the composer, with Moisei Vainberg. Meanwhile, Shostakovich was experiencing financial difficulties and took employment at the Bolshoi Theatre as a repertoire consultant to make ends meet. In the autumn of that year, Shostakovich’s wife Nina, a talented physicist, was busy completing her doctoral dissertation at an astronomical observatory in Aragats, Armenia. Having finished her thesis by 1 December, she decided to travel to Yerevan, where she attended a concert given by the great Russian actor and singer Alexander Vertinsky, an artist greatly admired by both the Shostakoviches. She was looking forward to returning home to Moscow and even sent a telegram to this effect, but she suddenly took ill and was immediately admitted to hospital. It became instantly clear

chap_05.fm Page 149 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

149

that her cancer had reached such an advanced stage that not even surgery could prolong her life. Surgery was nonetheless performed, but she died shortly thereafter, on 4 December 1954. The tragic and early death of his wife proved devastating for Shostakovich. Their marriage had been far from perfect, suffering from many complications and tensions: Nina had been having an affair with her colleague Artyom Alikhanyan; Shostakovich was experiencing romantic feelings towards one of his students, Elmira Nazirova, and had also, for a long while, been involved with another, the composer Galina Ustvolskaya. Despite such extramarital liaisons, both husband and wife were totally dedicated to their children, a devotion that created the basis for their stable family life. With Nina gone, Shostakovich found himself forced to handle the responsibility for his children, eighteen-year-old Galina and sixteen-year-old Maxim, on his own. In addition to the obvious emotional trials, the totally impractical Shostakovich had never faced the domestic challenges of running a household. From January 1955 onward, Shostakovich began performing more frequently in order to better his family’s financial circumstances. His first public concert in a long time was held on 15 January 1955 in Leningrad’s Philharmonic Maly Hall, where he played his piano Quintet with the Beethoven Quartet. The concert also included the premiere of the song cycle, From Jewish Folk Poetry with Nina Dorliak (soprano), Zara Dolukhanova (mezzo-soprano), and Alexey Maslennikov (tenor) acccompanied by Shostakovich. Isaak Glikman later recalled this event: On 15 January 1955, the long-awaited premiere of Jewish Songs took place in the Philharmonic Maly Hall. Shostakovich – very handsome in a tailcoat – played piano; the singers were Nina Dorliak, Zara Dolukhanova, and Alexey Maslennikov. It was a stunning success. The Winter trio, Cradle Song, and the final trio all received three encores. On 22 January 1955, Shostakovich came to Leningrad. He informed me that on 20 January Jewish Songs had been performed in Moscow. Regarding their success in the capital, even though it seemed practically impossible that it could have been greater there than in Leningrad, it probably was greater. Even his enemies, according to Shostakovich, came to him backstage, “suffocating” him with their “embraces.”3

The same year, Boris Zagursky, the director of Leningrad’s Maly Opera Theatre, decided to stage, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk which had not been performed since 1936. After partially revising the score (he composed two new entr’actes), Shostakovich arrived in Leningrad on 19 March 1955 and played through the entire opera for the theatre. Glikman remembers that Shostakovich “played with great exuberance and force, and the listeners were moved. A decision was made to stage the opera during the 1955–56 season.”4 But before it could be produced, however, the opera had to receive approval from the Minister of Culture. To allow it to pass its official audition,

chap_05.fm Page 150 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

150

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Glikman revised the libretto at Shostakovich’s request, correcting the “naturalism” in the text. In addition, the opera was renamed Katerina Izmailova. On 12 March 1956, Shostakovich performed the revised version in Moscow for a special committee of which Dmitri Kabalevsky was the chairman. Although Shostakovich played splendidly, the committee did not pass this new version; instead, they humiliated Shostakovich, judging his music according to the Stalinist standards of 1936, even citing excerpts from the Pravda article, “Muddle Instead of Music.” A further effort to obtain permission was made by the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad in April 1957, when Shostakovich played the entire opera for the troupe. This attempt, like the previous ones, yielded no success. Only much later, at the height of Khrushchev’s “thaw” in 1961, was consent finally given to perform Katerina Izmailova. The revised version of this brilliant opera saw the light of day for the first time in the Soviet Union in 1963 at the Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in Moscow with director Lev Mikhailov and conductor Gennadi Provatorov. During the spring of 1955, Shostakovich continued his concert tours, playing his solo and chamber compositions. From 2 to 10 April, he traveled to Tallin (2–3 April); Riga (5 April); and Minsk, Kaunas, and Vilnius (6–7 April); where he performed selections from the Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, the Cello Sonata (with Mstislav Rostropovich), the Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet), and From Jewish Folk Poetry (with Nina Dorliak, Tamara Yanko, and Alexey Maslennikov). After this trip, on 14 April 1955 in a letter to his student, composer Kara Karayev, Shostakovich wrote: “During the eight-day concert tour, I gave seven recitals in the following cities: Tallin (two), Riga (one), Minsk (two), Kaunas (one), and Vilnius (one).” The composer confessed that he continued to grieve deeply about his wife: “I cannot recover from the catastrophe that has befallen me. My wife defended and saved me from all troubles and tribulations … They say that time is the best healer: as time passes, the grief will also pass. However, so far, it has not.”5 The compositions that had been performed on the tour were also on the program for Shostakovich’s Gorky concerts of 21–2 October 1955. Two other important recitals were scheduled for that autumn. The first one, in November, was a joint concert of works by Shebalin and Shostakovich. Shostakovich played his Cello Sonata (with Mstislav Rostropovich), three preludes and fugues from op. 87, and the Concertino for Two Pianos, (with Maxim Shostakovich). The second and final recital of 1955, held in his native Leningrad on 14 December, featured the Cello Sonata (with Rostropovich), From Jewish Folk Poetry (with Nina Dorliak, Zara Dolukhanova, and Alexey Maslennikov), the Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet), and four preludes and fugues from op. 87. The busy schedule of public performances began to take its toll on Shostakovich. In 1955, he wrote even less than he had during 1954. His only composition for the entire year was the music for the film The Gadfly. He also used one of the main themes of

chap_05.fm Page 151 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

151

this score for a short piano piece that he recorded in 1955. Shostakovich articulated his frustrations in a letter of 4 October 1955 to Karayev: “I am living a hectic life. I am concertizing a lot, but without any particular pleasure. I am still unable to get used to the stage. It is causing me a great many anxieties and affecting my nerves. As soon as I reach fifty, I’ll stop concertizing. For a long time, I have not been composing anything. It is upsetting me very much. Actually, after the Tenth Symphony, I have composed nothing … Maxim finishes school this year. What will happen to him now? All this is worrying me.”6 One of the happiest events of the year occurred on 29–30 October 1955. After a seven-year delay, David Oistrakh finally premiered Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Oistrakh played marvelously, repeating the finale for an encore. On 9 November 1955, however, Shostakovich’s happiness was again shattered by another personal tragedy – the death of his mother. His sister-in-law, Irina Varzar, recalled a conversation with him soon after his mother’s death: “After Sofia Vasilievna’s [Shostakovich’s mother’s] funeral, Mitya [Shostakovich] came to me: ‘You know, I was at the cemetery.’ ‘It is very painful, Mitya, when your mother dies.’ ‘Yes, my mother was everything to me. With her, I wore no mask.›7 Following his mother’s death, Shostakovich burned all his letters to her so that nobody would be able to see behind the mask. In spite of his desire to stop concertizing, Shostakovich continued to appear as a pianist during 1956. On 12 February he participated in a concert dedicated to his works, performing his Piano Trio No. 2 with David Oistrakh and Svyatoslav Knushevitsky. Another important concert featuring Shostakovich’s compositions took place on 16 May in Leningrad,8 where Shostakovich was the soloist in his Piano Concerto No. 1, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin. Although Kondrashin admired Shostakovich’s music, he also believed that, “Shostakovich as a pianist did not arouse great interest, and he himself was aware of this.”9 Kondrashin recalled: We had two rehearsals for the Piano Concerto. Dmitri Dmitriyevich was very nervous because he was already performing rarely in concerts. He often stopped, asking to repeat this or that difficult spot. He did end up playing well at the concert, although he had done better during the rehearsals. After the concert, he came to my room (my room was next to his), thanked me again, and said: “What a pity that you are leaving; otherwise, we would take a walk together. One should unwind after such a concert. Today, I appeared for the last time as a soloist: such performances are too much for my health. I have not been practising the piano regularly for many years, and when I have to perform, I get very nervous!”10

Meanwhile, Shostakovich’s private life remained unsettled and lonely. His love affair with Galina Ustvolskaya was not developing as he had hoped it would. She was the more reserved of the two and was apparently completely uninterested in marrying him. Ustvolskaya herself later related:

chap_05.fm Page 152 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

152

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

“He [Shostakovich] wanted to marry me. His children knew about this. He wrote a great many letters. While I was in the hospital after having had my tonsils removed, he was writing me two letters a day, and a nurse wondered, ‘Who is this boy who is writing to you?’ Had I been more outgoing, there would have been even more letters. His letters were more than sublime, while mine were more than modest. I answered briefly and not in the same key; it was nice, but not exactly … He asked me, ‘Why don’t you want to marry me?›11 It was no secret that Shostakovich was aching to marry, but when he suddenly did so in June 1956, his friends were both shocked and disappointed by his choice. His bride, Margarita Kainova – a devoted Komsomol [Young Communist Union] leader – seemed completely unsuited to share Shostakovich’s interests and life, and to get along with his children. Their marriage lasted only three years. Shostakovich’s compositions of these years are characterized by a much less sophisticated content and musical language than his previous works. These less complex pieces include his Spanish Songs, op. 100, the String, Quartet No. 6 op. 101, the Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102, and the Symphony No. 11, op. 103. Throughout his life, Shostakovich wrote a certain number of “popular” works; however, from 1954 to 1958 – the years of his marriage to Kainova – this tendency prevailed. During the fall of 1956 Shostakovich performed a great deal. The program for two concerts at the Maly Philharmonic Hall in Leningrad on 6–7 October included the Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet), the song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry (with Nina Dorliak, Tamara Antipova, and Alexey Maslennikov), and three preludes and fugues from op. 87. At the concerts on 7 October his String Quartet No. 6 was premiered by the Beethoven Quartet. Glikman wrote that these concerts “met with gigantic success. When Shostakovich appeared on the stage, the audience greeted him enthusiastically with a standing ovation.”12 On 16 October, a concert celebrating Shostakovich’s fiftieth birthday, was held in the Composer’s House in Leningrad. He played three preludes and fugues from op. 87, and the Beethoven Quartet played his String Quartets No. 5 and No. 6. His next public appearance took place on 26 November at the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall, where he accompanied singer Mikhail Ryba in Five Romances on Dolmatovsky’s Verses and played three preludes and fugues. On 8 December 1956, at the Moscow Artists’ House, Shostakovich gave his last recital of the year, featuring three preludes and fugues and his Piano Quintet (with the Beethoven Quartet). His String Quartet No. 6 was also performed at this concert.13 On 16 January 1956 Shostakovich recorded the cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry (with Nina Dorliak, Zara Dolukhanova, and Alexey Maslennikov) and the Concertino for Two Pianos (with Maxim Shostakovich). On 22 February he recorded Dmitri Tsyganov’s arrangement of four preludes from op. 34 for violin and piano with violinist Leonid Kogan.

chap_05.fm Page 153 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

153

p i a n o c o n c e r t o n o . 2 o p. 1 0 2 Completed on 5 February 1957, Shostakovich’s second piano concerto was destined to be his last piano composition. This concerto has much more in common with the Concertino for Two Pianos, op. 94 (1953) than with the complex preludes and fugues of op. 87. Both the concertino and second piano concerto were intended to be within the emotional and technical reach of young pianists, particularly, Shostakovich’s teenaged son, Maxim, to whom the concerto is dedicated. Shostakovich’s friend, composer Andrei Balanchivadze, believed that his own Piano Concerto No. 3, written prior to Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and dedicated to Balanchivadze’s son, influenced Shostakovich’s composition. Balanchivadze recalled: Pianist Lev Oborin performed my [third piano] Concerto brilliantly. Shostakovich listened to this recording and liked it. Sometimes he would listen to somebody’s composition, getting excited and drawing his own ideas from it. At that time, however, 1948 was still close behind us: song-like melodies and accessibility were de rigueur. Thus, all sorts of short simplified concertos, concertinos, and sonatinas were coming out. I think the fact that the child-musicians of our generation were already growing up was also important. Shostakovich’s son, like my own, was about seventeen to nineteen years old. We composed for them.14

The Piano Concerto No. 2 consists of three short movements. Both the first and final movements – marked simply Allegro – are in sonata form. The main subject of the first movement has a march-like character that is further enhanced by an imitation of the drums and horns of a young pioneers’ procession (rehearsal number 3), contrasting sharply with the warm cantilena of the second theme (rehearsal number 6). Nevertheless, both melodies are presented in the simple octaves, so typical for this concerto. The mocking, humorous character of the main subject grows openly aggressive and forceful in the development as a result of the heavy, double octave passages and bold, f–ff–fff dynamics. At rehearsal number 18, the second subject, played by the orchestra, sounds triumphantly, fff espressivo, accompanied by cascades of rolling chords on the piano, signifying the climactic summit of the development. This is followed by a sharply dissonant, toccata-like piano cadenza. A brilliant, shortened recapitulation effectively finishes the movement. The second movement, marked Andante, is a set of variations on two different themes. The first theme, played by the strings, is a melancholic melody in C minor with in a sarabande-like rhythm (q q . e l q q ). This rhythmic pattern is often found in Shostakovich’s meditative music, for example, in the Prelude in C-major 0p. 87, no. 1. The second theme, introduced by the piano at rehearsal number 26, is a radiant melody in C-major above a calm triplet accompaniment. This theme is both simple and strikingly beautiful, possessing the character of a lyrical nocturne. The romantic

chap_05.fm Page 154 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

154

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

atmosphere of this movement is in sharp contrast to the third movement, which starts attaca after the poetic coda of the Andante. This last movement is full of energy and humor. Its playful and light first subject emerges as a ringing unison in a high piano register. In contrast to this mood, the second subject, played fortissimo–forte by the orchestra at rehearsal number 41, is purposely heavy and clumsy. A 78 meter and comic “whistles” on the piccolo enhance the ironic shading of this music, suggesting Soviet processions or parades accompanied by loud street orchestras. The movement’s humorous highlight is the concluding subject at rehearsal number 44: Shostakovich quotes a Hanon exercise that is diligently “practised” by the piano in various registers and keys. This episode serves wittily as a solo cadenza. In the development (rehearsal number 47) and recapitulation (rehearsal number 56), all the themes are given even greater pomposity, volume, and unrestrained force. On 18 December 1957, while Shostakovich was on tour in Lvov, he explained during a meeting with local Conservatory students that: “I wrote it [the Second Concerto] for my son. I was pursuing certain pedagogical objectives and wrote there some octaves, double notes, and trills. Nevertheless, I did not want it to be a dry or formally pedagogical composition … I tried to write a substantial piece with artistic value. My son is a young musician; he is twenty years old and has just enrolled in the Conservatory.”15 Having completed the concerto, Shostakovich played it at home with Vainberg. Two months later, in April 1957 the composer and his son Maxim performed a two-piano arrangement of the concerto for at the Ministry of Culture of the ussr (Maxim playing the piano solo part). The official premiere of the Piano Concerto No. 2 took place on 10 May 1957 at the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall, with Maxim Shostakovich as soloist and Nikolai Anosov as conductor. During 1957–58, Shostakovich performed his second piano concerto on many occasions. It was one of the last compositions he played publicly as a soloist on the concert stage, and he recorded it three times. The first, a live recording made in Bulgaria with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Konstantin Iliev, was never released. The second recording was made on 7 February 1958 in Moscow with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gauk. The third was made on 26 May 1958 in France with the Orchestre nationale de la rtf conducted by André Cluytens. By this time, Shostakovich’s affliction in his hand was progressing rapidly. In his recordings of the concerto, especially in the French one, some passages sound unclear and hurried, lacking the necessary brilliance and technical perfection. Such imperfections are a sad testimony to the fact that Shostakovich’s hand was failing him. His son-in-law, Yevgeniy Chukovsky, remembered: “In 1958, in Paris, before his performance of the Second Piano Concerto his hand began to bother him. He wanted to cancel the performance, but did not want to face the losses this would entail, so he eventually played the concerto. I own this very recording, which reflects

chap_05.fm Page 155 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

155

Table 5.1 Tempos for the Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102. Movement

Tempo in score

Tempo in 1958 Soviet recording

Tempo in 1958 French recording

first

G

= 160

G

= 160

G

= 165

second

G

= 76

G

= 63

G

= 59

third

G

= 176

G

= 172

G

= 170

this painful ordeal – the onset of his disease.”16 In spite of his worsened condition, Shostakovich did not compromise the tempos or the moods in either of his recordings of the Concerto No. 2 (see Table 5.1). In both the Soviet and French recordings, the tempos for the Allegro movements (the first and the third) are close to those indicated in the score. The tempo of the Soviet recording matches the score and the French recording is slightly faster. For the third movement, both recordings are only a fraction slower than the tempo specified in the score. It is evident from these recordings that the score indications for the first and third movements indicate the tempos Shostakovich intended with great precision. Nevertheless, in his usual manner, Shostakovich played the Andante second movement considerably slower than the score tempo. Shostakovich’s performance of this Andante is remarkable. The beauty of his tone is as captivating and warm as the music itself; his interpretation is free of superfluous emotions, yet sincere and touching. Although the dynamic nuances are within a modest piano – mezzo forte range, the music is replete with varied shadings of tone color that are often enhanced by long pedal stretches. The music flows naturally with well-proportioned, subtle agogics (note especially the ritenutos before rehearsal number 28 and 30). We hear Shostakovich the poet in every sound of this wonderful interpretation. Shostakovich varied the text slightly in the same bars of the second movement in both recordings. Probably, these changes represent improvements made after the score was published; they are preserved only in his recorded performances of the second movement. Three of these variants are particularly important. On the first beat of bar 34, he repeated the chord from bar 33; in the score, these two chords are tied (example 5.1). On the second beat of bar 62, he played the right hand notes in reverse order (F–A-flat instead of A-flat–F). Also, on the third beat of the bar he played B-flat instead of A-flat (example 5.2). In the coda, he played the melody in octaves from the third beat of bar 99 rather than the first beat of bar 100, as written in the score (example 5.3). If these variants appeared in only one of the two recordings, we might legitimately speculate that Shostakovich was simply improvising on the spot. However, the fact that they appear identically in both recordings strongly suggests that Shostakovich preferred them, although he never made the changes in the published score.

chap_05.fm Page 156 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

156

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 5.1 Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102: second movement, bars 31–4.

(a) score

(b) recordings

Example 5.2 Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102: second movement, bar 62.

(a) score

(b) recordings

f i n a l c o n c e r t to u r s 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 5 8 In a letter to Glikman of 31 March 1957, Shostakovich complained that he was leading “a troublesome life,” and that he is “wasting a lot of time and still unable to start working properly on the eleventh symphony.”17 In the same letter, Shostakovich sarcastically describes a Composers’ Congress that was obviously causing him a great deal of distress. Although he despised such official meetings, as an important public figure, he had no choice but to participate in them.

chap_05.fm Page 157 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

157

Example 5.3 Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 102: second movement, bars 99–101.

(a) score

(b) recordings

Another possible reason for the frustration he expressed in this letter was the stress brought on by his busy schedule of public performances during 1957. For example, on 22 January, at the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall, he played three preludes and fugues from op. 87 and accompanied the song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry. On 3 February he performed his Piano Quintet, and on 16 February he participated in a concert dedicated to his works. On 24 February he again played his Piano Quintet at the Philharmonic Maly Hall in Leningrad with the Beethoven Quartet. In the spring of that year, he frequently accompanied his son Maxim, rehearsing and performing the Piano Concerto No. 2. On 15 June, he appeared again at Philharmonic Maly Hall in Leningrad, in a program featurning four preludes and fugues from op. 87, the Cello Sonata (with Knushevitsky), and From Jewish Folk Poetry (with Nina Dorliak, Zara Dolukhanova, and Mikhail Dovenman). On 4 August 1957, Shostakovich completed his Symphony No. 11. This four-movement composition was dedicated to the tragic events of “Bloody Sunday,” 9 January 1905, when Tsar Nicholas II’s police brutally massacred hundreds of peaceful demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. This symphony is typical of his compositions for the years 1954– 58, aimed at the mass listener. Compared to all his previous symphonies,

chap_05.fm Page 158 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

158

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

especially his best ones – Nos. 4, 8, and 10 – the eleventh symphony has more illustrative qualities and less psychological sophistication. However, like all Shostakovich symphonies, it has strong dramatic impact and brilliant orchestration. The popular, revolutionary song tunes add a documentary aura to the work. Shostakovich played the symphony for the first time for his friends on a modest upright piano that had been rented in 1957 for Maxim’s summer practising at the family dacha in Komarovo. Later, he performed a fourhand arrangement of the work with composer Mikhail Meyerovich (his usual partner Vainberg was seriously ill at the time) at official gatherings in Leningrad (16 September) and Moscow (25 September). Because it featured more “socialist-realist” qualities than any of his previous symphonies, the Symphony No. 11 was an instant official success, and was awarded a Lenin Prize in 1958. Despite Shostakovich’s desire to stop concertizing, the fall of 1957 represented one of the busiest periods of his concert life. In October, he appeared on stage in Sverdlovsk (6 October), Voronezh (11 October), and Tambov (12 October), performing preludes and fugues from op. 87, the Piano Quintet, (with the Beethoven Quartet), and Five Romances on Dolmatovsky’s Verses (with Boris Deineka). On 16 November, he participated in a recital at the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall, playing his Piano Trio No. 2 with David Oistrakh and Svyatoslav Knushevitsky. The month of December brought even more engagements, which Shostakovich described to Glikman in a letter dated 18 December 1957: “I am undertaking a big concert tour, taking the following route: Kiev, Lvov, Kishinev, and Odessa. I return to Moscow on 30 December. In each of these cities, I am giving two concerts with an identical program: the Festive Overture, Second Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (I am the soloist), and the Eleventh Symphony. Unfortunately, I have no time to see the sights: rehearsals and concerts consume all my energy. So far, I have had an enjoyable time only in Kiev.”18 Besides the program mentioned in the above letter, on this tour Shostakovich also played his Cello Sonata with Yevgeniy Al’tman in Lvov (17 and 18 December) and in Kishinev (22 and 23 December).19 One of those present at Shostakovich’s meeting with students at the Lvov Conservatory on 18 December 1957 recorded her impressions in a diary: Shostakovich sat at the piano and began the Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C major. He sat up extremely straight, at times his serious grey eyes looking forward over his glasses. With his tightly pressed lips, he looked even more pale and exhausted than he had seemed to be the day before. During these moments, the music both expressed his inner world and corresponded to his outward appearance. Having finished the first prelude and fugue, he played the second in D minor. The audience applauded endlessly, and Shostakovich bowed the same way as he used to long ago when I saw him as a young man at his concerts: he bent in half as quickly as he drew himself up.20

chap_05.fm Page 159 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

159

On his return to Moscow on 30 December 1957, Shostakovich had only a couple of days to recuperate at home and enjoy New Year’s Eve. In early January, accompanied by his wife Margarita Kainova, he departed for Bulgaria for another three-week concert tour. There he performed his Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, with conductor Konstantin Iliev,21 and four preludes and fugues from op. 87; he also played the Piano Quintet and the Piano Trio No. 2 with the Beethoven Quartet.22 According to Dmitri Tsyganov, Bulgarian audiences were ecstatic: “Had Beethoven been alive, he would probably have been received in the same manner as, Shostakovich was.”23 The month of February 1958 proved less stressful; he appeared publicly only once – on 7 February for a performance of his Piano Concerto No. 2 under Gauk at the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall. This concert was recorded and later issued on LP in the Soviet Union.24 A much needed break from concertizing in March and April enabled Shostakovich to concentrate on the composition of his first operetta, Moscow, Cheryomushki and his project of editing and reorchestrating Musorgsky’s Khovanshchina. However, by 4–5 May, he was on tour once again, playing his Second Piano Concerto No. 2 in Gorky with the Gorky Philharmonic Orchestra under Izrail Gusman. During this concert, Shostakovich noticed that his right hand was troubling him. The next day, he informed Glikman: “I am writing to you from Gorky, where I arrived in the evening to give a concert. Gusman conducted my Eleventh Symphony. Being a creative person, he changed the tempos and dynamic shadings in many places. Because of this, a great deal of the piece sounded very bad. Today, this concert will be repeated, and also today, I will go to Moscow. I myself will play the Second Concerto. I am playing poorly. For some reason, my right hand is noticeably unable to keep up.”25 When Shostakovich arrived in France two weeks later, the pain in his right hand was even worse. Nevertheless, on 27 and 28 May, he played in Paris and recorded26 his first and second piano concertos under André Cluytens with the Orchestre national de la rtf. While there, he also recorded the Fantastic Dances, op. 5 and a selection of preludes and fugues from op. 87.27 On the eve of his departure from France, a critic wrote: “Those who heard Shostakovich playing his preludes and fugues will forever retain the memory of a direct link with the creative spirit itself.”28 Unfortunately, this concert tour was destined to be Shostakovich’s last. From then on, the steady deterioration of his hand prevented public performances. Following his doctor’s advice, in August – September 1958, Shostakovich booked into hospital for medical tests and treatment of his right hand. On 6 September, he wrote to Glikman from his hospital bed: My right hand has weakened. I often experience pins and needles in it. I cannot lift anything heavy with it. Although I can pick up any suitcase now with my fingers, hanging my coat up on a coat rack is very difficult. It is also hard to brush my teeth. When I write, my hand gets very tired. I can play only very slowly and pianissimo. I

chap_05.fm Page 160 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

160

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

noticed this while in Paris. I could scarcely play in the concerts there. At first, I did not pay attention to it. When I query the priests of science about the name of my particular illness, they offer me no clear answer, sentencing me instead to a hospital stay until the beginning of October. I continue working out my hand just in case. Every day, I practice writing all the letters of the alphabet, all the numbers, and various kinds of phrases, such as ‘Masha eats kasha,’ and ‘The priest [pop] scratches his navel [poop].’ But, my God, how hard it is.29

Although Shostakovich wrote about his hospital days with humour, his hand, unfortunately did not improve quickly. A week later, on 12 September, he informed Glikman that his hand was getting better but got very tired with writing. In his next letter he expressed his doubts that he would be giving any concerts in the near future. Shostakovich’s pessimistic prediction about his concert career sadly proved true. Indeed, for many years to come, he was unable to perform in public; the only exceptions were a few appearances in 1963–66.

onset of illness Although in 1959 Shostakovich believed that his hand would eventually heal, by the end of 1960 he had almost entirely lost confidence. He wrote to Glikman on 11 November 1960: “Last time, I was cheered by the belief that my hand would soon be healed. Now, I don’t have even one ounce of faith left.”30 The years 1959–60 were stressful not only because of his health, but also because of events in his private life. His marriage to Kainova ended in the summer of 1959; once again, he was faced with loneliness and the responsibilities of caring for a large and fast-growing family. His children were already married by this time and were soon to start their own families (Galina’s sons were born in 1960 and 1962, and Maxim’s son in 1961), but they remained to a large extent dependent on him. Shostakovich’s own emotional health, which had never been extremely stable, was also showing signs of exhaustion. During the summer of 1960, he was in especially bad shape, confiding to Glikman that under the pressure of some “apparatchiks,” he had given in and agreed to apply for membership in the Communist Party. As described by Glikman, Shostakovich was deeply ashamed of this decision, yet he felt he was unable to fight any more. His official joining of the Party was an act of personal weakness for which he could not forgive himself until the end of his life. After becoming a Party member, he often had to sign documents against people whose views he both respected and shared. These petitions, unlike those of Stalin’s era, rarely entailed a death sentence for the accused, but they nevertheless caused a great deal of harm for the individuals concerned; Shostakovich felt intensely remorseful about and humiliated by his behavior.

chap_05.fm Page 161 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

161

As always, Shostakovich’s work saved him. Even when in the hospital (a fate that befell him frequently: for example, after his son’s wedding on 20 October 1960 he suddenly fell and broke his leg) Shostakovich continued to compose. In 1959–60, he wrote a number of masterpieces in which his genius manifested itself even more profoundly and originally then ever: the Cello Concerto No. 1, op. 107, the String Quartet No. 7, op. 108, the vocal cycle Satires, op. 109, based on verses by Sasha Chyorny, and the String Quartet No. 8, op. 110. In 1960, he also composed Novorossiysk Chimes and music for the film Five Days – Five Nights. The diversity of images in these works is amazing. In the Cello Concerto No. 1, as in his first violin concerto, Shostakovich used the power of musical grotesque to depict a dramatic scene of a struggle with brutal force. In the last movement he applied his special tool of hidden musical satire by interweaving craftily the tune of Suliko, Stalin’s favorite song, with the other themes. Although the average listener can scarcely identify the real source of the motive, the openly ironic character of this movement is obvious from the music itself. Despite the fact that the seventh and eighth string quartets were written in the same year (1960), they vary markedly, but both have deeply personal content. The String Quartet No. 7, op. 108, dedicated to the memory of Nina, Shostakovich’s first wife, is one of his shortest and most poetic works. The exquisitely beautiful music of this quartet has a uniquely ephemeral, spooky character. On 8 April 1960, the composer played the work for the Beethoven Quartet; they began rehearsing it immediately.31 The String Quartet No. 8, op. 110, by contrast, is a monumental fivemovement composition with a profound philosophical meaning; it represents, according to the composer himself, his musical autobiography.32 Performed by Shostakovich on 11 August 1960, the new composition made “an immense impression” on the members of the Beethoven Quartet.33 On 29 August, having listened again to the composer’s own rendition, the ensemble began to learn this complex piece. This profound, tragic work contains numerous self-quotations from Shostakovich’s compositions – the first, eighth, and tenth symphonies, the Piano Trio No. 2, the Cello Concerto No. 1, and Lady Macbeth – as well as his DSCH signature. He also cites the funeral march from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and the second theme from the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6 (Pathétique). In this quartet, where Shostakovich sums up his time and his music, he also incorporates the song Tormented by Grievous Bondage, a choice that was neither coincidental nor random. The title and the song itself correspond well with Shostakovich’s thoughts about his own life. As Shostakovich’s friend Lev Lebedinsky recalled: “It was his farewell to life. He associated joining the Party with a moral, as well as physical, death. On the day of his return from a trip to Dresden, where he had completed the quartet and purchased a large number of sleeping pills, he played the quartet to me on the piano and told me with tears in his eyes that it was his last work.

chap_05.fm Page 162 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

162

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

He hinted at his intention to commit suicide. Perhaps, subconsciously, he hoped that I would save him. I managed to remove the pills from his jacket pocket and gave them to his son Maxim, explaining to him the true meaning of the quartet.”34 Despite the trouble with his hand, Shostakovich continued to play for his friends, who often became the first performers of his new works. Such was the case with the song cycle, Satires, op. 109, which is based on the sarcastic poems of Sasha Chyorny. Immediately after its completion, Shostakovich played the new work for Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich, who later premiered the work. The composer was extremely fond of these songs; as Glikman recalled, Shostakovich played this witty and brilliant cycle for him when visiting Leningrad on 2 July 1960.35 Shostakovich’s membership in the Party was not only a heavy moral burden; his new status also made it incumbent upon him to write a symphony celebrating the great Soviet Party and Lenin. Although he had been promising to write such a symphony for many years, in 1961 he at last began composing the piece. This work, according to Shostakovich himself, was written with difficulty.36 Even when he finally completed the Symphony No. 12, op. 112, he was dissatisfied with it, considering it one of his weakest works.37

last public performances The years 1959 to 1961 were full of events that Shostakovich, who enjoyed citing the book of Ecclesiastes, might have characterized as the vanity of vanities. His new official posts (in 1960, for instance, he became the First Secretary of the Russian Composers’ Union) occupied a great deal of his time. He often traveled abroad with official delegations as a representative of Soviet artists; he was also forced to make numerous speeches and publish many patriotic articles. After his death, a number of these speeches and articles were gathered in the book, Shostakovich on Himself and His Time,38 very few reveal Shostakovich’s own hand: the short and clear sentences and the simple, fresh, expressive “Petersburg” Russian so evident in his private letters. Instead, these colorless, official publications resemble Soviet bureaucratic writing – mere clichés of Soviet slogans that were most likely composed by others (one of whom was Isaak Glikman). The month of December 1961 was marked by two significant events: he resumed his work as professor of composition at the Leningrad Conservatory, and (on 30 December) his Symphony No. 4, op. 43, received its premiere, twenty-five years after its composition, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kirill Kondrashin. Shostakovich taught the only seven post-graduate students at the Leningrad Conservatory: Gennadiy Belov, Vadim Bibergan, Alexander Mnatsakanyan, Vyacheslav Nagovitsin, German Okunev, Vladislav Uspensky, and Boris Tishchenko.

chap_05.fm Page 163 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

163

His method of teaching had not altered from earlier years. According to Tishchenko: “He was very happy to show us everything he wrote, in addition to pieces by other composers. In this way, his approach to teaching us was a critical one with respect to our own composing, but he also relied substantially on showing us what he considered to be good music.”39 Meanwhile, Shostakovich’s private life was also changing for the better. In 1962, he met and fell in love with Irina Supinskaya, a young literary editor who became his wife. Shostakovich wrote to Glikman about her with great tenderness: “My wife’s name is Irina Antonovna. I have been acquainted with her for over two years. She has only one shortcoming: she is twenty-seven years old. In all other respects, she is beautiful. She is intelligent, cheerful, uncomplicated, and kind … I think we will be happy together.”40 This time, fortunately, Shostakovich’s intuition was right: Supinskaya became a loving wife who not only shared his intellectual interests but also was totally devoted to him, caring for him and prolonging his life by several years. As a result of the relative liberalization during the Khrushchev “thaw,” a number of Soviet writers and poets were permitted, at least to a certain extend, to express and even publish their thoughts on previously taboo subjects. In 1961 one of the most popular poets of the younger generation, Yevgeniy Yevtushenko, published “Babiy Yar,” a poem condemning the horrific Nazi massacre of some seventy thousand Jews outside Kiev in 1941. However, transparent from the poem’s very first line – “No monument stands over Babiy Yar” – was Yevtushenko’s aversion not only to the Nazis, but also to the anti-Semites in his own country.41 Yevtushenko later recalled that Shostakovich called him at the end of March 1962, requesting permission to use this poem in an oratorio. After receiving a positive answer, Shostakovich informed the surprised poet that the piece had already been completed. That same day, Shostakovich played and sang his recently completed Babiy Yar for choir, soloist, and orchestra to Yevtushenko and his wife; then he informed Yevtushenko that he would like to expand and deepen the piece, explaining his reasons: “Once I wrote a composition about fears … About our fears, our national fears. But they began to interpret my music, suggesting it was referring to Hitler’s Germany. Do you have any other poems – about our fears, for example? For me, this represents a truly unique opportunity to express myself not only through music, but also through your verses as well. In this case, nobody will be able to misinterpret the meaning of my music.”42 At this meeting, Yevtushenko presented the composer with his new book of verses, from which Shostakovich chose three poems, “Humour,” “In the Grocery,” and “A Career.” A fourth poem, “Fears,” requested by Shostakovich, Yevtushenko wrote later. The music that Shostakovich composed to these texts, depicting different aspects of Soviet life, eventually developed into his Symphony No. 13, op. 113.

chap_05.fm Page 164 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

164

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

During June and July 1962, Shostakovich was again in the hospital, undergoing treatment for his hand. By mere coincidence, one of his medical tests was performed by a doctor called Lydia Timoshuk. It is a bizarre irony of fate that while Shostakovich was composing this work condemning antiSemitism, he was destined to meet the very person who, in the early 1950s, had “discovered and warned” Stalin about the “Doctors’ Plot.” Shostakovich immediately wrote to Glikman about this unexpected encounter with Timoshuk: “Doctor L. F. Timoshuk did my capillaroscopy. You likely remember this name. I also remember it, and that’s what got me interested in the procedure … With a great deal of curiosity, I observed Dr. L.F. Timoshuk. I wanted to interview her, but I kept quiet. Many thoughts came to my mind after the capillaroscopy.”43 By 20 July 1962 Shostakovich had completed the entire score and once again he invited Yevtushenko to listen to the new symphony. Yevtushenko descibed the event: At last, at the end of July, he invited me to his home and put the score entitled “Symphony No. 13”on the piano. He was fidgeting. At that time, his hand was already hurting him, and it was difficult for him to play. I was astounded by his nervousness, by the excuses he made beforehand for his bad hand and weak voice. And then he began to play and sing. Unfortunately, it was not recorded by anyone, but he sang like a genius too: his voice was non-existent – it had some kind of odd rattling, as though something was broken inside, yet it was full of an inimitable – beyond intrinsic – but almost otherworldly force. When Shostakovich finished playing, he asked me nothing, but instead led me toward a set table, gulped down two shots of vodka, one after the other, and then asked me, “So?”44

Many of Shostakovich’s students and friends – among them Glikman, Vainberg, Khachaturian, Kondrashin, and Tishchenko – were fortunate to hear Shostakovich play his thirteenth symphony. (Without informing Shostakovich, the composer Veniamin Basner managed to record one of these private performances but the recording was never issued.) Galina Vishnevskaya’s recollection of Shostakovich’s playing is memorable: Dmitri Dmitriyevich was an excellent pianist, always playing himself his new works for friends until his illness made such a thing impossible. On that autumn evening, he sat down at the piano, played the prelude, and began to sing softly: “No monument stands over Babi Yar…” I always felt I was taking part in a secret rite when, in our presence, yet one more work of Shostakovich was being exposed to the world. Beginning with the first measures of that piece, all of us were gripped by an atmosphere of oppressive and tragic presentiment. Dmitri Dmitriyevich continued softly: Now I seem to be a Jew. Here I plod through ancient Egypt.

chap_05.fm Page 165 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

165

Here I perish crucified, on the cross, And to this day, I bear the scars of nails. With Shostakovich’s music, the poem we all knew so well grew to global proportions like red-hot iron. I suddenly imagined the blood upon his shoulders, the “scars of nails,” and my hair stood on end.45

Preparing the Symphony No. 13 for its premiere proved to be an arduous trial. The process of finding performers became a test for courage for many. Especially disappointing for Shostakovich was the fact that two of his favorite musicians – singer Boris Gmyria and conductor Yevgeniy Mravinsky – both refused to participate in the first performance because of their fear of repercussions. Despite all the difficulties, including government attempts to sabotage the premiere, the first performances of the thirteenth symphony took place on 18 and 20 December with Kirill Kondrashin conducting the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and Vitaliy Gromadsky as a soloist. The success was triumphant, similar to that of the fifth symphony. Well aware of this triumph, however, government officials then began demanding certain textual changes and even threatened to ban the symphony altogether. Unable to resist such pressures, Yevtushenko yielded and altered several lines without the approval of Shostakovich. Nevertheless, the music remained unchanged. The latter half of 1962 was full of many “firsts” for Shostakovich. From 16 August to mid-September he took part in the Edinburgh Music Festival, participating in rehearsals and listening to performances of his works. On 12 November he made a rare appearance as conductor in Gorky at concert devoted to his compositions. At this concert, his second and final experience on the conductor’s podium (the first one dates back to his student years), he conducted the Festive Overture and the Cello Concerto No. 1 with Rostropovich as soloist. During the second half this concert, Galina Vishnevskaya premiered Musorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death, which had been recently orchestrated by Shostakovich. These songs, as well as four entr’actes from Lady Macbeth, were conducted by Rostropovich. A critic’s review of the performance was encouraging: “In general, the orchestra sounded wonderful. The performance of all the pieces was on a very high level.”46 Another extraordinary event occurred in December 1962: after many years of silence, Shostakovich’s great opera, Katerina Izmailova was finally performed (although not yet officially) at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in Moscow. In the years 1963 to 1965, Shostakovich’s health showed little improvement; from time to time he was forced to stay in hospital for long medical tests. On rare occasions, however, he was able to accompany shorter pieces and even participate in performances of single movements of his works. For example, in June 1963, while attending a festival of Russian music in Kirghizia, he accompanied singer Askold Besedin in several of his popular

chap_05.fm Page 166 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

166

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

songs, including Mir pobedit voinu [Peace will defeat war].47 On 1 October 1963, at a concert dedicated to the fortieth anniversary of the Beethoven Quartet, he performed the Intermezzo from his Piano Quintet with the celebrated ensemble at the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall.48 On 23 February 1964, at a festival of contemporary music in Gorky, he played the same Intermezzo with the Borodin Quartet.49 Perhaps partially as a result of his ongoing ailments, Shostakovich composed very little in 1963; the following year, however, proved somewhat more productive. During 1963, he finished orchestrating the song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry and wrote a reorchestration of the Schumann Cello Concerto, but his only compositions were the Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes, op. 115, and music for the film Hamlet. The director of Hamlet, Grigoriy Kozintsev, described Shostakovich playing his music for the film: “Making a wry face and frowning, he approached the piano. ‘I am not responsible, you know, for the performance, not responsible. I’ll try somehow, though, with only one hand, so to say.’ And a heavy and menacing force bluntly stepped on the earth.”50 During 1964 Shostakovich composed two string quartets – No. 9, op. 117 and, No. 10, op. 118 – as well as a cantata, The Execution of Stepan Razin, op. 119, based on Yevtushenko’s verses. The ninth quartet, consisting of five attacca movements, belongs to the same category of large dimension canvases as the second, third, fifth, and eighth quartets. The String Quartet No. 10, by contrast, is a four-movement composition, closer to Shostakovich’s more lyrical first and sixth quartets. It was completed on 20 July in Dilizhan, a picturesque retreat in Armenia, where the composer and his wife enjoyed spending their vacations. Shostakovich’s friends gathered at his cottage on 21 July to listen to the composer playing his new quartets on an upright Petroff piano. It is likely that Shostakovich’s hand was bothering him less during the summer and autumn months of 1964 because, according to friends’ accounts, he often demonstrated new works himself during this period. For example, on 19 June, he demonstrated his ninth quartet and, on 9 November, his tenth quartet to the musicians of the Beethoven Quartet, who were deeply impressed by the new works. In addition, Shostakovich’s playing of the cantata The Execution of Stepan Razin, Op. 119, was, for many, memorable event. This composition, for bass solo, mixed chorus, and orchestra, is based on part of Yevtushenko’s poem, The Bratsk Power Station, and represents Shostakovich’s second fruitful collaboration with the poet. Shostakovich was fascinated by the tragic and controversial figure of Stepan Razin.51 The extent of his passion for his Razin setting is evident from Glikman’s recollection of Shostakovich’s performance of the work on 20 September 1964: “While Dmitri Dmitriyevich played, he cried in some spots, tears streaming abundantly from his eyes. Without thinking, I remembered Tchaikovsky crying about the fate of German [in The Queen of Spades], which he had created. It seemed as though Shostakovich was lis-

chap_05.fm Page 167 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

167

tening not to his own, but to someone else’s music, and was extremely moved by it.”52 Another Shostakovich performance of Razin was described by his student, composer German Okunev: Shostakovich is playing and singing Stepan Razin to us, his students. His intonation is, of course, approximate, yet very expressive. When he got to the words, “You, the people, always spit on those who wish you well,” he pronounced them so personally, and with such pain, that I felt extremely bitter. It was clear that he had written this about himself. When he finished playing the piano score, he said unexpectedly and without false modesty: “And it will be orchestrated as it should be.” I always paid attention to how he played the piano. He used none of the usual pianistic arsenal of plastic movements, but instead only what was most essential for tone production. Although it appeared jerky, its result was effective – both bold and tense – and proof of the relativity of various pianistic techniques and schools.53

A new bout of health problems obliged Shostakovich to spend three weeks (6 to 26 January 1965), in a cardiological clinic. However, by the beginning of February, he was already in Vienna attending the Austrian premiere of Katerina Izmailova. During this year, Shostakovich traveled a great deal, supervising numerous productions of this opera in various cities of the Soviet Union and abroad: in Kazan (February), Ruse, Bulgaria (March), Leningrad, and Budapest (December). In addition, he busied himself writing the script for a film version of the opera. His only new works during 1965 were music for the film A Year Like a Life and a cycle of five short romances, op. 121, for bass and piano based on texts from the journal Krokodil – a Soviet magazine of comedy and social satire.54 Shostakovich saw the texts on 30 August and by 3–4 September had composed all five songs; he told Glikman about the songs and his wish to play them for him. Some two weeks later, on 16 September 1965, he showed the pieces to Glikman, who found them sparkling with brilliant humor and parody – in short, outrageously funny. Unlike 1965, the year 1966, especially the beginning, was marked by a number of important new compositions. On 30 January 1966, Shostakovich completed his String Quartet No. 11, op. 122, written in memory of Vasiliy Shirinsky, the second violinist of the Beethoven Quartet, who had died in 1965. On 9 March 1966, having invited his friends, he played the new composition for them. This quartet contains seven (an unusual number) aphoristic movements: Introduction, Scherzo, Recitative, Etude, Humoresque, Elegy, and Finale. Despite the fact that each movement, like a vision fugitive, depicts a different character and mood, they are all melodically related and thus complement one another, creating a beautiful watercolor of subtle emotional shading and transparency. On 2 March, Shostakovich finished his next work for bass and piano, entitled Preface to the Complete Edition of My Works and a Brief Reflection on This Preface, op. 123. He had composed the work in anticipation of his sixti-

chap_05.fm Page 168 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

168

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

eth birthday celebration, and he also wrote the text of the Preface. It represents a brilliant example of Shostakovich’s literary gifts, providing a comic paraphrase of Pushkin’s verse, “The Story of a Poet,” including a long list of Shostakovich’s honorary titles. The sarcastic tone of self-mockery is enhanced by the laconic piano accompaniment in which the composer, intending to play the piano part himself at the anniversary recital, endeavored to avoid any technical complexities; this same simplicity of piano texture also characterizes his Rayok and songs from the Krokodil cycle. Shostakovich was both excited and anxious about his upcoming performances, confiding to Glikman: On 28 and 29 May in the Glinka Hall, two recitals of the same program will take place. Here is the program: First Half 1 Preface to the Complete Edition of My Works (for the first time) 2 Five humoresques from Krokodil excerpts performed by Y. Nesterenko and me (sic!?!) 3 Shakespeare’s Sixty-Sixth Sonnet, translated by Pasternak 4 “Jenny” by Burns, translated by Marshak 5 Satires, based on texts by Sasha Chyorny performed by Vishnevskaya and me (sic!?!) Second Half 1 First Quartet 2 Eleventh Quartet (for the first time), performed by the Beethoven Quartet I am terribly nervous about my own performance there. Even though I am really anxious to try, I am afraid I won’t be able to manage Chyorny’s The Descendants, as well as Irinka and the Shepherd. As soon as I start thinking that the concert is right around the corner, my right hand refuses to obey.55

Besides the pieces cited in this letter, at the 28 May concert he also accompanied some fragments from Katerina Izmailova, sung by Galina Vishnevskaya. At a later date she recalled that Shostakovich was already so nervous at the rehearsal on 27 May that he repeatedly forgot to change the key in the sonnet, and felt embarrassed and upset about his mistake. “On the evening of the recital, waiting to go on stage, he was not only nervous, but afraid – terrified that his hands would fail him. In the wings, he paced this way and that, not knowing what to do with himself.”56 Unfortunately, the then inexperienced young singer Yevgeniy Nesterenko forgot his words twice, adding even greater stress to the performance.

chap_05.fm Page 169 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

169

In spite of everything, however, the recital went off brilliantly. A critical review admitted that Shostakovich’s accompaniment was “amazing in its focused imagery and ‘visual’ tone characterization.”57 Even though Shostakovich was exuberant after the concert, the strain and emotional excitement of the performance combined with the unbearable heat and humidity of that particular day in Leningrad proved to be too much for him. The following night, he suffered first heart attack, which was confirmed as serious. Sadly, illness claimed its first victory over his life, making future public performances impossible. The recital of 28 May 1966 was Shostakovich’s final public appearance as a pianist.

performances with friends Shostakovich remained in hospital from 28 May to 5 August 1966 and spent the rest of August convalescing in a sanatorium near Leningrad, where he was allowed to walk, read, and even play the piano. By 25 September, his health had improved sufficiently to enable him to attend the jubilee concert dedicated to his sixtieth birthday. At this celebration, the Cello Concerto No. 2 received its premiere; the soloist was Mstislav Rostropovich, to whom the work is dedicated, and the orchestra was conducted by Yevgeniy Svetlanov Written in April 1966, this concerto is one of Shostakovich’s most profound and glorious works. It consists of three movements, with the third movement following attacca after the second. Its dramatic scope and bold orchestration, featuring a spectacular combination of cello and percussion, make this composition a symphony with a solo cello part. In the second and third movements, Shostakovich uses a popular Odessa song, Kupite bubliki!, [Buy my bagels!], which undergoes a metamorphosis from a humble little tune to a violent, oppressive image of evil. The work is unique in the entire literature of cello concertos and, according to Rostropovich, “its profundity is second to none.”58 There was a double surprise in store for Shostakovich’s sixtieth birthday. Shostakovich had bought a grand piano he while still a student, but in 1948, unemployed and in desperate need of money, he had sold it to the singer Klavdia Shulzhenko. After this, for many years, he used a rented piano. Before his sixtieth birthday, the Minister of Culture, Ekaterina Furtseva, deciding to present him with a gift, bought the old grand piano back from Shulzhenko. At the same time, Benjamin Britten, having learned from Rostropovich that Shostakovich did not possess his own grand piano, purchased for him a wonderful Steinway as his birthday present. On 25 September 1966, two trucks arrived at Shostakovich’s place – one with the modest old piano from Furtseva, and the other with the splendid new one from Britten. From that time on, these two pianos remained in Shostakovich’s study.59

chap_05.fm Page 170 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

170

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

In a letter to Glikman dated 3 February 1967 Shostakovich informed his friend that he had just completed Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok, op. 127. He made it explicit in the letter that he hoped to be able to accompany the romances himself, writing: “The Romances are written for soprano, violin, cello, and piano. I want them to be performed by G. Vishnevskaya, D. Oistrakh, M. Rostropovich, and me. I wrote the piano part taking into account my very modest abilities.”60 Shostakovich undoubtedly missed playing the piano during his illness and could not wait to play these romances for his friends. Among the first to hear the Romances were Veniamin Basner, Alexander Kholodilin, and Isaak Glikman, who later expressed his impressions: In his Blok cycle, Shostakovich revealed his restless soul with a heartfelt sincerity. The tragic romances – “Gamayun, Bird of Prophecy” and “The Storm” – contrast with the others, which are full of elegiac lyricism; the last, “Music,” is imbued with an amazing radiant beauty. I remember that Dmitri Dmitriyevich invited me to Moscow at the beginning of February 1967 to introduce me to this cycle. On 10 February, in Zhukovka, in the dusk of a fading day, he played the romances for me, and they made a huge impression on me. I saw them as Shostakovich’s confession – in spite of his many sufferings, he had managed to preserve hope and faith in life.61

On 12 June 1967, Shostakovich rehearsed the romances with Vishnevskaya, Oistrakh, and Rostropovich for the first time, greatly enjoying the occasion. Extremely happy with the performance, he told Glikman that, for a first meeting, “it was rather good. This rehearsal gave me a great deal of joy, and for a while, I stopped perceiving sharply and painfully various bitter [problems] and difficult events.”62 Shostakovich planned to perform the cycle in public; on 5 May he even wrote a letter to the Gorky Philharmonic, discussing his future concert in the city.63 Unfortunately, this dream was never realized because on 18 September he fractured his right leg and was forced to stay in hospital. The cycle was nevertheless premiered with great success on 23 October 1967 by Vishnevskaya, Rostropovich, Oistrakh, with Moisey Vainberg, who played the accompaniment at the composer’s request. Throughout his life, Shostakovich had composed music based on texts of Alexander Pushkin. In March 1967, once again inspired by Pushkin’s verses, he wrote a short song entitled Spring, Spring, op. 128. At that moment, perhaps, the poem’s sad, depressing lyrics corresponded to Shostakovich’s own gloomy thoughts about problems and events of his life. By April 1967 he was at work on his last instrumental concerto. The Violin Concerto No. 2, op. 129, like the second cello concerto, contains three movements with no break between the last two. It is, however, very different from its cello counterpart. In the cello concerto, philosophical meditative episodes are in proportion to those characterized by dramatic “action”; in the violin concerto, images of detached and tense inward contemplation prevail in the two first movements. The final rondo, a bitter

chap_05.fm Page 171 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

171

parody on the happy finales, is a galop with a menacing grin, a far cry from the comic, kind-hearted finale of the Piano Concerto No. 1, written some thirty-three years earlier. This concerto, like the Violin Concerto No. 1, was dedicated to David Oistrakh. The composer tried it with Vainberg, who played the solo violin part, while Shostakovich played the orchestral one.64 On 18 May 1967, after completing the score, Shostakovich met with Oistrakh, who was a fantastic sight-reader; together, they played the concerto through to the end. Oistrakh’s son Igor recorded this performance on tape.65 The Violin Concerto No. 2 was premiered on 26 September by Oistrakh, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kirill Kondrashin, and was well received. Because of his incredible resilience, Shostakovich’s creative power remained intense in spite of his deteriorating health. In addition to the abovementioned works, during 1967, Shostakovich also wrote the Funeral-Triumphal Prelude, op. 130, the symphonic poem October, op. 131, and music for the film Sofia Perovskaya, op. 132, thus turning 1967 into one of the most productive years of his later life. On 11 March 1968 a new masterpiece was finished – the String Quartet No. 12, op. 133 – dedicated to, and written as a birthday present for, Dmitri Tsyganov, the leader of the Beethoven Quartet. In conversation with Tsyganov the composer characterized his new composition as “a symphony.”66 Indeed, this quartet is a complex and massive fresco: although it has only two movements, its diversity and proportions, particulary in the second movement, create a symphonic impression. Free at last in his late period to choose and blend any compositional methods, Shostakovich used some elements of serial technique more explicitly in this quartet than in all his previous compositions. On 16 March 1968, the composer played the quartet for Veniamin Basner and Isaak Glikman, both of whom found it “deeply dramatic.” The Quartet’s dark, spooky images as well as its expressionistic boldness made a strong impact on them. Glikman also noted that the composer himself was highly satisfied with his new piece.67 Shostakovich’s next major composition of 1968, the Violin Sonata, op. 134, was also written for and dedicated to his friend David Oistrakh, to commemorate the great virtuoso’s sixtieth birthday. This immense work is the ultimate examination of not only a violinist’s technique but also the interpretive powers of both performers. As with Beethoven’s last piano sonata, op. 111, the philosophical idea behind the Violin Sonata seems to be a synopsis of a human life, expressed within Shostakovich’s unique idiom in the context of his time. The structure of the first movement is both unorthodox and symbolic. In the exposition the main subject, a twelve-note theme, is followed by the rest of the themes of as in a “normal” classical sonata. However, because the development section is purposely omitted, the themes remain static and do not evolve. Although the recapitulation (rehearsal number 16) presents some new material – a ghostly episode of violin figuration above sustained

chap_05.fm Page 172 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

172

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

piano chords and trills (rehearsal number 19) – it is condensed, giving the impression of gradual disintegration and dying in the hushed whispering parallel fourths of the last four bars. The second movement, Scherzo, has elements of both rondo and sonata form; Shostakovich also renews a rhythmic figure ( q q q q q q ) from the first movement, but gives it a totally different character. This sharply dissonant moto perpetuo presents an image of utmost aggression and brutality. It is not coincidental that the third movement is written as a passacaglia; the second movement of Beethoven’s op. 111 is also a cycle of variations. Shostakovich also alludes to the Beethoven work by using its opening rhythm (x l q . . x h ) in augmentation in introduction and the last section of this movement. At the end of the sonata, the themes from the first movement reappear and are combined with the initial rhythmic motive from the introduction. Although the piano part is reduced to the barest essentials in the first movement, it is challenging in the second and extremely demanding in the cadenza of the finale. This is probably why Shostakovich did not plan to perform the sonata in public, even though he enjoyed playing it with Oistrakh at home. In his letter to Glikman of 2 January 1969, he wrote: “D. Oistrakh is already trying to play the sonata. His accompanists are G. Rozhdestvensky, Richter, and … me. I play the easy places well and the difficult ones badly.”68 Shostakovich’s rehearsal of the sonata with Oistrakh was recorded on an amateur tape; the Oistrakhs kept this precious recording and later generously presented to Melodiya, who eventually released it. The recording cannot be considered a concert interpretation; it is simply one of the first (or possibly the very first) reading of the sonata by Oistrakh accompanied by the composer. Despite many mistakes and technical flaws, it does convey a general idea of the music and its character. Shostakovich’s hands could not negotiate the fast passages but his idiosyncratic tone and his tempos remained intact. On 8 January 1969, Vainberg and Oistrakh played the sonata at the Composers’ Union; on 3 and 4 May, Svyatoslav Richter and Oistrakh successfully premiered it in public. The composer attended both performances.

fighting illness From 13 January to 22 February, Shostakovich stayed in hospital for periodic observation. Because of a flu epidemic in Moscow, visitors were not permitted, and he had more time than usual for reading, which inspired his new vocal symphony. The Symphony No. 14, written for soprano, bass, string orchestra, and percussion, consists of eleven songs based on poems by Federico Garcia Lorca, Guillaume Apollinaire, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Wilhelm Küchelbecker (a Russian poet, Decembrist, and friend of Pushkin). It was completed on 2 March 1969 and dedicated to Benjamin Britten, of whom Shostakovich was extremely fond both as a person and as a composer.

chap_05.fm Page 173 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

173

According to the composer, it was Musorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death, which he orchestrated in 1962, that made him think about writing his own piece on the same subject.69 Indeed, the theme of death and mortality unites the otherwise different poets and poems in this work. The anguish and desolation of a man confronting the inevitable are conveyed with astonishing boldness in this darkest and most intense symphony, giving no respite from the gloom, sorrow, and ugliness of physical death. The haunting images, disturbingly dissonant musical language, and daring orchestration all make this work as powerful and indicative of our times as are Kafka’s creations. It is an ultimate masterpiece of the twentieth century. Shostakovich himself considered this symphony his best and was keen to play it for friends and colleagues. Recalling one such event, Kirill Kondrashin wrote: Once, in the spring of 1970, there was a telephone call from Dmitri Dmitriyevich, who invited me to his home to hear his new composition. Also invited were R. B. Barshai and R. S. Bunin. Dmitri Dmitriyevich demonstrated his Fourteenth Symphony for us. It was difficult for him to play because of the illness in his hands. He also sang the vocal part with his rather soft and, I would even say child-like, voice so that one could get an impression of the piece only by following the score. However, a number of lyrical moments, such as The Suicide, The Death of the Poet, O Delvig, Delvig!, made a tremendous impression, even then. One could sense that this composition was especially dear to him.70

The Symphony No. 14 was first performed on 21 June by Margarita Miroshnikova, Yevgeniy Vladimirov, and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Barshai, for an invited audience in the Moscow Conservatory Maly Hall. Its official premiere, however, took place on 29 September and 1 October at the Leningrad Capella under Barshai, with Galina Vishnevskaya and Yevgeniy Vladimirov as soloists. It was an exceptional success. In spite of the worsening condition of his hand, Shostakovich played a great deal during 1969. Meeting him in October, Polish composer and musicologist Krzysztof Meyer observed that Shostakovich’s ability to play any music from memory remained as amazing as ever. Meyer remembered a discussion of Beethoven’s music in which Shostakovich stated: “With Beethoven we have everything” – he was enthusiastic – “Both classicism and romanticism and the twentieth century.” He became lost in thought. “So many astonishing works,” he added after a while. “So many wonderful discoveries. Not only in the Ninth Symphony – also in the late sonatas, especially in the Hammerklavier.” He went to the piano and played a fragment of the Adagio. “All is already there. And also in the Grosse Fuge … I like the Grosse Fuge a lot.” Suddenly he got excited. “Let’s play the Grosse Fuge.” He went to the closet, took out the score, and handed it to me. “You’ll play the parts of the first violin and viola on one piano, and I’ll play the parts of the second violin and cello on the

chap_05.fm Page 174 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

174

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

other.” “And how will we split the notes?” I asked, seeing that there was only one score. Shostakovich waved this objection aside. “Never mind, I’ll play by heart!” And though it may seem incredible, Shostakovich, who at that time found it difficult to play the piano, not only played both parts quite efficiently in terms of technique, but also made not a single mistake, performing the whole of this complex piece from memory!71

During his next hospital observation in November-December 1969, the diagnosis of his ailment was at last confirmed. Shostakovich wrote to Marietta Shaginyan from his hospital bed: “As it has turned out, I have a children’s disease called poliomyelitis. At my age, it happens very rarely. I did not suffer from the illness in my childhood either. Because of this, I recall Dostoyevsky: ‘Submit, proud man!›72 Looking for a competent specialist, Shostakovich consulted with Dr. Gavriil Ilizarov, a famous orthopaedic surgeon who agreed to help him and suggested that the composer should undergo intensive medical treatment at Ilizarov’s clinic in Kurgan, a small city in the Urals. During 1970, Shostakovich stayed in Kurgan twice: from 25 February to 9 June and from 27 August to 1 November. He informed Shaginyan that his days in Kurgan consisted of a great deal of physical exercise, including an hour-long walk in the forest, physiotherapy, some injections, and medications. As a result of this treatment, he soon began feeling better. Shostakovich reported to Shaginyan on 28 March: “I even began playing the piano. Mind you, I play not only slow and soft, but even fast and loud; for example, the fourth, fifth, and some other études by Chopin. Frankly speaking, my hands do get tired. In this, perhaps, the lack of exercise for many years counts: for three to four years already, I have not played loud and fast.”73 A person of incredible will power and self-discipline, during 1970 he managed to compose a number of works including Loyalty, op. 136, a cycle of eight choral ballads based on texts by Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky, music for the film King Lear, op. 137, the String Quartet No. 13, op. 138, and March of the Soviet Militia for Wind Orchestra, op. 139. The String Quartet No. 13 was completed in Kurgan on 10 August 1970 and dedicated to Vadim Borisovsky, the violist of the Beethoven Quartet. This one-movement masterpiece, like the fourteenth symphony, deals with the harrowing experience of a tortured human soul during its journey through its momentous physical existence. Every page of the quartet is a striking discovery in both instrumental technique and means of expression, including unnaturally high registers, spine-chilling percussive taps on the belly of the instrument, creeping trills, and sudden explosions of screaming crescendos. If music can express its creator’s inner world, the thirteenth quartet reflects the darkest night of Shostakovich’s soul. After his next treatment in Kurgan in June 1971, Shostakovich’s health seemed to improve. Sofia Khentova, who interviewed Shostakovich that

chap_05.fm Page 175 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

175

July, wrote that he looked well and content, and could even demonstrate some fragments from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the second act of Musorgsky’s Khovanshchina on the piano. As evident from the interview, Shostakovich was confident and positive about future performances. Khentova recorded the following conversation: ‹Will you play? Even solo?’ ‘Yes, yes. I am practising already. I’ve got back my fingers’ velocity.’ He showed me how his fingers were moving. ‘I will play. No doubt.›74 During 1971, Shostakovich orchestrated the Six Romances on Verses of English Poets, op. 140 and composed the Symphony No. 15, op. 141 – the last of his symphonic works. As unpredictable as ever, Shostakovich’s genius produced yet another beautiful symphony, which is deceiving in terms of its classical proportions and more balanced emotional tuning (compared to the fourteenth). Although this purely symphonic work has no text, the musical narrative is eloquent and includes several biographical references – quotations from Rossini, Wagner, Beethoven, and Shostakovich’s own music. The composer looks back at the road he has traveled and accepts it all – good and evil – in his peaceful, if not ironic and bittersweet, farewell to life. The symphony was written within some three months and completed on 29 July 1971. In mid-September, less than two months after the completion of the fifteenth symphony, Shostakovich suffered a second heart attack, after which he had to stay in hospital until 17 November and then in a sanatorium until 26 December. Nevertheless, on 8 January 1972, he was strong enough to attend the premiere of the Symphony No. 15, performed by the All-Union Radio and TV Symphonic Orchestra and conducted by his son Maxim in the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall. The Symphony was received with overwhelming enthusiasm, and Shostakovich was noticeably proud of Maxim’s success.

in place of requiem For some reason, after the fifteenth symphony, Shostakovich composed nothing for a long time. He worried about this, confiding in a letter to Glikman on 19 October 1972: “I am frightened by the following circumstance: after the Fifteenth Symphony, I have composed nothing, not a single note. Can it be that I am now deprived of this modest pleasure? I’ve never had such a long break.”75 Nevertheless, during this year Shostakovich did have time to travel within the Soviet Union and abroad. He went to Germany, Finland, Denmark, England (visiting Britten in Aldeburgh in July), and Ireland. Back home in December 1972, he was hospitalized once again, this time with renal colic, but during further observation, a malignant tumor was found in his left lung. Undergoing a course of radiation therapy, he was hospitalized from 3 December until 7 February 1973 and returned for a check-up and further treatment in March.

chap_05.fm Page 176 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

176

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

In 1973, in spite of his grave illness, Shostakovich continued to travel, visiting Germany, Denmark, France, and the United States. Besides attending rehearsals and performances and receiving honorary titles and awards, Shostakovich went abroad to seek medical advice and help from specialists. He and his wife were hopeful that American doctors would be able to find a better treatment for his disorder. Unfortunately, the miracle failed to materialize – instead, the illness was confirmed to be incurable. Despite the fact that Shostakovich’s physical condition was constantly deteriorating, his mind continued to create new masterpieces of incredible depth and beauty. During 1973, he wrote the String Quartet No. 14, op. 142 and the song cycle Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, op. 143, for contralto and piano. To the same extent that Shostakovich’s final symphony differs from the previous one, the fourteenth quartet differs from its predecessor. In the String Quartet No. 14, Shostakovich returns to a conventional set of three movements, as well as a more harmonious and placid representation of life and moods. His dedication of the work to Sergei Shirinsky, the cellist of the Beethoven Quartet, is spelled out not only in words but also in the finale, which opens with a quotation from Katerina’s aria in Katerina Izmailova, “Seryozha, khoroshiy moi” (Seryozha, my sweet one); Seryozha is the diminutive of Sergei. The cello often assumes the leading role, playing in a higher register than the first violin. The texture enables all four players to show the expressive potential of their instruments, but it is especially generous in the solo episodes of the cello and first violin. The poise and refinement of this quartet are reminiscent of earlier chamber works, particularly the Piano Quintet, op. 57. By the time he was writing the fourteenth quartet, Shostakovich was already unable to demonstrate the whole composition as he used to do. Instead, at one of the rehearsals, when the second violinist took ill, Shostakovich joined the performance, playing the second violin’s part himself, thus enjoying his “good fortune to play in the Beethoven Quartet – never mind that only one finger played.”76 Another outstanding composition of 1973 was the Tsvetaeva Poems, a cycle of songs for contralto and piano, written during a holiday in Estonia from 31 July to 7 August. His choice of Marina Tsvetaeva’s poetry was not accidental. Shostakovich sympathized with the poet’s tragic fate – after a long emigration, she returned to Russia, where, in 1941, unable to bear the cruel persecution of her family under Stalin, she committed suicide. Shostakovich undoubtedly identified a great deal with her poetry, and in selecting the poems for his vocal suite, he chose those most relevant to his own life. The themes of these selected verses include recognition of the artist’s creations (My Verses), love (Whence This Tenderness?), conscience (Hamlet’s Dialogue with his Conscience), artist versus dictator (The Poet and the Tsar and No, Sounded the Drum!), and glorification of art and the artist (To Anna Akhmatova).

chap_05.fm Page 177 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

177

At this stage of his disease, Shostakovich’s hands could not cope with any accompaniments, let alone with more complicated ones of this the cycle. He wrote to Glikman: “I myself cannot play them [the songs]. Things are bad with my right hand – it cannot play even the ‘Chizhik [an easy children’s tune].›77 The prevalence of works with piano accompaniment among Shostakovich’s last five compositions is therefore amazing: four out of the five include piano – the Tsvetaeva, Michelangelo, and Lebyadkin vocal cycles, as well as the Viola Sonata. The composer missed the piano, and his creative mind constantly returned to this medium as though attempting to fill in a painful gap. When comparing Shostakovich’s late song cycles with his earlier ones, we notice a certain evolution in the writing of piano accompaniments. In the later compositions, Shostakovich uses unaccompanied melody in the piano much more frequently (see, for example, the initial bars of My Verses), letting it compete with the natural expressiveness of the human voice. While the vocal part assumes instrument-like qualities, the piano part also is more versatile. Far exceeding the conventional role of a harmonic support, the piano is one of the voices in the polyphonic texture. It also combines all the orchestral instruments in one: the percussion in the No, Sounded the Drum!, the flute in the Whence This Tenderness?, and mighty tutti with bells in The Poet and Tsar. A great orchestral composer, Shostakovich literally thought mainly in orchestral colors. No wonder that he orchestrated his Tsvetaeva suite less than six months after its completion on 9 January 1974. The songs were given their premiere in the original piano version on 30 October in Leningrad and on 27 December in Moscow 1973 by singer Irina Bogacheva and pianist Sofia Vakman. Shostakovich admired Bogacheva and was pleased with the interpretation of both performers, which he had supervised before the recital.

f i n a l th o u g h t s o n l i f e a n d a r t On 5 March 1974, Shostakovich wrote to Shagynian: “I get ill frequently. My right hand works badly. I am trying to exercise my left hand, but so far without any results.”78 The composer was indeed in very bad shape; he could move only with great difficulty and needed help in basic tasks such as dressing or bathing. Nevertheless, during this time, he composed his last string quartet – No. 15, op. 144 – completing it on 17 May in the hospital, where he stayed from 5 to 29 May 1974. In June, as was customary, Shostakovich invited Dmitri Tsyganov to see the new piece, adding that he could not play it and that Tsyganov should read the quartet himself.79 The String Quartet No. 15 consists of six movements played without a break: Elegy, Serenade, Intermezzo, Nocturne, Funeral March, and Epilogue. Five of them – the first four movements and the sixth are marked Adagio, G = 80; the fifth movement is marked Adagio molto, G = 60. Tsyganov wrote his impressions of the Quartet:

chap_05.fm Page 178 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

178

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

The Fifteenth Quartet is a requiem to himself. As in his Fifteenth Symphony, the use of quotations has a special significance in the quartet. Three initial chords of Bach’s chaconne are used here, and in the third movement there is one more quote from Bach. Only one movement of this quartet is more or less serene – it is the Nocturne, memories of the past. The extremely tragic Funeral March follows and then the Epilogue – images of the other world, ghostly apparitions.80

A tragedy struck during rehearsals of the fifteenth quartet. The cellist player of the Beethoven Quartet, Sergei Shirinsky, who had suffered a heart attack some time earlier, died suddenly after one of the rehearsals. Shostakovich was devastated: too many people of his own generation, including his older sister and some close friends, had died in recent years. The reserved Shostakovich wept openly at Shirinsky’s funeral. Because of Shirinsky’s death, the premiere of the fifteenth quartet was given not by the Beethoven Quartet but by the Taneyev Quartet on 15 and 25 October 1974 in Leningrad. On 23 August 1974, Shostakovich wrote to Glikman: “I had been working a lot recently and decided to inform you about my new opuses. After the fifteenth quartet, I wrote eleven sonnets on texts by Michelangelo … It’s hard for me to evaluate my Michelangelo [cycle], but it seems that the essence of the poems has been expressed. I think that the main ideas of the sonnets are the following: Wisdom, Love, Creativity, Death, and Immortality.” The translations by A.M. Efros are not always successful. Nonetheless, the great works of Michelangelo shine through, even through mediocre translations.81 The Suite on Texts by Michelangelo Buonarroti, op. 145, for bass and piano, was completed on 31 July 1974. Shostakovich himself gave titles to all eleven sonnets he selected. They are (in the order of the songs): Truth, Morning, Love, Separation, Anger, Dante, To an Exile, Creativity, Night, Death, and Immortality. Although the themes are similar to those of the Tsvetaeva cycle, the dimensions of the Michelangelo suite are much broader and its musical language is more extreme. No conventional beauty exists in the melodies – they are acutely dissonant and angular. This music communicates on a totally different level: rather than caressing the ear, it forces us to listen because of its archaic tone and the austerity of its preaching. Like a Russian skaz or bylina (enormous epic sagas) it contains the perennial wisdom of the composer’s lifelong experience and his last will. Both the vocal and piano parts are striking in their bareness. Some songs (for example, Separation and Morning) are presented in a recitativo secco style. All the means of expression have one aim: to draw attention to the text and the ideas themselves and enhance them through innovative use of musical intonation. There are only a few songs in which the piano creates atmospheric coloring (Love and Night) or visual images (for example, Creativity in which abrupt, accented chords allude to the sound of a sculptor’s hammer). In most of the songs, however, long heterophonic lines and/or laconic two-voiced textures (Truth, Anger, To the Exile), and simple, chorale-

chap_05.fm Page 179 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

179

like accompaniments (Morning and Separation) prevail. The remarkable song-epilogue, Immortality, is unique in the whole cycle. Pulsating in the high register, its eight notes symbolize time and eternity, and the innocent tune (composed by Shostakovich while he was a child) promises that there will be respite and peace for the human soul. Whereas in the Tsvetaeva cycle, Shostakovich included some pedal indications, in the Michelangelo suite, there are none. According to pianist Yevgeniy Shenderovich, who premiered the cycle with bass Yevgeniy Nesterenko, the composer encouraged his imaginative use of the pedal.82 Shostakovich also advised that the piano lid be fully open, saying that he preferred it that way for his own performances of chamber music. (Indeed, there is a picture of Shostakovich with the Beethoven Quartet showing him at a fully open piano.) Nesterenko, however, remembered that when Shostakovich accompanied him in 1966, the piano lid was down.83 The cycle received its premiere on 23 December 1974 in Leningrad and on 31 January 1975 in Moscow. The new composition was received warmly on both occasions. In conversations with friends, Shostakovich often mentioned that to hear his compositions performed was one of the greatest joys of his life. Fortunately, in 1974, during the last years of his life, his 1928 opera The Nose was restaged by director Boris Pokrovsky and conductor Gennadiy Rozhdestvensky at the newly opened Moscow Chamber Theatre. Based on Gogol’s eccentric novel, this opera was harshly criticized as “formalist” after its first production in 1930 and did not see the light for forty-four years in the Soviet Union. Shostakovich attended the rehearsals for this opera with great pleasure and satisfaction: this brilliant satirical work sounded as fresh and daring as it had in his youth. An insatiable reader, Shostakovich had from his youth greatly admired Dostoyevsky’s prose and had a copy of The Devils (a highly controversial novel depicting Russian revolutionaries as terrorists and the scum of society) on his bookshelf. The Devils had been banned for many years in Soviet Russia. Still under the spell of the new production of The Nose, Shostakovich decided to write his most provocative and opaque work – Four Verses of Captain Lebyadkin, op. 146 for bass and piano – based on text from this novel. Amazingly, he composed this cycle concurrently with its antipode – the Michelangelo Suite. Dostoyevsky’s Captain Lebyadkin, a minor figure in the novel, is an alcoholic and a pervert, a ridiculous yet dangerous jester, disdained and murdered by the revolutionaries after he had served his purpose. Shostakovich described his impression of Lebyadkin in a letter to Glikman: “There is a great deal of the buffoon in Lebyadkin’s character, but much more of something sinister in it. My composition turned out to be extremely sinister.”84 The Lebyadkin Verses continues the tradition of earlier works such as Rayok, Satires, the Krokodil songs, and the Preface to the Complete Edition. For the op. 146 songs, he used four verses from Dostoyevsky’s text – a superb imitation of the doggerel genre. In the first song, Captain

chap_05.fm Page 180 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

180

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Lebyadkin’s Love, he also added prose from Ledyadkin’s conversations with other characters. The titles of the other three songs are The Cockroach, The Charity Ball for Governesses, and Noble Personality. An outstanding master of musical caricature, Shostakovich employs his whole arsenal of mockery and ridicule. The piano part bears much of the load of the purely musical aspect of Lebyadkin’s creations: long scales running stupidly all over the keyboard, absurd harmonies and textures that are in complete discord with his pompous phrasing, and of course, the bravura of a triumphant chordal cliché at the end. Lebyadkin’s “masterpieces” are as revolting as his soul. The last song, Noble Personality, is a peculiar description of a model revolutionary: a simple student, who, while struggling against the tsar, undergoes the tortures of prison and then escapes into exile. The Russian people, meanwhile, “from Smolensk to Tashkent,” await the return of this noble revolutionary so that he can wipe out all the rich in the land and make their estates common property, establishing “freedom, equality, and brotherhood” by abolishing the church, the institution of marriage, and the family – “all the evils of the old world,” – as preached by this great leader. The piano part and the text of this song differ from those of the other songs in the cycle. The uneventful accompaniment consists mostly of whole notes so that listeners are free to concentrate on the text, which is clearly strophic, with each couplet finished by a soldierly, march-like “Ekh!” The piano introduction includes quotations from the scene “Under the Khromy” from Musorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov. Why did Shostakovich put this type of song at the end of the cycle? Why the noble leader’s story that, had it not been told by the moron Lebyadkin, would have suited any contemporary Soviet textbook? And why such a transparent allusion from the composer who, only thirteen years earlier, had written “Razliv” and “The Dawn of Humanity” in a symphony dedicated to the great Lenin? Shostakovich realized, at this stage of his life, that his days were numbered, yet it was as important to him to state his creative credo in the Michelangelo Suite as it was to allude to the problem of “noble personalities” and their glorification in art. Throughout his entire life, the composer’s message in music – in works with and without text – was often misunderstood. His “official” compositions, dedicated to the joyous Soviet life, the Party, and the great leaders, were frequently confused with his real attitudes and views. In the Lebyadkin Verses, which are a rare example of satire on satire, he ridicules the naïveté of any literal understanding of musical art, and he has a good laugh about it. On 17 June 1975 Sofia Khentova visited Shostakovich, after which she recorded her impressions. Shostakovich was walking slowly: He was dressed in a summer outfit: grey pants with suspenders and a white sleeveless shirt that outlined his thinned, wizened arms. His helplessly hanging right hand was supported by his left one. His hair had gotten grayer and thinner, his facial fea-

chap_05.fm Page 181 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

recognition, 1953–1975

181

Example 5.4 Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6: first movement, bars 47–9.

tures sharper and longer, his mouth flabbier, and his lower lip more stretched. Yet he did not look old – something impulsive and childishly touching remained in his demeanor … He began talking about his illness: “I get treated and treated but with no improvement. They have been treating me since 1958 and trying hard to find the cause, yet I am still unable to play.”85

Although Shostakovich’s debilitating illness began to affect his eyes as well, his creativity miraculously continued to evolve. During the summer months of 1975, he was at work on a new composition – the Viola Sonata, op. 147. This work – his swan-song – was completed on 5 July 1975 and dedicated to Fyodor Druzhinin, then a young violist who had joined the Beethoven Quartet in 1964. The Viola Sonata is a warm and deeply moving composition, consisting of three movements, the last of which is marked Adagio, G = 80, similar to the String Quartet No. 15. In the Viola Sonata, we do not find the frenzied state of agony characteristic of the Scherzo from the Violin Sonata, written in 1968. It does not possesse either the drive or the irony of the finale of the Cello Sonata – its earliest predecessor, – written in 1934. Instead, serenity and peace are expressed in the initial material of the first movement, and in the divine finale, along with quotations from Beethoven’s Moonlight and Kreutzer Sonatas as well as the fugue from the Piano Sonata, op. 110. Neither the episodes of dramatic tension in the first movement nor the dance-like atmosphere in the second movement disrupt the aura of this last farewell with its feeling of both sadness and love. It is highly symbolic that in the last bars of the finale (bars 157–8, 180–81, and 184–5), Shostakovich quotes his own work – the Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6, written in 1922 after his father’s death (example 5.4). At the very dawn of his life, Shostakovich had chosen piano sounds to bid a last farewell to his father. Now, at the very twilight, they bid farewell to his own life (example 5.5).

chap_05.fm Page 182 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:35 PM

182

dmitri shostakovich, pianist

Example 5.5 Viola Sonata, op. 147: third movement, bars 156-8.

Four days after the completion of the Viola Sonata, Shostakovich was admitted to hospital, where the tests showed that his cancer was spreading. On 1 August he was allowed to go home. Three days later, on 4 August, after suffering another heart attack, he was again hospitalized. He died in hospital on 9 August 1975. Shostakovich’s death was not only the death of a Russian musical genius. With him, a epoch in music history also passed away. When Russia lost its most prominent national composer, the entire world lost one of the greatest musical chroniclers and philosophers of the twentieth century. As for the history of piano performance, with Shostakovich’s death, the galaxy of the century’s most important composer-pianists lost its last star.

notes.fm Page 183 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

Notes

chapter one 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

D. Shostakovich, “Anketa po psikhologii tvorcheskogo protsessa, 1927,” 480. Ibid., 471. Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 55. Varzar, “Molodoi Shostakovich – stranitsy iz zhizni,” 238. S. Shostakovich, “Moy sin,” 18. Poryadkova, “Violonchelist za stenoi,” 27–31. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 154. Quoted in Delson, “Molodoi Shostakovich ,” 194. D. Shostakovich, “Anketa,” 474. S. Shostakovich, “Moy sin,” 18. D. Shostakovich, “Avtobiografiya,” 34. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 154. Khentova, Molodiye godi Shostakovicha, kniga pervaya, 79. Findeizen, “Pamyati I.A. Glyassera,” 20; Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 71. Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 71; Khentova, Zhizn’ Shostakovicha – v illustratsiyakh I slove, 16. Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 73. S. Shostakovich, “Moy sin,” 18. D. Shostakovich, “O moikh sochineniyakh,” in Bobikina, Dimitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, 186–187. D. Shostakovich, “Avtobiografiya,” 24. Dansker, “Pervaya uchitel’mitsa Shostakovicha,” 175–176. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, Vstrechi, 173. N. Komarovskaya, “Moi vstrechi s B.M. Kustodiyevim,” in Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiyev, 388. E. Umova in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 65. D. Shostakovich, “Avtobiografiya,” 24. Rozanov, “Obodryayushchaya prostota,” 34.

notes.fm Page 184 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

184 26 27 28 29

30 31

32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

52 53 54 55

notes to pages 14–31 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 24. Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 84–85. Ibid., 85. The name of the St Petersburg Conservatory changed along with the name of the city; in 1914 it became the Petrograd Conservatory, and in 1924, the Leningrad Conservatory. D. Shostakovich, “Beseda s molodimi kompozitorami,” 16. D. Shostakovich, “O moikh sochineniyakh,” in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 187. The Eight Preludes, op. 2, were never published and the manuscript is now lost. However four of them – the preludes in A minor, G major, F major, and one of the two in D-flat major – survive in Shostakovich’s contribution to a collaborative project undertaken with his friends Pavel Feldt and Georgiy Klements to write a cycle of twenty-four preludes. L.V. Nikolayev, 6–7. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 155. Shvarts, “Neskol’ko sobitiy i faktov,” in L.V. Nikolayev, 121–122. Ibid, 122. Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 177. Rozanov, “Obodryayushchaya prostota,” 34. Balanchivadze, “D. Shostakovich,” 96. Malko, A Certain Art, 180–1. Quoted in Kovnatskaya, “Shostakovich and Bogdanov-Berezovsky,” 50, note 122. See in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, 23, note 4. Denisov, “Vstrechi s Shostakovichem,” 91. Liadov’s and Prokofiev’s pieces are mentioned in Delson, “Molodoi Shostakovich,” 197, 212; and in Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’.” Rachmaninov’s pieces are mentioned by Shostakovich in his letter to Kubatsky of 24 December 1926 (see in Digonskaya, “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva,” 168. Scriabin’s sonatas are mentioned in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 127, note 1. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 145. Malko, A Certain Art, 181. D. Shostakovich, “O moikh sochineniyakh,” 187. Quoted in Kovnatskaya, “Shostakovich and Bogdanov-Berezovsky,” 37. Kozlova, “Mne ispolnilos’ vosemnadtsat’ let,” 239. The date of the examination is given in Yakubov, “Ya pytalsya peredat’s pafos bor’bi i pobedi,” 52. S. Khentova mentions Bach’s Prelude and Fugue, in C-sharp minor, book 1 (in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, Kniga pervaya, 123). However, in Mikheyeva, Zhizn’ Dmitria Shostakovicha, 57, Bach’s Prelude in F-sharp minor is named instead. Shvarts, “Neskol’ko sobitiy i faktov,” 122. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 145. D. Shostakovich, “O moikh sochineniyakh,” 187. This date is given in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 35, note 4.

notes.fm Page 185 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 31–40 56 57 58 59

60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

185

Kazanskaya, “Shostakovich and The Circle of Friends of Chamber Music,” 14. Quoted in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 206. Kozlova, “Mne ispolnilos’ vosemnadsat’,” 240. This information is found in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 206–8; Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 528–9; and Khentova, Shostakovich-pianist, 84. 1923 (22, 30 June, 8 November) and 1924 (April [precise date unknown], 6 July, 16 September). 8 November 1923. Autumn of 1923. 1923 (April and autumn, precise date unknown) and 1924 (6 July and 16 September). 1923 (16 December) and 1924 (April [precise date unknown], 6 July, and 16 September. Quoted in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 206. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 146. Quoted in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 207–8. Ibid., 208. Quoted in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 100. Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 209. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 34. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 9 November 1925, ibid., 39–40. Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 208. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 147. Quoted in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 207. Sadikhova and Frederiks, “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi,” 170. Ibid., 171. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 18. Letter from Shotakovih to Kubatsky in Digonskaya, “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva,” 168. Sadikhova and Frederiks, “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi,” 171. Quoted in Poryadkova, “Nas utro vstrechayet prokhladoi,” 18. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 41. Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 14–15. Letter from Shostakovich to Nikolayev, in L.V. Nikolayev, 253–4. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky, Bobikina, in Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 32.

c h a p t e r t wo 1 Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 67. 2 Sadikhova and Frederiks, “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi,” 172. 3 See in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 65.

notes.fm Page 186 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

186 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

notes to pages 40–51 Malko, A Certain Art, 161. Quoted in Kazanskaya, “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki,” 209. V.M. Bogdanov-Berezovsky: stat’i, vospominaniya, pis’ma, 159. Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 69. Malko, A Certain Art, 163. Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 151. Shostakovich, “Anketa,” 477. Kozlova, “Mne ispolnilos’ vosemnadsat’,” 259. Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 82. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 21 October 1926, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 84. Shostakovich himself admitted the influence of these three composers on the Piano Sonata No. 1 and Aphorisms, op.13. See in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 368. Although in 1927 Shostakovich insisted that he had always had “an extremely negative attitude towards Scriabin” (see in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 475), this section demonstrates that traces of Scriabin’s influence can be found, albeit rarely, in Shostakovich’s early works. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 23 September 1926, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 81. Malko, A Certain Art, 180. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 11 December 1926, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 89. See Digonskaya’s comments on Shostakovich’s letter to Kubatsky dated 18 December 1926, in Digonskaya, “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva,” 168. Kabalevsky, “Neskol’ko slov o Dmitrii Shostakoviche,” 89. Letter from Yavorsky to Nikolayev dated 9–11 December 1926, in B. Yavorsky: stat’i, vospominaniya, perepiska, 367. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 18. In his 1959 interview with Sofia Khentova, Shostakovich named, possibly by mistake, the Étude in G-flat major rather than the one in A-flat major, without giving an opus number. The sources do not give an opus number for the C-sharp-minor Mazurka played by Shostakovich at the competition. It could have been either op. 50, no. 3, or op. 63, no. 3. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 19 December 1926, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 91–92. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 18. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 136. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 18. Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 58–59. See in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 178. Sadikhova and Frederiks, “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi,” 174. Quoted in Grigor’yev, folder notes to the record set Dmitri Shostakovich – pianist, p. 5. Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 27 January 1927, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 101–2.

notes.fm Page 187 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 51–64

187

33 Sadikhova and Frederiks, “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi,” 175. 34 Malko, A Certain Art, 182. 35 Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 6 March 1927, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 107–8. 36 Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 6 May 1927, in Bobikina, ibid., 112. 37 Atovm’yan, “Iz vospominaniy,” 69. 38 Sergei Prokofiev: Soviet Diary 1927 and Other Writings, 106. 39 Shostakovich, “Anketa,” 477. 40 Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 107. 42 Yakubov, “Ya pitalsya peredat’ pafos bor’bi i pobedi,” 55. 43 See letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 6 May 1927, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’ makh, 112. 44 Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 12 May 1927, in Bobikina, ibid., 113. It is unknown whether the premiere took place there and then. 45 Yakubov, “Ya pitalsya peredat’ pafos bor’bi i pobedi,” 55. 46 Malko, A Certain Art, 204, 207. 47 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 23–4. 48 Yakubov, “Ya pitalsya peredat’ pafos bor’bi i pobedi,” 54. 49 The only exception is Ivan’s song from the sixth scene, in which text from Dostoyevsky’s Brothers Karamazov was used. 50 Varzar, “Molodoi Shostakovich,” 237. 51 Atovm’yan, “Iz vospominaniy,” 69. 52 Kogan, “Kontsert leningradskikh pianistov,” 427–429. 53 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 12. 54 Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 191. 55 Kuznetsov, “Prityazheniya i ottalkivaniya,” 108. 56 D. Shostakovich, “Untitled,” 40. 57 Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 189. 58 Kovnatskaya, “Shostakovich v protokolakh lasm,” 61. 59 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 349–50. 60 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 111. 61 On 6, 18, and 20 November 1928. 62 See in Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 165–6. 63 Arnshtam, “Vspominaya Shostakovicha,” 25. 64 Quoted in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 229. 65 TRAM – the Theatre of Working Class Youth – was an experimental group organized and inspired by the director Mikhail Sokolovsky that consisted initially of amateur actors. 66 Rozanov, “Obodryayushchaya prostota,” 34. 67 Quoted in Khentova, “Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya,” 268. 68 Trauberg, “Voistinu on chelovekom bil,” 22. A pioneering experiment for its time (when cinemas customarily played a kind of musical potpourri unrelated to the film), The New Babylon was destined to be short-lived because movie musicians refused to learn the new and complicated parts. In 1976, some forty-

notes.fm Page 188 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

188

69 70 71

72 73 74 75 76 77

78 79 80 81 82 83 84

85 86

notes to pages 64–71 seven years later, the score that had been gathering dust in the archive for so long was resurrected by conductor Gennadiy Rozhdestvensky, who created an orchestral suite that has since become a favourite of the orchestral repertoire. Quoted in Khentova, “Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya,” 365. Quoted in Yakubov, “Ya pitalsya peredat’ pafos bor’bi i pobedi,” 56. The libretto dedicated to the theme of “Russians in the West,” involves the story of Soviet athletes in a capitalist country where an evil Western beauty does her best to seduce the virtuous captain of the Soviet soccer team. This ballet, even after considerable revisions of the libretto, could not be saved either by Shostakovich’s brilliant music or by the talented choreography of Vladimir Chesnakov, Leonid Yakobson, and Vasiliy Vainonen of the Academic (Kirov) Theatre. On the suggestion of conductor Alexander Gauk, Shostakovich added Tahiti Trot – his orchestration of Vincent Youman’s foxtrot, Tea for Two – to the witty and colourful score. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 114. Mikheyeva, “D.D. Shostakovich v otrazhenii pisem k I.I. Sollertinskomu,” 91; Mikheyeva, “Istotoriya odnoy druzhbi, chast’ 1,” 29. See the fifth illustration, an insert between pages 288 and 289, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh. D. Shostakovich, “Dumi o proidennom puti,” 11. Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 26–7. According to Irina Varzar (Nina Varzar’s sister) it was Nina who insisted that the brutal scene in which Katerina murders her young nephew be eliminated from the libretto. See in Varzar, “Molodoi Shostakovich,” 233. Letter from Y. Kochurov to his mother dated 10 March 1932, quoted in Ruch’yevskaya, “K istorii sozdaniya Lady Macbeth Mtsenskogo Uyezda,” 101. Anna Nikritina in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 144. Quoted in Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 98. Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” Zhurnal lyubitelei iskusstva 4–5 (1997): 16. Ibid., 17. See in Fay, “Mitya v myuzik-kholle,” 59–62. The text of the first three songs was translated by A. Brandt from the original Japanese verses; the lyrics of the fourth and fifth songs were written by Alexander Preys. See in Blazhkov, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha I.I. Blazhkovu,” 493. D. Shostakovich: Sobraniye sochineniy v soroka dvuch tomakh [D. Shostakovich: collected works in forty two volumes], vol. 32 (Moscow, 1982), 15–30. Atovm’yan, “Iz vospominaniy,”: 70.

chapter three 1 Irina Varzar states that the composer wrote a dedication to his wife, Nina Varzar, on the autograph of the newly composed cycle. See in Varzar, “Molodoi Shostakovich,” 239.

notes.fm Page 189 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 71–83 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23

189

Glikman,. Pis’ma k drugu, 7. Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” 4–5 (1997), 18. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 208. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 150. In their introductory comments to volumes 12 and 13 of the Collected Works, editors O. Komarnitsky and A. Pirumov seem to recognize that the piano and orchestral scores represent distinct variants, but they contradict themselves in further explanations. In the Russian end notes for vol. 12 (p. 170) and vol. 13 (p. 324) they state, “During the preparation of the present edition, the piano part was checked as far as possible with recordings of the composer’s performances of the concertos. Where discrepancies arose, the variant performed [sic] by the composer was taken as a basis, irrespective of whether this variant was in the orchestral score or in the two-piano arrangements of the concertos.” Moreover, the editors appear to have used only one Soviet recording and ignored the French recording made in May 1958. As a result, the orchestral and two-piano scores in the Collected Works edition are hybrids, in which a number of indications from both variants have been mixed together. Surprisingly, Shostakovich’s performance tempos are not mentioned at all. See in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 352. Ibid. A.K. Smis, “Muzykal’no-kriticheskiye fragmenti,” 2. On 23 March 1934, Shostakovich performed the concerto again in Leningrad with the Leningrad Philharmonic conducted by Vladimir Dranishnikov. In early June 1934, he had another opportunity to play the concerto, when it was conducted by Gauk at the international music festival in Leningrad (June 1– 10). Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 50. Letter from Shostakovich to Konstantinovskaya, in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 299–300. Letter from Shostakovich to Atovm’yan, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 219. Letters from Shostakovich to Konstantinovskaya, dated 15 and 16 June 1934, in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 298–9. Ibid., 301. Letter from Shostakovich to Konstantinovskaya dated 26 June 1934, ibid., 303. On 28 January in the Artists’ Club. On 25 March in Club of Masters of Arts (Piano Concerto No. 1, Twenty-Four Preludes, op. 34). Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” 6–7 (1997), 49. See in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 226. Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” 6–7 (1997), 49. Nina Varzar and Shostakovich were remarried on 23 March 1935, after which she took his name becoming Nina Shostakovich. See Varzar, “Molodoi Shostakovich,” 240. Kryukov, “K svedeniyu budushchikh letopistsev,” 164.

notes.fm Page 190 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

190

notes to pages 83–94

24 Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 104. 25 Dobrokhotov, “Vospominaniya o Shostakoviche,” 515. 26 Shostakovich Sonata for Cello and Piano, op. 40, ed. by V. Kubatsky. Moscow: Muzgiz, 1960. The work was republished by the State Publishers Music, No. 6366, Moscow: 1971, with added viola parts in a parallel version by V. Kubatsky and Y. Strakhov. 27 Dobrokhotov, “Vospominaniya o Shostakoviche,” 517. 28 Yuzefovich, “Besedi s masterami,” 80. 29 Quoted in Digonskaya, “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva,” 170. 30 The author of “Muddle Instead of Music” was most likely Platon Kerzhentsev, who at the time was the powerful chairman of the Arts Committee. See Maksimenkov, Sumbur vmesto muzyki, 103. 31 Fay, Shostakovich: A Life, 87. 32 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 11. 33 Ibid., 12 34 See in Khentova, Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo, kniga pervaya, 440. 35 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 118. 36 Shostakovich was a professor at the Leningrad Conservatory from 1937 to 1941 and then from 1946 to 1948; he was also a professor at the Moscow Conservatory from 1943 to 1948. See in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, 401. 37 Lobkovsky in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 145. 38 Bunin, “S glubochaishei priznatel’nost’yu,” 16. 39 Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 147. 40 Ibid., 149. 41 Letter from Shostakovich to Sollertinsky dated 7 May 1937, in Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” 10–11 (1997), 46. 42 Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 122. 43 Compared to the fourth, the proportions of the fifth symphony are more modest, and the musical language has more classical clarity, without losing its typically Shostakovichian drama and profundity. Although it is less grotesque and sarcastic in its imagery than the fourth, this symphony still contained enough mournful darkness in the Largo to warrant condemnation from state censors. 44 Quoted in Digonskaya, “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva,” 171. 45 The performance took place at the Paliashvili Theatre with the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Rabinovich. See letter from Shostakovich to Sollertinsky dated 6 February 1938 in Mikheyeva, “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomu,” 10–11 (1997), 47. 46 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 121. 47 Arnold Al’shwang quoted in Grigor’yev, Folder notes, 5. 48 Letter from Shostakovich to Vissarion Shebalin, dated 14 April 1939, in Shebalina, “Eto bil zamechatel’niy drug,” 77. 49 Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 104–105. 50 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 72. Letter from Shostakovich to Atovm’yan dated 4 October 1939, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’ makh, 243.

notes.fm Page 191 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 94–104

191

51 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 123. 52 Letter from Shostakovich to Yavorsky dated 3 July 1940, in Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh, 128. 53 Glikman. Pis’ma k drugu, 19. 54 This reorchestration saw the light of day only two decades later – in 1959. 55 See in B. Yavorsky: stati’i, vospominaniya, perepiska.Tom 1, 659. 56 Quoted in Grigor’yev, Folder notes, 5. 57 Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 139. 58 Ibid., 140. 59 They performed the Piano Quintet on two occasions: for his colleagues at the Conservatory on 1 October, and for the Composers’ Union on 27 October. 60 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 128. 61 Tsyganov, “Polveka vmeste,” 30. 62 Tsyganov in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 203. 63 Shagynian, “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha,” 129–130. 64 On 25 and 26 November, and on 3, 4, 8, 9, 21, and 24 December. 65 Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 138. 66 This recording was made on 2, 4, 25, and 29 March 1955 with producer Alexander Grossman. See Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 143. 67 Quoted in Grigor’yev, Folder notes, 6. 68 The extremely slow metronome marking for this movement in the autograph ( G = 160) is difficult to explain. One possibility is that it may reflect an initial rehearsal tempo. 69 Khentova, Shostakovich-pianist, 76. 70 Rowland, “Interpreting the String Quartets,” 14. 71 Ibid. 72 Quoted in Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 142–143. 73 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 241. 74 Quoted in Khentova, Dmitri Shostakovich v godi Velikoi Otechestvennoi voini, 51–2. 75 A short excerpt from this footage is included on a dvd: DSCH Shostakovih, chan 55001. 76 Khentova, Dmitri Shostakovich v godi Velikoi Otechestvennoi voini, 56. 77 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 35. 78 Ibid., 35. 79 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 133. 80 See Flora Litvinova’s memoirs in Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 164. 81 See in Yakubov, “Ves’ mir v odnom sebe,” 22. 82 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 101. 83 Letter from Shostakovich to Shebalin dated 11 November 1942 in Shebalina, “Eto bil zamechatel’niy drug,” 81–2. 84 Letter from Shostakovich to Samuil Marshak dated 12 January 1943 in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 310. 85 Letters from Shostakovich to Samuil Marshak dated 12 January 1943, and to Boris Khaikin dated 24 February 1943, in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 310, 314.

notes.fm Page 192 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

192

notes to pages 107–25

86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97

See in Mikheyeva, “Istotoriya odnoy druzhbi, chast’ 2,” 82. Shebalina, “Eto bil zamechatel’niy drug,” 82. Wilkstrom, “Ein Treffen mit Schostakowitsch,” Musik-Journal, 10 (1977), 3. Tawaststjerna, “Vstrechi s Shostakovichem,” 285–6. Shagynian, “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha,” 132. Ibid., 132–3. Ibid. Ibid., 131. Khentova, Dmitri Shostakovich v godi Velikoi Otechestvennoi voini, 166. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 152. Ibid., 150. See Yakubov, D. Shostakovich, Sonata for Piano, Op.61, footnote 19. (English translation Moshevich, 63). 98 See in Mikheyeva, “Istotoriya odnoy druzhbi, chast’ 2,” 83. 99 See in Dansker, “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga,” 140. 100 Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 150. 101 Bunin, “S glubochaishei peiznatel’nost’yu,” 16. 102 Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 140. 103 Moussu, “Milos Sadlo Remembers,” 15–16. 104 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 201. 105 Ibid. 106 Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 153. 107 Ochakovskaya, “Nado obyazatel’no dat’ eto detyam,” 20–1. 108 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 83. 109 Fay, Shostakovich: A Life, 328, note 35.

chapter four 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 69. Quoted in dsch 1 (1994): 26. Makarov, “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego,” 153. Ibid. Ibid., 154. Kravets, “Beseda s Elmiroi Nazirovoi,” 247. Shagynian, “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha,” 137–8. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 200. Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 128. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 314. Ibid., 95. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 78. See in Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 190. Mercer, interview with I. Oistrakh, 3. Letter from Shostakovich to David Oistrakh dated 26 August 1952 in Tartakovskaya, “Pisal ego s mislyami o Vas,” 184. 16 Yiddishe folks-lider [Jewish folk songs], comp. Yeheskel Dobrushin and A. Yuditsky, ed. Y. Sokolov (Moscow, 1940).

notes.fm Page 193 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 125–54 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41

193

Dorliak, “O rabote nad tsiklom ’Iz Yevreiskoi Narodnoi Poezii,” 452. Ibid., 453 and 456. Ibid., 458. Zhitomirsky, “Shostakovich,” 29. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 174. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 206. Vandenbroek, interview with Nikolayeva, 14. Bakeyeva, “Stranitsi dnevnika,” 171. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 187. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 93. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 223. “K obsuzdeniyu 24 Preludiy i Fug Shostakovicha,” 58. Grigor’ yev, Folder notes, 5. D. Shostakovich: Sobraniye sochineniy v soroka dvuch tomakh, vol. 40, p. 174. Disk label: Melodiya SUCD 10–00073. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 142. Zhitomirsky, “Shostakovich,” 16–17. Kravets, “Beseda s Elmiroi Nazirovoi,” 241–2. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 147. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 141–2. Denisov, “Vstrechi s Shostakovichem,” 91. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 143. Rossiyskaya Sovetskaya Federativnaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika [Russian Soviet Federation Socialist Republic]. The “Doctor’s Plot” – a fabricated allegation that Jewish doctors were poisoning their patients – gave Stalin the excuse to launch final program against the Jews, who were persecuted by the thousands. Grigor’yev, Folder notes, 6.

chapter five 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 162. Record label: ussr Melodiya M10 39073. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 110–111. Ibid., 111. Karagicheva, “Pishite kak mozhno bol’she prekrasnoi muziki,” 208. Kara Karayev: stat’i, pis’ma, viskazivaniya, 53. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 78. Aleksandra Vavilina-Mravinskaya. “Obruchyonniye muzikoi,” 100. The date is given in Mravinsky’s diary entry for 18 May 1956. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 196. Kondrashin, “Moi vstrechi s D.D. Shostakovichem,” 89. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 174. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 124–5. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 144.

notes.fm Page 194 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

194 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

notes to pages 154–66 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 285. Bakeyeva, “Stranitsi dnevnika,” 171. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 88. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 125. Ibid., 133. Khentova, Tridtsatiletiye 1945–1975, 363. Bakeyeva, “Stranitsi dnevnika,” 171. In Sofia on 10 and 12 January in the “Bulgaria” Concert Hall; in Ruse (exact date unknown). In Sofia on 11 January in the “Bulgaria” Concert Hall; in Plovdiv on 13 January at the Officers’ House; in Varna on 18 January at the National Theatre; in Sofia on 26 January in the “Bulgaria” Concert Hall. See Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 145–146. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 216. Record label: ussr Melodiya M10–39074. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 137. On 24–6 May. Disc label: emi CDX 7 54606 2. Mercer, “Shostakovich and France,” 76. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 141. Ibid., 151. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 146. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 159. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 146. Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 340–1. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 165. Ibid., 167. Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 117. Yakovlev (comp.), Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe. English translation 1981. See “St. Petersburg,” dsch 13 (2000): 35. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 174. To imply the existence of such anti-Semitism was a great anathema at the time: even under the “thaw,” Soviet propaganda silenced all references to Jews or Jewish problems, insisting that anti-Semitism simply did not exist in the Soviet Union. Yevtushenko, Volchiy pasport, 443. Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 176. Yevtushenko, Volchiy pasport, 438. Vishnevskaya, Galina, 274–5. Moryonov, “Za dirizherskim pultom D. Shostakovich and M. Rostropovich,” 109. Khentova, Tridtsatiletiye, 58. Shirinsky, “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala,” 148. Wilson, Shostakovich: A Life Remebered, 244.

notes.fm Page 195 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

notes to pages 166–81

195

50 Kozintsev, “Spasibo za schast’ye,” 95. 51 Stepan Razin was a seventeenth-century Cossack rebel who fought for a noble cause, but also killed others mercilessly to achieve power and fame. At the end of his short life, he experienced the betrayal and mockery of the crowd. Shostakovich strongly identified with these recurrent themes of Russian history. 52 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 198. 53 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 178. 54 Shostakovich had a good laugh, reading texts such as this (from the fifth song, Over-excitement): “Freshly harvested bread! Tell me, who, among you, has never tasted a piece of freshly harvested bread? How wonderfully it smells of sun, of fresh straw, and, most important, of the combine operator’s hands, saturated with kerosene.” 55 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 213. 56 Vishnevskaya, Galina, 362–3. 57 Bogdanov-Berezovsky, “Otrochestvo i yunost’,” 147. 58 Rostropovich, “The Russian Years,” 4. 59 Shostakovich told this story to Igor Blazhkov, a conductor who collaborated closely with the composer. Blazhkov, Reminiscences about Shostakovich, 174. 60 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 226. 61 Ibid., 230–1. 62 Ibid. 63 Khentova, Tridtsatiletiye, 372. 64 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 188. 65 Khentova, Tridtsatiletiye, 259–60. 66 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 211. 67 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 240. 68 Ibid, 248. 69 Yakovlev, Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe, 314. 70 Kondrashin, “Moi vstrechi s D.D. Shostakovichem,” 95. 71 Meyer, “Recollections of a Man,” 9. 72 Shagynian, “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha,” 147. 73 Ibid., 148. 74 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 30. 75 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 290. 76 Druzhinin, “O Dmitrii Dmitriyeviche Shostakoviche,” 181. 77 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 296. 78 Shagynian, “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha,” 152. 79 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 213. 80 Ibid, 214. 81 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 302. 82 Shenderovich, “V moyei pamyati svetliy obraz,” 32. 83 Nesterenko, “Posledniye vstrechi,” 332. 84 Glikman, Pis’ma k drugu, 302. 85 Khentova, V mire Shostakovicha, 40.

notes.fm Page 196 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:36 PM

biblio.fm Page 197 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

Bibliography

Alekseyev, Alexandr. Sovetskaya fortepiannaya muzyka (1917–1945) [Soviet piano music (1917–1945). Moscow: Muzika, 1974. Arnshtam, Leo. “Vspominaya Shostakovicha” [Remembering Shostakovich]. Muzikal’naya Zhizn’ 2 (1995): 24–6. Atovm’yan, Levon. “Iz vospominaniy” [Reminiscences]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 67–77. Bakeyeva, Vera. “Stranitsi dnevnika” [Pages from a diary]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 169–72. Balanchivadze, Andrei. “D. Shostakovich.” In Dmitri Shostakovich. Sbornik statei, comp. G. Ordzhonikidze, 96–8. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1967. Barenboim, Lev, and Natan Fishman, eds. L.V. Nikolayev: Stat’i i vospominaniya sovremennikov, Pis’ma [L.V Nikolayev: articles and memoires of contemporaries, letters]. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1979. Blazhkov, Igor. “Pis’ma Shostakovicha I.I. Blazhkovu” [Shostakovich’s letters to I.I. Blazhkov]. In Shostakovich: mezhdu mgnoveniyem i vechnost’yu, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 490–508. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2000. – “Reminiscences about Shostakovich.” Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 172–5. Bobikina, Irina, comp. Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh [Dmitri Shostakovich in letters and documents]. Moscow: Antikva, 2000. Bogdanova, Alla. Operi I baleti Shostakovicha [Shostakovich’s operas and ballets]. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1979. Bogdanov-Berezovsky, Valerian. “Otrochestvo i yunost› [Adolescence and youth]. In D. Shostakovich: stat’i i materiali, comp. G. Shneerson, 132–49. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1976. – V.M. Bogdanov-Berezovsky: stat’i, vospominaniya, pis’ma [V.M. Bogdanov-Berezovsky: articles, memoirs, letters]. Compiled by L.M. Kutateladze and M.A. Bochaver. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1978. – Vstrechi [Encounters]. Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1967. Braun, Joachim. Shostakovich’s Jewish Songs: From Jewish Folk Poetry, op. 79. TelAviv: World Council for Yiddish and Jewish Culture, 1989.

biblio.fm Page 198 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

198

bibliography

Bunin, Revol. “S glubochaishei priznatel’nost’yu” [With the deepest gratitude]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1976): 14–17. Dansker, Olga. “Pervaya uchitel’nitsa Shostakovicha” [Shostakovich’s first teacher]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 1 (1999): 175–6. – “Shostakovich v dnevnikakh M.O. Steinberga” [Shostakovich in M.O. Steinberg’s diaries]. In Shostakovich: mezhdu mgnoveniyem i vechnost’yu, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 83–148. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2000. Delson, Viktor. Fortepiannoye tvorchestvo Shostakovicha [Shostakovich’s piano works]. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1971. – “Molodoi Shostakovich (o pianiste 20ikh i 30ikh godov)” [The young Shostakovich (about the pianist of the 1920s and 1930s]. In Voprosi muzikal’no-ispolnitel’skogo iskusstva, vip. 5, 193– 228. Moscow: Muzika, 1969. Denisov, Edison. “Vstrechi s Shostakovichem” [Encounters with Shostakovich]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 3 (1994): 90–2. Digonskaya, Olga. “Khronika odnogo sodruzhestva” [Chronicles of a friendship] Muzikal’naya akademiya 1 (1999): 166–72. Dobrokhotov, Boris. “Vospominaniya o Shostakoviche” [Memoirs about Shostakovich]. In Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, comp. I. Bobikina, 514–21. Moscow: Antikva, 2000. Dolinskaya, Elena, comp. Shostakovichy posvyashchayetsya: sbornik statey k 90-letiyu kompozitora (1906–1996) [Dedicated to Shostakovich: collection of articles on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday (1906–1996)]. Moscow: Kompozitor, 1997. Dolzhanskiy, Alexander. 24 preludii i fugi Shostakovicha. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1970. Dorliak, Nina. “O rabote nad tsiklom ‘Iz Yevreiskoi Narodnoi Poezii› [About the work on the cycle ‘From Jewish Folk Poetry’], with commentaries by Olga Digonskaya. In Shostakovich: mezhdu mgnoveniem i vechnost’yu, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 448–59. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2000. Druskin, Mikhail. “O fortepiannom tvorchestve Shostakovicha” [On Shostakovich’s piano works]. Sovetskaya muzika 11 (1935): 52–9. Druzhinin, Fyodor. “O Dmitrii Dmitriyeviche Shostakoviche” [About Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich]. In Shostakovichu posvyashchayetsya: sbornik statey k 90-letiyu kompozitora (1906–1996), comp. E. Dolinskaya, 176–205. Moscow: Kompozitor, 1997. DSCH Dmitri Shostakovich DVD-ROM. Chandos Cultural Heritage Series, vol. 1, CHAN 55001. DSCH Journal. Paris, 1994–. Fanning, David. Shostakovich’s Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Fay, Laurel. “Mitya v myuzik-kholle: yeshcho odin vzglyad na Uslovno ubitogo” [Mitya in the music hall: another look at Declared Dead]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 59–62. – Shostakovich: A Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Findeizen, N.F. “Pamyati I.A. Glyassera” [In memory of I.A. Gliasser], Zhizn’ iskusstva 50 (1925): 20.

biblio.fm Page 199 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

bibliography

199

Gakkel, Leonid. Fortepiannaya muzika xx veka [Piano music of the 20th century]. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1976. Glikman, Isaak. Pis’ma k drugu [Letters to a friend]. St Peterburg: Kompozitor, 1993. Grigor’yev, Vladimir. Folder notes to Dmitri Shostakovich–pianist (1), USSR: Melodiya, M10–39073–80. Hulme, Derek. Dmitri Shostakovich: Catalogue, Bibliography and Discography. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. Kabalevsky, Dmitri. “Neskol’ko slov o Dmitrii Shostakoviche” [A few words about Dmitri Shostakovich]. In Dmitri Shostakovich. Sbornik statei, comp. G. Ordzhonikidze, 89–95. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1967. Karagicheva, Lyudmila. “Pishite kak mozhno bol’she prekrasnoi muziki. Iz pisem D.D. Shostakovicha K.A. Karayevu” [Write as much beautiful music as possible ... from Shostakovich’s letters to K.A. Karayev]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 202–11. –, ed. Kara Karayev: stat’i, pis’ma, viskazivaniya [Kara Karayev: articles, letters, views]. L. Karagicheva. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1978. Kazanskaya, Larisa. “Kruzhok druzei kamernoi muziki” [The Circle of Friends of Chamber Music]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 1 (1996): 206–9. – “Shostakovich and The Circle of Friends of Chamber Music.” DSCH Journal, 4 (1995): 14–16. Khentova, Sofia. D.D. Shostakovich: Tridtsatiletiye 1945–1975 [D.D. Shostakovich: the thirty years 1945–1975]. Leningrad: Muzika, 1982. – D.D. Shostakovich v godi Velikoi Otechestvennoi voini [Dmitri Shostakovich in the years of the great patriotic war]. Leningrad: Muzika, 1979. – Molodiye godi Shostakovicha, kniga pervaya [Shostakovich’s youthful years, book one]. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1975. – Molodiye godi Shostakovicha, kniga vtoraya [Shostakovich’s youthful years, book two]. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1980. – Shostakovich-pianist [Shostakovich the pianist]. Leningrad: Muzika, 1964. – Shostakovich: zhizn’ i tvorchestvo [Shostakovich: life and work]. 2 vols. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1985, 1986. – Udivitel’niy Shostakovich [The amazing Shostakovich]. St Petersburg: Variant, 1993. – ed. and comp. Vidayushchiyesya pianisti-pedagogi o fortepiannom iskusstve [Prominent pianist- teachers on piano art]. Moscow-Leningrad: Muzika, 1966. – V mire Shostakovicha [In the world of Shostakovich]. Moscow: Kompozitor, 1996. – Zhizn’ Shostakovicha – v illustratsiyakh i slove [The life of Shostakovich – in illustrations and word]. Moscow: Maktsentr, 1999. Kogan, Grigoriy. “Kontsert leningradskikh pianistov shkoli L.V. Nikolayeva” [Concert of the Leningrad pianists of L.V. Nikolayev’s school]. In G. Kogan Voprosi pianisma [Problems of pianism], 427–9. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1968. Kondrashin, Kirill. “Moi vstrechi s D.D. Shostakovichem” [My encounters with D.D. Shostakovich]. In D. Shostakovich: stat’i i materiali, comp. G. Shneerson, 86–97. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1976.

biblio.fm Page 200 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

200

bibliography

“K obsuzdeniyu 24 Preludiy i Fug Shostakovicha” [Discussing 24 Preludes and Fugues by Shostakovich]. Sovetskaya muzika 6 (1951): 58. Kovnatskaya, Lyudmila. “Shostakovich i Bogdanov-Berezovsky (20ye godi)” [Shostakovich and Bogdanov-Berezovsky (the 1920s)]. In Shostakovich: mezhdu mgnoveniyem i vechnost’yu, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 16–59. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2000. – “Shostakovich v protokolakh lasm” [Shostakovich in the minutes of LASM] in D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90-letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya [D.D. Shostakovich: collection of articles for the ninetieth anniversary of his birth], comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 48–67. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. –, comp. D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90-letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya [D.D. Shostakovich: collection of articles for the ninetieth anniversary of his birth]. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. –, comp. Shostakovich: mezhdu mgnoveniyem i vechnost’yu [Shostakovich: between the moment and eternity]. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2000. Kozlova, Miral’da. “Mne ispolnilos’ vosemnadtsat’ let ... ” (Pis’ma D.D. Shostakovicha k L.N. Oborinu) [“I have turned eighteen ... ” Letters from Shostakovich to L.N. Oborin]. In Vstrechi s proshlim, vip. 5, 232–60. Moscow: Sovetskaya Rossiya, 1984. Kravets, Nelly. “Beseda Nelly Kravets s Elmiroi Nazirovoi” [The conversation of Nelly Kravets with Elmira Nazirova]. D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 236–48. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. Kryukov, Andrei. “K svedeniyu budushchikh letopistsev” [For the information of future chroniclers]. In D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90-letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 158–73. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. Kozintsev, Grigoriy. “Spasibo za schast’ye, kotoroye on mnye prinosil” [Thanks for the happiness he brought me]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1990): 93–9. Kustodiev, Boris Mikhailovich. Pis’ma: stat’i, zametki, interv’yu. Ed. Boris A. Kapralov. Leningrad: Khudozhnik, 1967 Kuznetsov, Andrei. “Prityazheniya i ottalkivaniya (D. D. Shostakovich – M. V. Yudina)” [Attraction and repulsion (Shostakovich – Yudina)]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 108–16. Losskiy, Boris. “Nasha sem’ya v poru likholetiya 1914–1922 godov” [Our family during the hard times of 1914–1922]. In Minuvsheye: istoricheskiy al’manakh 11(1992): 119–98; 12 (1993): 28–167. Moscow: Atheneum Feniks. – “Novoye o Shostakoviche: ‘V pomoshch’ izuchayushchim” [News about Shostakovich: “An aid to researchers”]. Russkaya misl’ (7 April 1989): 12; (14 April 1989): 9. MacDonald, Ian. The New Shostakovich. London: Oxford University Press, 1991. MacDonald, Malcolm. Dmitri Shostakovich: A Complete Catalogue. London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1985. Makarov, Yevgeniy. “Ya bezgranichno uvazhal yego” [I respected him limitlessly]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 1 (1993): 146–54.

biblio.fm Page 201 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

bibliography

201

Maksimenkov, Leonid. Sumbur vmesto muzyki. Stalinskaya kulturnaya revolutsiya 1936–1938 [Muddle instead of music: Stalin’s cultural revolution of 1936–38], Moscow: Yuridicheskaya Kniga, 1997. Malko, Nicolai. A Certain Art. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1966. Mercer, Alan. “Interview with Igor Oistrakh.” dsch 7 (1997): 2–6. – “Shostakovich and France.” dsch 13 (2000): 73–6. Meyer, Krzysztof. “Recollections of a Man,” ed. I. MacDonald. dsch 4 (1995): 2– 11. – Shostakovich: zhizn’, tvorchestvo, vremya [Shostakovich: life, work, times]. Trans E. Gulyayeva. St Petersburg: dsch, Kompozitor, 1998. Mikheyeva, Lyudmila. “D.D. Shostakovich v otrazhenii pisem k I.I. Sollertinskomu: shtrikhi k portretu” [Shostakovich as reflected in his letters to Sollertinsky: strokes towards a portrait]. In Kovnatskaya, D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90-letiyu, 88–100. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. – “Istotoriya odnoy druzhbi” [The story of a friendship]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1986): 24–33; 9 (1987): 78–84. – “Pis’ma Shostakovicha k Sollertinskomy” [Shostakovich’s letters to Sollertinsky]. In Zhurnal lyubitelei iskusstva 2 (1996): 9–15; 3 (1996): 6–13; 4 (1996): 6–12; 1 (1997): 16–20; 4–5 (1997): 16–30; 6–7 (1997): 47–50; 8–9 (1997): 59–65; 10– 11 (1997): 44–51; 1 (1998): 43–7. – Zhizn’ Dmitriya Shostakovicha [Life of Dmitri Shostakovich]. Moscow: Terra, 1997. Moryonov, V. “Za dirizherskim pultom D. Shostakovich and M. Rostropovich” [D. Shostakovich and M. Rostropovich on the conductor’s podium]. Sovetskaya muzika 1 (1963): 108–9. Moshevich, Sofia. “An Opus 87 Forgery?” dsch 12 (2000): 66–9. – “Tempo in Shostakovich’s Performances of his Own Works.” dsch 2 (1994): 7–17. – “Tempo Terms in Shostakovich’s Works.” South African Journal of Musicology, 6/2 (1985): 81–92. Moussu, Eugene. “Milos Sadlo Remembers,” dsch 9 (1998): 14–16. Nesterenko, Yevgeniy. “Posledniye vstrechi” [Last Meetings]. In Muzika Rossii, vip. 2, 329–36. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1978. Norris, Christopher, ed. Shostakovich: The Man and his Music. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1982. Ochakovskaya, O. “Nado obyazatel’no dat’ eto detyam” [This has to be given to children]. Muzikal’naya Zhizn’ 17 (1980): 20–21. Poryadkova, Elena. “Nas utro vstrechayet prokhladoi” [The morning greets us with cool air]. Muzikal’naya Zhizn’ 11 (1995): 16–19. – “Violonchelist za stenoi” [The cellist next door]. Sovetskaya muzika 10 (1981): 27–31. Prokofiev, Sergei. Soviet Diary 1927 and Other Writings. Trans. and ed. by Oleg Prokofiev. London: Faber and Faber, 1991. Rowland, Christopher, and Alan George. “Interpreting the String Quartets.” In Shostakovich: the Man and his Music, ed. C. Norris, 13–45. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1982.

biblio.fm Page 202 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

202

bibliography

Rostropovich, Mstislav. “The Russian Years. Shostakovich: Concertos.” Folder notes. EMI Classics, CZS 5 72295 2. Rozanov, Alexander. “Obodryayushchaya prostota” [Encouraging approachability]. Sovetskaya muzika 10 (1981): 33–5. Rubanenko, Yuriy. “Ob avtorskom ispolnenii preludiy i fug Shostakovicha” [On Shostakovich’s performances of his preludes and fuges]. In Ob ispolnenii fortepiannoi muziki [On interpretation of piano music], 197–214. Leningrad: Muzika, 1965. Ruch’yevskaya, Ekaterina. “K istorii sozdaniya Lady Macbeth Mtsenskogo Uyezda” [Concerning the history of the creation of Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District]. In D.D. Shostakovich: sbornik statei k 90-letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya, comp. L. Kovnatskaya, 101–102. St Petersburg: Kompozitor, 1996. Sadikhova, Rosa, and Dmitri Frederiks, comp. “Dmitri Shostakovich: pis’ma k materi” [Shostakovich: letters to his mother]. Neva 9 (1986): 166–75. Shagynian, Marietta. “50 pisem D.D. Shostakovicha” [Fifty letters by D.D. Shostakovich]. Noviy mir 12 (1982): 128–52. Shebalina, Alisa, ed. “Eto bil zamechatel’niy drug: iz pisem D.D. Shostakovicha k V.Y. Shebalinu” [He was a remarkable friend: from Shostakovich’s letters to V. Shebalin]. Sovetskaya muzika 7 (1982): 75–85. Shenderovich, Yevgeniy. “V moyei pamyati svetliy obraz” [The pure image in my memory]. Sovetskaya muzika 10 (1981): 31–3. Shirinsky, Vasiliy. “Iz kvartetnogo zhurnala” [From the quartet’s journal]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 137–48. Shneerson, Grigoriy, comp. D. Shostakovich: stat’i i materiali [D. Shostakovich: articles and materials]. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1976. Shostakovich, Dmitri. “Anketa po psikhologii tvorcheskogo protsessa, 1927” [A questionnaire on the psychology of the creative process, 1927]. In Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, comp. I. Bobikina, 470–82. Moscow: Antikva, 2000. – “Avtobiografiya” [Autobiography]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1966): 24–5. – “Beseda s molodimi kompozitorami” [A conversation with the young composers]. Sovetskaya muzika 10 (1955): 10–16. – “Dumi o proidennom puti” [Thoughts about the path travelled]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1956): 9–15. – “O moikh sochineniyakh” [About my compositions]. In Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh I dokumentakh, comp. I. Bobikina, 186–8, Moscow: Antikva, 2000. – [untitled article]. In Maria Veniaminovna Yudina: vospominaniya, stat’i i materiali [Yudina: memoires, articles, materials], comp. A. Kuznetsov, 39–41. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1978. Shostakovich, Sofia. “Moy sin” [My son], Smena 18 (1976): 18. Shvarts, Josef. “Neskol’ko sobitiy i faktov” [Some events and facts]. In L.V. Nikolayev, Stat’i i vospominaniya sovremennikov, comp. L. Barenboim and N. Fishman, 119–24. Leningrad: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1979. Smis, A. K [pseud. Konstantin Kuznetsov]. “Muzykal’no-kriticheskiye fragmenti” [Fragments of musical criticism]. Sovetskaya muzika 2 (1934): 61–3.

biblio.fm Page 203 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

bibliography

203

Sollertinsky, Dmitri, and Ludmila Sollertinsky. Pages from the Life of Dmitri Shostakovich, trans. G. Hobbs and C. Midgey. London: Robert Hale, 1981. Stevenson, Ronald. “The Piano Music.” In Shostakovich: the Man and his Music, ed. C. Norris, 81–103. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1982. Tartakovskaya, Natal’ya. “Pisal yego s mislyami o Vas” [I wrote it thinking about you]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 182–4. Trauberg, Leonid. “Voistinu on chelovekom bil” [He was truly a man]. Muzikal’naya zhizn’ 5–6 (1995): 22. Tawaststjerna, Erik. “Vstrechi s Shostakovichem” [Encounters with Shostakovich]. In D. Shostakovich: stat’i i materiali, comp. G. Shneerson, 282–6. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1976. Tsyganov, Dmitri. “Polveka vmeste” [A half century together]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1976): 29–32. Vandenbroek, Philippe. “A Final Interview with Tatiana Nikolayeva.” dsch 1 (1994): 14–16. Varzar, Irina. “Molodoi Shostakovich – stranitsi iz zhizni” [The young Shostsakovich – pages from his life]. Neva 9 (1996): 233–40. Vavilina-Mravinskaya, Aleksandra. “Obruchyonniye muzikoi” [Plighted by music]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 89–102. Vishnevskaya, Galina. Galina: A Russian Story. Trans. by Guy Daniels. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1984. Wilkstrom, Inger. “Ein Treffen mit Schostakowitsch.” Musik-Journal 10 (1977): 1–3. Wilson, Elizabeth. Shostakovich: A Life Remebered. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995. Yakovlev, Mikhail, comp., and G. Pribegina, ed. Dmitri Shostakovich o vremeni i o sebe [Dmitri Shostakovich: on his time and himself]. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1980. Yakubov, Manashir. “Opit rekonstruktsii avtorskoi redaktsii baleta Zolotoi vek” [An attempt to reconstruct the author’s version of the ballet The Golden Age]. Muzikal’naya akademiya 4 (1997): 47–51. – “Ves’ mir v odnom sebe” [The whole world in himself]. Sovetskaya muzika 9 (1986): 16–24. – D. Shostakovich, Sonata for Piano, op. 61. dsch Publishing, 1999. English translation by Sofia and Avital Moshevich, in dsch Journal 14 (2001): 59–65. – “Ya pitalsya peredat’ pafos bor’bi i pobedi” [I tried to depict the pathos of our struggle and victory]. Sovetskaya muzika 10 (1986): 52–7. Yavorsky, Boris. B. Yavorsky: stati’i, vospominaniya, perepiska.Tom 1 [B. Yavorsky: articles, reminiscences, correspondence. Vol. 1], ed. Isaak Rabinovich. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1972. Yevtushenko, Yevgeniy. Volchiy pasport [Blacklisted]. Moscow: Vagrius, 1998. Yuzefovich, Viktor. “Besedi s masterami ... s Daniilom Shafranom” [Conversations with the masters ... with Daniil Shafran]. Sovetskaya muzika 1 (1978): 74–85. Zhitomirsky, Daniil. “Shostakovich.” Muzikal’naya akademiya 3 (1993): 15–30.

biblio.fm Page 204 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:37 PM

Disco.fm Page 205 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

Discography of Shostakovich’s Recorded Performances

The majority of Shostakovich’s recordings were made in the Soviet Union, where the most valuable recordings were preserved as “fund” recordings. In Moscow, there were three institutions responsible for the production of the fund recordings: Vsesoyuznaya Studiya Gramzapisi (vsg – All Union Studio of Recorded Sound), Fabrika Zvukozapisi (fz – Factory of Recorded Sound), and Dom Zvukozapisi (dz – House of Recorded Sound). The Fabrika Zvukozapisi made recordings on tonefilms (magnetic stock.) The fz warehouse was situated in the Alexander Nevsky church on Miusskaya Square. In the late 1940s, the church was demolished, and the warehouse was moved to Reutovo, near Moscow. In 1950, Dom Zvukozapisi and the Fabrika Zvukozapisi were united, and a new warehouse was built in Reutovo. According to new storage regulations, no inflammable materials, including films, were allowed to be stored. Because of this, the tonefilms were rerecorded and then destroyed. The discography below contains information gathered in the two main Moscow archives: the Ostankino or “Gostelradio” archive in Reutovo, and the archive of the Vsesoyuznaya Studiya Gramzapisi or “Gramstudiya.” The abbreviations and codes are those of the archives. The following Russian abbreviations are used in the recording numbers.

     




    [fondovay zapis’]

    [dubl’ originala]   [zapis’]    [original]     [ogranichenno godnoye]    [osnovnoy dokument]       [ogranichennoye ispol’zovaniye]   [perepis’]    [vremennay perepis’]

fund recording duplicate of the original document a working copy of the recording original recording limited usage main document (i.e. a recording seen and preserved as a document) limited usage rerecording, duplicate copy temporary rerecording

Disco.fm Page 206 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

206

discography

The labels of the lp or cd on which a recording can be found are given in brackets. For the recordings made in France, the information is from the folder notes of the released lp record or cd.

26 May 1947 26 May 1947 1950 26 May 1947 26 May 1947 26 May 1947 26 May 1947 26 May 1947 26 May 1947

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Polka2

Prelude No. 8 in F-sharp minor3

Prelude No. 8 in F-sharp minor4

Prelude no. 14 in E flat minor3

Prelude no. 15 in D flat major3

Prelude no. 16 in B flat minor3

Prelude no. 17 in A flat major3

Prelude no. 18 in F minor3

Prelude no. 19 in E flat major3

22

34

34

34

34

34

34

34

34

30 May 1958

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Three Fantastic Dances

5

26 May 1947

Date

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Artist(s)

Three Fantastic Dances1

Title

5

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 207 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

1:24

0:48

1:28

1:08

0:53

1:54

1:02

0:49

1:34

3:02

2:50

Duration

Prague

Prague

Prague

Prague

Prague

Prague

Prague

Prague

Salle Wagram, Paris; Norbert Gramsohn, Paul Vavasseur

Prague

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

[Revelation rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70008]

xlx 778 [emi Classics cdc 7 54606 2]

[Revelation rv 70008]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

Label and Number

1950 26 May 1947

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Leonid Kogan (violin)

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Josif Volovnik (trumpet), Samuil Samosud (conductor), Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

Prelude no. 23 in F major4

Prelude no. 24 in D minor3

Preludes Nos. 10, 15, 16, and 24 (arr. Dmitri Tsyganov for violin and piano)

Piano Concerto No. 1

34

34

34

35

27 Nov. 1954

2 Feb. 1956

1950

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Prelude no. 22 in G minor4

34

1946

Date

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Artist(s)

Prelude no. 22 in G minor4

Title

34

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 208 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

20:25

4:45

1:00

1:30

2:10

1:56

Duration

Broadcast recording, with applause, from Moscow Conservatory Great Hall; Krutikov, Alexandra Mayorova; restoration duplicate recording (31 July 1973) and rerecording (5 Feb 1976) Yuriy Naumenkov

Alexander Grossman, Neiman

Prague

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

ï- 011315 ÄÎ, ÃÏÐ 10369 [Revelation rv 70006]; [Classical Treasures CT-10022]

Gostelradio: Ï-19863 ÎÄ

Gostelradio: Ä-41224 î [Revelation rv: 70002]

[Revelation: rv 70007]

[Revelation: rv 70007]

[Revelation rv 70007]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

[Revelation rv 70007]

Label and Number

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Ludovic Vaillant (trumpet), André Cluytens (conductor), Orchestre nationale de la RTF Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Daniil Shafran (cello) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) Beethoven Quartet: Dmitri Tsyganov (violin), Vasiliy Shirinsky (violin), Vadim Borisovsky (viola), Sergei Shirinsky (cello) Beethoven Quartet: Dmitri Tsyganov (violin), Vasiliy Shirinsky (violin), Vadim Borisovsky (viola), Sergei Shirinsky (cello) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Dmitri Tsyganov (violin), Sergei Shirinsky (cello)

Cello Sonata

Cello Sonata

Piano Quintet

Piano Quintet

Piano Trio No. 24

40

40

57

57

67

Artist(s)

Piano Concerto No. 1

Title

35

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 209 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

36:20

29:50

9–10 Dec. 1940

29 Mar. 1955

23:44

25:22

16 July 1957

1946

28:51

21:54

24–6 May 1958

12 Nov. 1946

Duration

Date

Alexander Grossman, Natalia Shkurina, Yevgeniy Yakovlev, Maria Kaloshina

rerecording 14 July 1950, Dmitri Olevinsky

David Gaklin, Sofia Annenskaya

Vasiliy Fedulov

Salle Wagram, Paris; René Challan, Paul Vavasseur

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

ÎÄ

ÎÈ

Î

[Revelation rv70007]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

Gostelradio: -36587 ; [Revelation rv70005]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

Ä

Gostelradio: 520 40 ; [Multisonic 310179-2]; [Danté lys 369- 370]

Gostelradio: - 50049 O, ; [Revelation RV70005]; [emi czs-572016-2, CZS-572295-2]

Ä

Gostelradio 3673 O, [Revelation rv 70008]

ÎÈ;

xlx 779 & 778; fcx 769 [emi Classics cdc-7 54606 2]

Label and Number

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano); Nina Dorliak (soprano), Zara Dolukhanova (mezzosoprano), Alexey Maslennikov (tenor) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

From Jewish Folk Poetry

Prelude and Fugue no. 1 in C major

Prelude and Fugue no. 1 in C major

Prelude and Fugue no. 2 in A minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 3 in G major

Prelude and Fugue no. 4 in E minor

79

87

87

87

87

87

5 Feb. 1952

6 Dec. 1951

5 Feb. 1952

12 Sep. 1958

6 Dec. 1951

8:20

2:56

1:55

4:57

4:41

23:11

4:30

26 May 1947

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Children’s Notebook

69

16 Jan. 1956

24:45

26 May 1947

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), David Oistrakh (violin), Miloš Sádlo (cello)

Piano Trio No. 2

Duration

67

Date

Artist(s)

Title

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 210 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

David Gaklin, Zoya Sorokina

Alexander Grossman, Margarita Sereda

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

Salle Wagram, Paris; Norbert Gamsohn; Paul Vavasseur

Alexander Grossman

Georgiy Braginsky, Yevgeniy Yakovlev, Valentin Yevdokimov; restoration 16 Apr. 1992, Chernyshev, Alexey Shneider.

Prague restoration and duplicate recording 19 Aug. 1974; rerecording 5 Feb. 1976, Gennadiy Kovalevsky, Yuriy Naumenkov

Prague

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

Î

ÄÎ

Ä-42458 ÎÄ;

Gostelradio: -19097; [Revelation rv70001]

Ä

Gostelradio: -18107; [Revelation rv70001]

Ä

Gostelradio: -19096; [Revelation rv70001]

Ä

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [emi Classics cdc-7 54606-2]

Gostelradio: -18103; [Revelation rv70001]

Ä

[Revelation rv70007]

Gostelradio:

Ï ÃÏ

Gostelradio: -011329 ; No 11070; Gramstudiya: [Revelation rv70007]; [Doremi dhr-7787]

Gostelradio: -1372 ; [Revelation rv70006]; [Doremi dhr-7701]

À

Label and Number

12 Sep. 1958

14 Feb. 1952

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Prelude and Fugue no. 5 in D major

Prelude and Fugue no. 6 in B minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 6 in B minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 7 in A major

Prelude and Fugue no. 8 in F sharp minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 12 in G sharp minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 13 in F sharp major

87

87

87

87

87

87

87

5 Feb. 1952

5 Feb. 1952

14 Feb. 1952

14 Feb. 1952

12 Sep. 1958

6 Dec. 1951

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Prelude and Fugue no. 5 in D major

87

12 Sep. 1958

Date

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Artist(s)

Prelude and Fugue no. 4 in E minor

Title

87

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 211 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

7:45

7:36

8:25

3:00

5:20

5:02

2:49

3:00

7:24

Duration

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

David Gaklin

David Gaklin, Zoya Sorokina

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

David Gaklin, Zoya Sorokina

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

Alexander Grossman, Margarita Sereda

Salle Wagram, Paris; Norbert Gamsohn; Paul Vavasseur

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

Gostelradio: Ä-19098; [Revelation rv70001]

Gostelradio: Ä-19099; [Revelation rv70001]

Gostelradio: Ä-19452; [Revelation rv70001]

Gostelradio: Ä-19454; [Revelation rv70001]

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [lp Columbia fcx 771]

Gostelradio: Ä-19453; [Revelation rv70001]

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [emi Classics cdc-7 54606 2]

Gostelradio: Ä-18104; [Revelation rv70001]

xlx 743 & 744; FCX 771; [emi Classics cdc-7 54606-2]

Label and Number

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Prelude and Fugue no. 14 in E flat minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 14 in E flat minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 16 in B flat minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 18 in F minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 20 in C minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 22 in G minor

Prelude and Fugue no. 23 in F major

Prelude and Fugue no. 23 in F major

87

87

87

87

87

87

87

87

Artist(s)

Prelude and Fugue no. 13 in F sharp major

Title

87

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 212 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

12 Sep. 1958

6 Dec. 1951

19 Feb. 1952

5 Feb. 1952

12 Sep. 1958

19 Feb. 1952

12 Sep. 1958

19 Feb. 1952

12 Sep. 1958

Date

6:43

6:00

7:00

10:23

5:53

11:42

6:28

7:35

6:35

Duration

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

Alexander Grossman, Margarita Sereda

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

David Gaklin

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [emi Classics cdc-7 54606 2]

Gostelradio: Ä-18106; [Revelation rv 70003]

Gostelradio: Ä-19456; [Revelation rv70003]

Gostelradio: Ä-19095; [Revelation rv70003]

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [lp Columbia fcx 771]

Gostelradio: Ä-19455; [Revelation rv70003]

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [lp Columbia fcx 771]

Gostelradio: Ä-19457; [Revelation rv 70001]

xlx 743 & 744; fcx 771; [lp Columbia fcx 771]

Label and Number

2 Feb. 1956

28 May 1955

Dmitri Shostakovich, Maxim Shostakovich (pianos) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Konstantin Iliev (conductor), Sofia Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), Alexander Gauk (conductor), Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), André Cluytens (conductor), Orchestre nationale de la RTF

Concertino for two pianos

The Gadfly: fragment

Piano Concerto No. 2: third movement

Piano Concerto No. 2

Piano Concerto No. 2

94

97

102

102

102

24–6 May 1958

7 Feb. 1958

Jan. 1958

15 Feb. 1954

Dmitri Shostakovich, Moisei Vainberg (pianos)

Symphony No. 10 (arr. for piano four hands by Shostakovich)

93

5 Feb. 1952

Date

Dmitri Shostakovich (piano)

Artist(s)

Prelude and Fugue no. 24 in D minor

Title

87

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 213 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

17:27

16:00

2:13

2:20

8:00

46:55

11:35

Duration

Salle Wagram, Paris: Norbert Gamsohn, Paul Vavasseur

rerecording 10 Mar. 1958, Alexander Grossman

Bulgaria temporary rerecording (without announcement, with applause), Alexey Shnider

David Gaklin, Alexandra Yakushina

Vasiliy Fedulov, Elena Sabo, Neiman

David Gaklin

David Gaklin, Margarita Sereda

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.)

Î ÎÈ;

Ï

Ä

xlx 779 & 778; fcx 769; [emi Classics cdc-7 54606-2]

Gostelradio: -52622; [Revelation rv70006]; [Classical Treasures ct-10022]

ÄÎ

ÄÎ ÎÃ; Gostelradio: -026835 44374, unreleased

ÏÂ

Gostelradio: -37811 [Revelation rv70002]

Ä

[Revelation rv70006]; [Classical Treasures ct-10022]

Gostelradio: Ä-32102 [Revelation rv70002]

Gostelradio: Ä-19094; [Revelation rv70003]

Label and Number

Violin Sonata

Title Dmitri Shostakovich (piano), David Oistrakh (violin)

Artist(s) Dec. 1968

Date 27:08

Duration amature recording by David Oistrakh

Recording Details (place, engineers, etc.) [Revelation rv70008]

Label and Number

1. Gramstudiya: No ÃÏ 11070; Gostelradio: Ï-011331 ÄÎ; Gennadiy Êovalevsky, Yuriy Naumenkov (restoration and duplicate recording 19 August 1974; rerecording 5 February 1976) 2. Gramstudiya: No ÃÏ 11070; Gostelradio: Ï-011330 ÄÎ; Gennadiy Êovalevsky, Yuriy Naumenkov (restoration and duplicate recording 19 August 1974; rerecording 5 February 1976) 3. Gramstudiya: No ÃÏ 11070; Gostelradio: Ï-011332 ÄÎ; Gennadiy Êovalevsky, Yuriy Naumenkov (restoration and duplicate recording 19 August 1974; rerecording 5 February 1976). The duration is as indicated for the Revelation issue. 4. This recording has not yet been identified in the Russian archive. In this discography the duration is as indicated for the Revelation issue.

134

Opus no.

Disco.fm Page 214 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:14 PM

index.fm Page 215 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

Index

An “e” following a page reference indicates the presence of a music example. A “t” following a page number indicates the presence of a table. Dmitri Shostakovich’s name has been abbreviated ti “ds.” Akhmatova, Anna, 121 Akimov, Nikolai, 68 Aleksandrov, Alexander, 41 Alikhanyan, Artyom, 149 All-Union Radio and TV Symphonic Orchestra, 175 Alschwang, Arnold, 51 Al’tman, Yevgeniy, 158 Anosov, Nikolai, 121, 154 Antipova, Tamara, 152 Apollinaire, Guillaume, 172 Arensky, Anton, 24 Arkanov, Veniamin, 96, 103 Arkhangelsk, 88 Arkhangelskoye, 104 Arnshtam, Leo, 61, 62, 67 articulation and accents: DS markings, 16, 79, 139–40; in recorded performances, 117, 126, 140 Association of Contemporary Music, 58 Atovm’yan, Levon: arrangements of DS ballet music, 118; on DS as a pianist, 60, 69; DS letters to, 4, 81, 82 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Brandenburg Concerto in D major, 33; Concerto in D minor, 131; Organ Prelude and Fugue in A minor, 32, 36; Well-Tempered Clavier, 8, 29, 131, 132 Bach Bicentennial Festival (1950), 131 Baku (Azerbaydzhan), 71, 76, 80– 1, 143 Balakirev, Mily, 11

Balanchivadze, Andrei, 21, 67; Piano Concerto No. 3, 153 “Balletic Falsity” (Pravda 1936), 88 Barshai, Rudolf, 173 Bartók, Béla, 15 Basner, Veniamin, 164, 170, 171 Batumi (Georgia), 81 Baturin, Alexander, 96, 101, 103 Beethoven, Ludwig van, 7, 13, 121, 175; Piano Concerto no. 3, 8; Piano Sonata, op. 10, no. 1, 8; Piano Sonata, op. 27, no. 2 (“Moonlight”), 181; Piano Sonata, op. 53 (“Waldstein”), 22, 29, 36; Piano Sonata, op. 57 (“Appassionata”), 22, 32, 36, 52; Piano Sonata, op. 106 (“Hammerklavier”), 19, 22; Piano Sonata, op. 110, 181; Piano Sonata, op. 111, 171, 172; Violin Sonata, op. 47 (“Kreutzer”), 181 Beethoven Quartet, 142, 143, 166, 181; performances of DS string quartets, 111–2, 122, 152, 161; and Piano Quintet, 94–6, 99, 103, 109, 112, 122–3, 131, 143–4, 150, 152, 157–9, 166 Belebei, 103 Belov, Gennadiy, 162 Belugin, Nikolai, 125 Berg, Alban, 15; Wozzeck, 59 Berlin, 41, 51 Berlin Academy of Music, 34 Berlinsky, Valentin, 98, 120 Besedin, Askold, 165 Bezimensky, Alexander, 58, 63

Bibergan, Vadim, 162 Blazhkov, Igor, 195n59 Bobikina, Irina: Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh, 4 Bogacheva, Irina, 177 Bogdanov-Berezovsky, Valerian, 60, 109; on DS as a pianist, 22– 3, 29–30, 32–3, 34, 41, 49–50; on Suite for Two Pianos, op. 6, 27; on Symphony No. 7, 100–1 Bogoslovsky, Nikita, 91 Boldirev, Igor, 90 Bolshoi Theatre, 18, 67, 148 Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, 101 Bolshoi Theatre Quartet, 101, 103 Borisovsky, Vadim, 95, 174 Borodin, Alexander, 15, 132 Borodin Quartet, 98, 120, 166 Brahms, Johannes: Variations on a Theme by Handel, 22 Bright Reel cinema (Leningrad), 37 Britten, Benjamin, 169, 172, 175 Bruckner, Anton: Symphony No. 7, 102 Bruni, Georgiy, 14, 37 Bryushkov, Yuri, 49, 52 Budapest, 167 Bulgaria, 3, 154, 159 Bülow, Hans von, 9 Bunin, Revol S., 90, 109, 110, 173 Burgmüller, Johann Friedrich, 8 Chopin, Frédéric: DS on the Ballades, 36; DS on the Études, 36; DS performances of works by, 13, 22, 29, 49, 51, 60; DS program for Chopin Competition, 49, 92

index.fm Page 216 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

216 Chopin Competition, First International (1927), 3, 49–52 Chukovsky, Yevgeniy, 154 Chyorny, Sasha, 161, 162, 168 Circle of Friends of Chamber Music, 31, 32, 33–4, 48, 49 Cluytens, André, 77, 154, 159 Coates, Albert, 87, 88 conductor (ds as), 165 Cooper, Emil, 15 Cui, César: Orientale, 37 Czechoslovakia, 3 Dargomyzhsky, Alexander, 59 Debussy, Claude, 41 Deineka, Boris, 158 Denisov, Edison, 144 Denmark, 175, 176 Dilizhan (Armenia), 166 Dmitri Shostakovich v pis’makh i dokumentakh (Bobikina), 4 Dobrokhotov, Boris, 83, 85 Dobrushin, Yeheskel, 125 Dobrzhinz, Ilya, 42 “Doctor’s Plot,” 145, 164, 193n40 Dolukhanova, Zara, 126, 149, 150, 152, 157 Dorliak, Nina, 125, 126, 149, 150, 152, 157 Dostoyevsky, Fyodor: Brothers Kamarazov, 187n49; The Devils, 179 Dovenman, Mikhail, 157 Dranishnikov, Vladimir, 76 Dressel, Erwin: Columbus, 76 Druzhinin, Fyodor, 181 dsch (musical monogram), 106, 124, 145, 161 Dunayevsky, Isaak, 41, 68 Duncan, Isadora, 33 Edinburgh Music Festival, 165 Eliasberg, Karl, 92, 102 England, 175 espressivo (ds use of marking), 74 Etkin-Moszkowska, Róza, 52 Fay, Laurel: Shostakovich: A Life, 4 Feldt, Pavel, 23, 39, 184n31 Ferkelman, Arnold, 83, 92–3 films and scores, 37–8, 63–4. See also specific titles under Shostakovich, Dmitri: works Finland, 175 Fitzwilliam Quartet, 99 Flaks, Efrem, 107, 109 Fleishman, Veniamin, 90; Rothschild’s Violin, 124

index Flier, Yakov, 133 Fogt, Anna, 22 four-hand arrangements: ds’s love for playing, 15, 22, 90, 102, 120; use in teaching, 22, 90, 120–1 France, 3, 77, 159, 176 Frederiks, Vsevolod, 89 Freidkov, B.M., 80 Frid, Grigoriy, 91 Fried, Oscar, 15 Furtseva, Ekaterina, 169 Fyodorov, Nikolai, 35 Garcia Lorca, Federico, 172 Gaspra (Crimea), 30, 69 Gauk, Alexander; DS plays new works for, 89, 121; performances of DS works, 64, 71, 76, 154, 159; and Tahiti Trot, 188n71 Germany, 175, 176 Gilels, Emil, 122 Ginzburg, Grigoriy, 49, 51, 52 Glazunov, Alexander, 24; at Leningrad Conservatory, 11, 14, 15, 18, 22, 50; support of DS, 15, 30 Glazunov Quartet, 95, 96, 98, 99, 103, 123 Gliere, Reinhold, 41 Glikman, Isaak, 4; descriptions of DS, 71, 88, 94, 123, 149, 152, 166; DS letters to, 101, 133, 156, 158, 159–60, 170, 175, 178; DS plays new works for, 101, 102, 164, 170, 171; DS speeches written by, 162 Glinka, Mikhail, 41 Glivenko, Tatiana, 30, 35 Glyasser, Ignatiy Albertovich, 8– 9, 10; Ritmicheskiye povtoreniya, 9; Treli kak osnova fortepiannoi tekhniki, 9e Glyasser, Olga Fedorovna, 8 Gmyria, Boris, 165 Gnesin, Mikhail, 22, 41 Gobbaerts, Jean-Louis, 7 Gogol, Nikolai; The Gamblers, 102; The Nose, 58–9 Goldenveizer, Alexander, 49 Gorbenko, Arkadiy; Virgin Soil, 63 Gorky, 150, 159, 165, 166 Gorky Philharmonic Orchestra, 159, 170 Graz Academy of Music, 144 Grieg, Edvard, 13; Cello Sonata, op. 36, 92; Piano Concerto, 19 Gromadsky, Vitaliy, 165

Gusman, Izrail, 159 Haydn, Franz Joseph, 8; Sonata in D major, 76 health problems (of ds), 165, 172; appendicitis, 51; broken leg, 170; cardiological problems, 167, 169, 175, 182; gastric typhoid, 103; Kentova’s description of DS (1975), 180– 1; lung cancer, 175; pain in hand, 77, 145, 154–5, 159–62, 164, 174–5; tuberculosis, 29 Hindemith, Paul, 15, 43; Suite “1922,” 79 Horowitz, Vladimir, 49 humour and musical satire, 8, 42, 160, 161, 168, 179–80 Igumnov, Konstantin, 35, 49 Iliev, Konsantin, 154, 159 Ilizarov, Gavriil, 174 International Chopin Competition, First (1927), 3, 49–52 Ionin, Georgiy, 59 Ippolitov-Ivanov, Mikhail, 17 Ireland, 175 Ivanovo, 109, 110 Ivanovsky, Alexander; Dinamiada, 65 Jews and Judaism; DS use of Jewish melodies, 124, 132; Nazi Holocaust, 111, 124, 163; Soviet persecution of, 124, 125, 145, 163, 164, 193n40, 194n41 Kabalevsky, Dmitri, 48–9, 74, 150 Kainova, Margarita, 152, 159, 160 Kamensky, Alexander, 33, 43 Karayev, Kara, 109, 150 Kassan, A. (cellist), 42 Katsnel’son, Moisei, 90 Kaunas (Lithuania), 143, 150 Kazan, 167 Kerzhentsev, Platon, 190n30 Khachaturian, Aram, 74, 91, 101, 110, 164; blacklisted in 1948, 123; DS friendship with, 81, 89; ds’s description of, 81 Khachaturian, Karen, 109 Kharkov (Ukraine), 41–2, 76 Kharkov Philharmonic Orchestra, 41 Khentova, Sofia; on DS as a pianist, 9; interviews with DS, 14, 174–5, 180–1; interview with Galina Shostakovich, 114

index.fm Page 217 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

index Kholodilin, Alexander, 170 Kholodny, Alexey, 31 Khrennikov, Tikhon, 91 Kiev (Ukraine), 143, 158, 163 Kipp, Carl, 49 Kirghizia, 165 Kirov Theatre (Leningrad), 150 Kirsanov, Semyon, 64 Kishinev (Moldavia), 158 Klements, Georgiy, 23, 184n31 Klemperer, Otto, 88, 89 Klimov, Mikhail, 61 Klindworth, Karl, 9 Knipper, Lev: Candide, 60 Knushevitsky, Svyatoslav, 143, 144, 151, 157, 158 Kochurov, Yuri, 100 Kogan, Grigoriy, 60 Kogan, Leonid, 75, 152 Komarovo (near Leningrad), 158 Komitas Quartet, 143 Kondrashin, Kirill, 92, 162, 164, 165, 171; on DS as a pianist, 151, 173 Konstantinovskaya, Yelena, 4, 81, 83 Koval, Marian, 41 Kozhunova, Maria, 123 Kozintsev, Grigoriy, 63, 64, 166 Krenek, Ernst, 15, 43; Piano Concerto in F-sharp major, op. 18, 61 Kubatsky, Viktor, 4, 36, 91–2; and Cello Sonata, 83, 84–5; on performing with Shostakovich, 88 Kube, Natasha, 16 Küchelbecker, Wilhelm, 172 Kuibyshev, 101–4 Kullak, Theodor, 9 Kurgan, 174 Kurkulov (bassoonist), 88 Kustodiyev, Boris, 13 Kustodiyev, Irina, 13 Kvadri, Mikhail, 22, 35 ^

Lamm, Pavel, 90 Lebedinsky, Lev, 65, 161 Leipzig, 131 Leningrad (formerly St Petersburg, then Petrograd); after 1917 revolution, 15; “Bloody Sunday” massacre (1905), 157; German seige (1941-42), 12, 102; name changes of, 184n29; premiere of Symphony No. 7 in, 102 Leningrad Association for Contemporary Music, 40 Leningrad Choreographic Technikum, 63

Leningrad Conservatory (formerly St Petersburg Conservatory, then Petrograd Conservatory); DS as student at, 14, 15, 29–30, 35, 39, 40, 64; DS teaching positions at, 89–90, 122, 123, 162, 190n36; name changes of, 184n29; Nikolayev at, 18; premiere’s of ds’s works at, 31; Rozanova at, 11; Sofia Shostakovich at, 6 Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, 40, 58, 61, 64, 76, 91, 92 Lenin Prize, 158 Leschetizky, Theodor, 11 Leskov, Nikolai, 66 Levitin, Yuriy, 90, 101 Liadov, Anatoliy, 22, 23; Birul’ki, op. 2, 24 Liszt, Franz; DS performances of works by, 22, 29, 31, 32, 33, 36, 42, 52, 60 Livshitz, Yosif, 87 Lobkovsky, Abram, 90 Lopukhov, Fyodor, 65 Lukashevich, Klavdiya, 15, 30, 36 Lvov (Ukraine), 154, 158 L’vov, Nikolai; Virgin Soil, 63 Mahler, Gustav: Symphony No. 5, 90; Symphony No. 9, 90 Makarov, Yevgeniy, 90, 109, 110, 120, 121 Makarova, Nina, 89, 110 Malakhovsky, Nikolai, 22 Malko, Nicolai, 15; on DS as pianist, 21–2, 23, 61; and The Nose, 62; on Piano Sonata No. 1, 48; and Symphony No. 1, 40, 41; and Symphony No. 2, 58 Maloletkova, Alla, 119 Malozemova, Sofia, 6, 11 Maslakovetz, Alla, 61 Maslennikov, Alexey, 126, 149, 150, 152 Mayakovsky, Vladimi: The Bedbug, 62–3 Mazurov, Dmitri, 33 Medtner, Nicolai, 41, 96 Meyer, Krzystof, 173 Meyerhold, Vsevolod, 61, 62–3, 93 Meyerovich, Mikhail, 158 Miaskovsky, Nikolai, 41 Mikhailov, Lev, 150 Mikhoels, Solomon, 123, 125, 145

217 Miklashevsky, Josif, 33 Milhaud, Darius, 40 Minsk (Byelorussia), 143, 150 Miroshnikova, Margarita, 173 Mnatsakanyan, Alexander, 162 Mogilevsky, David, 98 monogram, musical (dsch), 106, 124, 145, 161 Mordvinov, Boris, 67 Moscheles, Ignaz: Piano Concerto in F major, 8 Moscow, 35–6, 101, 103, 107, 120 Moscow Chamber Orchestra, 173 Moscow Chamber Theatre, 179 Moscow College of Music and Drama, 18 Moscow Conservatory, 17–8, 95; ds’s possible transfer to, 35; DS teaching positions at, 109, 123, 190n36 Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, 77, 81, 148, 162, 165, 171 Moscow Philharmonic Quartet, 131 Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, 154 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 8, 33, 121; Concerto for Two Pianos, 61; Don Giovanni (Liszt transcription), 36, 37; Piano Sonata, K 282, 7; Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, maman,” 29 Mravinsky, Yevgeniy, 91, 94, 103, 110, 145, 165 “Muddle instead of Music” (Pravda 1936), 88, 150, 190n30 Muradeli, Vano: The Great Friendship, 123 Musorgsky, Modest, 41, 59, 132, 180; Boris Godunov (ds reorchestration), 94, 180; Khovanshchina (ds reorchestration), 159; Songs and Dances of Death (ds orchestration), 165, 173 Myaskovsky, Nikolai, 35, 110, 123 Nagovitsin, Vyacheslav, 162 Nazirova, Elmira, 121, 143, 149 Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre (Moscow), 67, 150, 165 Nesterenko, Yevgeniy, 168, 179 Nesvadba, Ernst, 8 New Babylon, The (film), 63–4, 187–188n68

index.fm Page 218 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

218 Nikolayev, Leonid Vladimirovich, 24, 33, 34, 93; career, 17–9; death, 104; DS letters to, 37; DS studies with, 10, 35, 36, 49, 60, 66, 93; Piano Sonata No. 2 dedicated to, 104; Variations for Two Pianos, 60, 92 Nikolayeva, Tatiana, 4, 116, 131, 133, 134, 140–2, 144 Nikritina, Anna, 67, 143 Novosibirsk, 103 Oborin, Lev, 4, 35, 102, 153; at Chopin Competition, 49, 50, 51, 52; DS letters to, 27, 32, 42; performances with DS, 29, 35, 82, 101, 124 October Revolution (1917), 10, 58 Odessa (Ukraine), 158 official and administrative positions (of ds), 122, 129, 131, 144, 156, 162 Oistrakh, David, 82; and Blok Romances, 170; on ds’s playing, 122; and Piano Trio No. 2, 112, 122, 143, 144, 151, 158; and Violin Concerto No. 2, 171; and Violin Sonata, 145, 171–2 Oistrakh, Igor, 123–4, 171, 172 Okunev, German, 162, 167 Orchestre national de la RTF, 77, 154, 159 Orlov, Alexander, 109 Ossovsky, Alexander, 15 Ostrovsky, V. (cellist), 101 Paderewski, Ignaz, 8 Paverman, Mark, 99 pedalling; in DS recordings, 71–2, 72e, 73e, 86–7, 87e, 98; markings in scores, 20, 46, 56–7, 71–3, 86, 105, 114, 140–2, 179. See also pianistic abilities and characteristics (of ds) Peiko, Nikolai, 109 Peisin, A., 100 Pekker, Grigoriy, 31, 33, 34 Perelman, Nathan, 50 Petersburg House of Arts, 13 Petri, Egon, 15 Petrov, Alexey, 15 Petrov, Yevgeniy, 101 pianistic abilities and characteristics (of ds): agogics and rubato, 72–3, 79, 107, 155; arpeggiation of large chords, 137, 139; articulation, 79, 139–40; dynamics, 128; improvisations,

index 13–4, 37; love for four-hand arrangements, 15, 22, 90, 102, 120; memory, 60, 102, 120; pedalling in recorded performances, 71–2, 72e, 73e, 86–7, 87e, 98; practicing, 42, 60, 93; repetition of tied notes, 134–5; sight-reading abilities, 21, 90 . See also pedalling; tempos; specific works under Shostakovich, Dmitri: works piano(s): DS on piano vs. strings, 75; DS on role of piano in composition, 90–1; DS piano renditions of his orchestral works, 101; DS use of piano in symphonies, 39, 91; instruments owned by DS, 30, 169 piano performances (by ds); described by Atovm’yan, 60, 69; described by Bogdanov-Berezovsky, 22–3, 29–30, 32–3, 34, 41, 49–50; described by B. Dobrokhotov, 83; described by A. Ferkelman, 92–3; described by K. Meyer, 173–4; described by S. Khentova, 9; described by K. Kondrashin, 151, 173; described by Y. Makarov, 100, 121; described by G. Okunev, 167; described by M. Steinberg, 33; described by student in Lvov, 158; described by G. Vishnevskaya, 164–5; desire to stop concertizing, 151; effect of illness on, 77; last public concert, 168–9; programs limited to own compositions, 3, 66, 70; repetition of new works, 48; reviews of, 31, 32, 34–5, 60, 63; student repertoire, 22, 36–7; work in film, 14, 37–8; work in theatre, 61, 62–3; as a youth, 12–3 Pikadilly cinema (Leningrad), 37 Piotrovosky, Adrian: Rule Britannia!, 63 Pokrovsky, Boris, 179 Ponna, Maria, 33 Popov, Gavriil, 61, 100, 123; Fugato for Symphonic Orchestra, 33 Prague, 107 Prague Spring Festival (1947), 107, 112, 122 Pravda: “Balletic Falsity,” 88; “Muddle instead of Music,” 88, 150, 190n30 prelude project (with Feldt and Klements), 23, 184n31

Preys, Alexander, 59, 66 Prokofiev, Sergei, 18, 23, 41, 96, 123; influence on DS, 43, 52, 59; Piano Concerto No. 1, 43, 63, 65; Piano Sonata No. 3, 22, 43, 52 Prokofiev, V. (cellist), 34 Provatorov, Gennadi, 150 Pushkin, Alexander, 170; Four Pushkin Monologues, 144; Four Pushkin Romances, 89, 96, 101, 103; Gypsies, 10, 42; Spring, Spring, 170; The Tale of the Priest and his Worker Balda, 64; “The Story of a Poet,” 168 quotations, use of, 76, 161; in Lebyadkin songs, 180; in Piano Concerto No. 1, 76; in Piano Concerto No. 2, 154; in String Quartet No. 8, 161; in String Quartet No. 14, 176; in Symphony No. 15, 175; in Viola Sonata, 181 Rabinovich, David, 102 Rabinovich, Nikolai, 91 Rachmaninov, Sergei, 7, 14, 18, 96; Cello Sonata, op. 19, 88, 92, 93; in DS concert repertoire, 22, 33, 36, 41; influence on DS, 24; Prelude in C-sharp minor, 20 Raikh, Zinaida, 61, 93 Ravel, Maurice, 41; Valses nobles et sentimentales, 20 Razin, Stepan, 195n51 Renzin, Isai, 33, 60, 61 Richter, Svyatoslav, 4, 121, 125, 172 Riga (Latvia), 143, 150 Rilke, Rainer Maria, 172 Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai, 15; Sheherazade, 37 Rossini, Gioacchino, 121, 175 Rostov-on-Don, 65–6, 99 Rostropovich, Mstislav, 109; and Blok Romances, 170; and Cello Concerto No. 1, 165; and Cello Concerto No. 2, 169; and Cello Sonata, 84, 86, 150; and Rayok, 128; and Satires, 162 Rowland, Christopher, 99 Rozanov, Alexander, 21, 63 Rozanova, Alexandra Alexandrovna, 6, 10, 11, 12 Rozhdestvensky, Gennadiy, 172, 179, 188n68

index.fm Page 219 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

index Rubinstein, Anton, 6, 11 Ruse (Bulgaria), 167 Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians, 65 Russian Musical Society, 9 Russian School (of pianism), 15, 137 Ryba, Mikhail, 152 ^

Sádlo, Milos, 112, 122 Safonov, Vasiliy, 17 Samosud, Samuil, 62, 67, 77, 121, 148; in Kuibyshev, 102; and Symphony No. 7, 101–2; and Symphony No. 9, 121 Sass-Tisovsky, Boris, 7, 36 Savel’yev, Boris, 34 Schillinger, Joseph, 22, 33; Gate of the East, 33 Schmidt, Alexander, 76 Schnabel, Artur, 15 Schoenberg, Arnold, 15 Schreker, Franz, 34 Schubert, Franz, 33 Schumann, Robert, 13, 32, 36; Carnaval, 37; Cello Concerto (ds reorchestration), 166; Faschingsschwank aus Wien, 19; Humoresque, op. 20, 29–30, 31, 32; Der Kontrabandiste (Tausig), 9; Phantasiestucke, op. 12, 35; Piano Concerto, 29; Piano Quintet, 60; Piano Sonata, op. 11, 32 Scriabin, Alexander, 22, 43, 46, 186n15 Sebastian, George, 87 Second World War, 99–102, 108, 120; DS performances during, 100, 103, 109; evacuation of artists during, 101, 103–4; Leningrad seige, 12, 102; Nazi Holocaust, 111, 124 Selva, Blanche, 11 Serdechkov, Vladimir, 121 Serebryakov, Pavel, 131 Shafran, Daniil, 84, 85–6, 86, 121 Shagynian, Marietta, 4, 174, 177; article on DS (1947), 122; DS described by, 95–6, 108–9 Shcherbachev, Vladimir, 43 Shebalin, Vissarion, 4, 104, 109, 150; blacklisted (1948), 123; DS plays new works for, 69, 91, 110; ds’s friendship with, 35, 103; Violin Concerto in G major, 103 Sheidler, Georgiy, 63 Shenderovich, Yevgeniy, 179

Sher, Veniamin, 31, 33, 34 Shidlovskaya Gymnasium (St Petersburg), 12 Shirinsky, Sergei, 95, 111–2, 133; and Cello Sonata, 83; death of, 178; String Quartet No. 14 dedicated to, 176 Shirinsky, Vasiliy, 94, 95, 96, 99, 167 Shostakovich: A Life (Fay), 4 Shostakovich: A Life Remembered (Wilson), 4 Shostakovich, Dmitri: personal life – character, 108–9 – childhood and youth, 6–38 – death, 182 – early musical training, 7–14, 15, 18–9 – Kustodiyev’s drawing of, 13 – marriages to N. Varzar, 60, 67, 68, 69, 70, 82–3, 149, 189n22; to M. Kainova, 152, 159, 160; to I. Supinskaya, 163 – suicide attempt, 161–2 Shostakovich, Dmitri: works – childhood compositions, 10 – Alone (film score), 64 – Aphorisms, 52–8, 54–8e, 71 – The Bedbug (incidental music), 62–3 – The Bolt, 65; suites from, 71, 118; Waltz from, 65, 118e – Cello Concerto No. 1, 161, 165 – Cello Concerto No. 2, 169 – Cello Sonata, 4, 82–7, 84e, 86e, 87e, 181; DS performances of, 82; with Al’tman, 158; with Ferkelman, 92–3; with Knushevitsky, 143, 144, 157; with Kubatsky, 88; with Livshitz, 87; with Ostrovsky, 101; with Rostropovich, 84, 86, 150; with Shafran, 86; recordings of, 84– 6, 121; tempos in, 84–7, 85t – Children’s Notebook, 114–7, 116e, 117e, 117t; recording of, 122 – Concertino for Two Pianos, 39, 117, 118–9, 153; DS performances of, 119, 150; recording of, 4, 119, 152 – Dances of the Dolls (1951–2), 65, 68, 118 – Declared Dead, 68, 76e, 118, 119e – Eight Preludes, op. 2, 13, 15– 7, 16e–8e, 31, 32, 34, 42, 184n31

219 – The Execution of Stepan Razin, op. 119, 166–7 – Festive Overture, 148, 158, 165 – A Fire Sonata, 10 – Five Days – Five Nights (film score), 161 – Five Romances on Dolmatovsky’s Verses, 148, 152, 158 – Five Romances on Texts from Krokodil, 167, 168, 179 – Four Pushkin Monologues, op. 91, 144 – Four Pushkin Romances, op. 46, 89, 96, 101, 103 – Four Verses of Captain Lebyadkin, 179–80 – Friends (film score), 92 – From Jewish Folk Poetry, 4, 125–8, 126e–30e, 128t; orchestration of, 166; performances of, 149, 150, 157; recording of, 152 – Funeral March in Memory of the Victims of the Revolution, 10, 11e – Funeral-Triumphal Prelude, 171 – The Gadfly (film score), 150 – The Gamblers, 102, 104, 109 – The Golden Age, 65; Polka from, 65, 78–9, 79e, 80e, 122; recording (of Polka), 122; suites from, 71, 118 – The Golden Mountains (film score), 64 – The Gypsies, 42 – Hamlet (film score), 166 – Hamlet (incidental music), 68 – Happy March, 117 – Intermezzo (ca 1919-20), 12, 13e – In the Forest, 10 – King Lear (film score), 174 – King Lear (incidental music), 99 – Korzinkina’s Adventures (film score), 99 – Lady Macbeth of the Mtensk District (Katerina Izmailova), 66–8, 69, 71, 79, 176, 188n77; film version, 167; performances of, 165, 167, 168; state criticism of, 88, 149–50 – The Limpid Stream (ballet), 68, 88, 118 – Longing for the Native Country (The Soldier), 10 – Loyalty, op. 136, 174

index.fm Page 220 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

220 – The Man with a Gun (film score), 92 – March of the Soviet Militia, op. 139, 174 – Maxim’s Return (film score), 89 – Minuet (ca 1919-20), 12e – Mir pobedit voinu (song), 166 – Moscow, Cheryomushki, 159 – Murzilka, 118 – The New Babylon (film score), 63–4, 187–8n68 – The Nose, 58–9, 61–2, 66, 179 – Novorossiysk Chimes, 161 – October, op. 131, 171 – Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes, op. 115, 166 – Piano Concerto No. 1, 13, 75– 8, 78e; DS performances of, 76, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 99, 109, 148, 151; instrumentation, 75; quotations in, 76; recordings of, 4, 77, 159; tempos in, 77t, 78t; two-piano arrangement of, 75 – Piano Concerto No. 2, 39, 117, 152, 153–6, 156e–7e; performances of, 154, 158, 159; recordings of, 4, 154, 155, 159; tempos, 155t – Piano Quintet, 4, 94–9, 103, 123, 166; DS performances of; with Beethoven Qt., 95, 96, 99, 109, 112, 122–3, 143–4, 150, 152, 157–9, 166; with Bolshoi Qt., 101, 103; with Borodin Qt., 166; with Glazunov Qt., 95, 96, 98, 99, 103, 123; with Moscow Phil. Qt., 131; recordings of, 96, 97–8; tempos in, 97–9, 97t, 98e – Piano Sonata No. 1, 42–9, 44e–7e, 53, 58, 71, 102; DS performances of, 48, 52, 66, 87, 103 – Piano Sonata No. 2, 104–7, 105e–6e; DS performances of, 107, 109, 112, 122, 123 – Piano Trio No. 1, 30–1, 34, 35, 42 – Piano Trio No. 2, 4, 110–4, 124; DS performances of, 111– 2, 122, 133, 143, 144, 151, 158, 159; pedalling in, 115e; recordings of, 112, 113–4, 122; tempos in, 113t–4t – Preface to the Complete Edtion of My Works and a Brief Reflection on This Preface, 167, 179

index – Prelude (ca 1919-20), 12e – Prelude in E minor (for prelude project), 23e – Rayok, 128, 179 – Revolutionary Symphony, 10 – Salute to Spain, 89 – Satires, 161, 162, 168, 179 – Scherzo, op. 7, 39 – Scherzo for orchestra, op. 1, 15, 32, 114, 115e – Second Jazz Suite, 92 – Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok, 145, 170 – Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, 68, 176–7 – Six Romances on Texts by Japanese Poets, 68 – Six Romances on Verses of English Poets, op. 62, 103, 107, 109; orchestration (op. 140), 175 – Sofia Perovskaya (film score), 171 – Song of the Forests, 117, 130, 131 – Song of the Great Rivers (film score), 148 – Spanish Songs, 152 – Spring, Spring, 170 – String Quartet No. 1, 92, 94, 120, 122, 168 – String Quartet No. 2, 111–2, 122 – String Quartet No. 3, 122, 124 – String Quartet No. 4, 130 – String Quartet No. 5, 144, 152 – String Quartet No. 6, 152 – String Quartet No. 7, 161 – String Quartet No. 8, 161 – String Quartet No. 9, 166 – String Quartet No. 10, 166 – String Quartet No. 11, 167, 168 – String Quartet No. 12, 171 – String Quartet No. 13, 174 – String Quartet No. 14, 176 – String Quartet No. 15, 177–8 – Suite for Two Pianos, 24–9e, 31, 34, 35, 181e – Suite on Texts by Michelangelo Buonarroti, op. 145, 68, 178– 9 – The Sun Shines over Our Motherland, op. 90, 144 – Symphony No. 1, 34, 36, 39– 41, 40e, 69, 91 – Symphony No. 2, 58 – Symphony No. 3, 64 – Symphony No. 4, 88–9, 93, 121, 162

– Symphony No. 5, 91, 129, 190n43 – Symphony No. 6, 93–4 – Symphony No. 7, 100–2, 109 – Symphony No. 8, 110 – Symphony No. 9, 121 – Symphony No. 10, 144–7; piano four-hands arrangement of, 4, 101, 134, 137e, 145, 148; recording of, 148; tempos in, 146–7 – Symphony No. 11, 17, 152, 156, 157–8, 158, 159 – Symphony No. 12, 162 – Symphony No. 13, 163, 164–5 – Symphony No. 14, 68, 172–3 – Symphony No. 15, 175 – The Tale of the Priest and his Worker Balda (film score), 64 – Tarantella for Two Pianos, 119 – Taras Bulba, 10 – Ten Poems on Texts by Revolutionary Poets, 17e, 131 – Theme and Variations, op. 3, 19, 32 – Three Fantastic Dances, 19, 20, 21e, 32, 33, 34, 35, 42; recordings of, 20, 122, 159 – Three Pieces for Cello and Piano, 30, 34, 35 – Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34, 69, 70–5, 72e–4e; DS performances of, 70–1, 87, 93, 94, 96, 99, 101, 112, 122; recordings of, 71–5, 75, 122; Tsyganov arrangements of, 74–5, 152 – Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, op.87, 3, 4, 13, 131– 42, 135e–6e, 139e–42e; articulation markings in, 139–40; composition of, 131; DS performances of, 101, 133, 143– 4, 150, 152, 157, 158, 159; our-hand arrangement of, 132; pedalling in, 140–2; recordings of, 4, 134, 159; state criticism of, 143–4; structure of, 131–2; tempos in, 136–8, 138t – Two Fables of Krylov, 19 – Two Pieces for String Octet, op. 11, 34, 36, 39, 40, 48; piano arrangement, 42 – Two Romances on Texts of M. Lermontov, 144 – Viola Sonata, 181–2, 182e – Violin Concerto No. 1, 123–4, 151 – Violin Concerto No. 2, 170–1 – Violin Sonata, 4, 43, 145, 171–2

index.fm Page 221 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

index – The Vyborg Side (film score), 92 – A Year Like a Life (film score), 167 Shostakovich, Dmitri: arrangements and reorchestrations – Boris Godunov (Musorgsky), 94 – Cello Concerto (Schumann), 166 – Khovanshchina (Musorgsky), 159 – Songs and Dances of Death (Musorgsky), 165, 173 – Tahiti Trot, 188n71 Shostakovich, Dmitri Boleslavovich (father), 6, 23–4 Shostakovich, Galina (daughter), 89, 149, 160; Children’s Notebook written for, 114–5 Shostakovich, Maria (sister), 6, 7, 23–4, 30, 43; DS works dedicated to, 15, 16; exile, 89; performances of DS works, 27, 31, 34 Shostakovich, Maxim (son), 92, 149, 151, 160; and Concertino for Two Pianos, 118–9, 150, 152; conducting Symphony No. 15, 175; and Piano Concerto No. 2, 153, 154, 157 Shostakovich, Nina. See Varzar, Nina Shostakovich, Sofia Vasilyevna (mother), 6–7, 23, 50, 143; death of, 151; ds’s piano lessons with, 7–8 Shostakovich, Zoya (sister), 6, 20 Shostakovich on Himself and His Time, 162 Shtreikher, Lyubov, 41 Shulzhenko, Klavdia, 169 Shvarts, Josif, 19, 29 Siloti, Alexander, 14 Six, Les, 15 Slavyansk (Ukraine), 36 Smolich, Nikolai, 62, 67 Sochi (on the Black Sea), 28 Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, 154, 159 Sofronitsky, Vladimir, 19, 92 Sokolov, Nikolai, 15 Sokolov, Y., 125 Sokolovsky, Mikhail, 187n65 Sollertinsky, Ivan, 4; death of, 110; DS letters to, 4, 65, 82, 104; DS plays new works for, 67, 110; ds’s friendship with, 59, 103; support and praise for DS, 62, 94 Soviet Music Festival (Leningrad, 1937), 91

221

Splendid Palace cinema (Leningrad), 37 Stalinist repression and terror; anti-Semitism, 124, 125, 145, 163, 164, 193n40, 194n41; arrests in ds’s circle, 89, 93; and DS decision to join Communist Party, 160, 161, 162; Khrushchev “thaw,” 150; and Lady MacBeth, 88, 149–50; and Limpid Stream, 88; and op. 87 preludes and fugues, 143–4; in postwar period, 121, 122, 123, 130–1, 143–4; Pravda articles criticizing DS (1936), 88, 150, 190n30; and Rayok, 128; in 1930s, 11, 88–9; and Shagnyian’s article on DS, 122; and Stalin’s death, 145; Steinberg on criticism of DS, 102; and Symphony No. 4, 88; and Symphony no. 13, 165; Zhdanov’s 1948 Decree, 123, 128, 133, 143 Stalin Prizes (awarded to ds), 95, 96, 102, 131 Starokadomsky, Mikhail, 110 Steinberg, Maximilian, 40, 41, 110, 121; on DS as a pianist, 33; DS studies with, 15, 22, 90; on DS works, 48, 89, 92, 93, 95, 102 Stiedri, Fritz, 61, 76, 89 Stokowski, Leopold, 41 Stolyarov, Grigoriy, 67, 99 Stoyunina Gymnasium (St Petersburg), 12–3 Stravinsky, Igor, 15, 43, 62; Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, 75; Concerto for Two Pianos, 121; Les noces, 48, 61; Symphony of Psalms, 90 Strobl, Rudolf, 8 Sukhoumi (Georgia), 81 Suliko (song), 161 Supinskaya, Irina, 163 Sverdlovsk (in Urals), 67, 93, 158 Svetlanov, Yevgeniy, 169 Sviridov, Georgiy, 90 Szpinalski, Stanislaw, 51, 52

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il’yich, 7, 34, 41; Children’s Album, 8; Piano Concerto no. 1, 32, 33, 41, 61, 65; Queen of Spades, 166; Suite for Two Pianos, 24; Symphony No. 6, 161 teaching positions (of DS): at Leningrad Choreographic Technikum, 63; at Leningrad Conservatory, 89–90, 162–3, 190n36; at Moscow Conservatory, 109, 190n36; playing four-hands with students, 22, 90, 120–1 tempos: in Cello Sonata, 84–7, 85t; in Children’s Notebook, 117t; in From Jewish Folk Poetry, 127–8, 128t; in op. 34 preludes, 71–2; in op. 87 preludes and fugues, 134, 136–8, 138t; in Piano Concerto No. 1, 77t, 78t; in Piano Concerto No. 2, 155t; in Piano Quintet, 97–9, 97t, 98e; in Piano Trio No. 2, 113t–4t; in Symphony No. 8, 110; in Symphony No. 10, 146–7; in DS performances of other composer’s works, 33, 51. See also pianistic abilities and characteristics (of ds) Tikhonov, Nikolai, 101 Timoshuk, Lydia, 164 Tishchenko, Boris, 31, 162, 163, 164 Tolmachev, Boris, 90 Tormented by Grievous Bondage (song), 161 tram theatre, 63, 187n65 Trauberg, Leonid, 63, 64, 123 Tsekhanovsky, Mikhail, 64 Tsvetaeva, Marina, 176–7 Tsyganov, Dmitri, 98, 159; arrangement of op. 34 preludes, 74–5, 152; and Piano Quintet, 94, 95, 96, 159; and Piano Trio No. 2, 111–2, 133, 159; and String Quartet No. 4, 130; and String Quartet No. 12, 171; and String Quartet No. 15, 177–8 Tukhachevsky, Mikhail, 36, 50 Turkey, 3, 82

Taganrog, 99 Tallin (Estonia), 150 Tambov, 158 Taneyev, Sergei, 17, 34 Taneyev Quartet, 178 Tawaststjerna, Erik, 107 Tbilisi (Georgia), 92, 143 Tchaikovsky, Boris, 109

Ufa (Bashkiriya), 103 Umansky, K., 101 United States of America, 41, 128–9, 130, 176 Uspensky, Vladislav, 162 Ustovlskaya, Galina, 90, 130, 149, 151–2 Utyosov, Leonid, 68

index.fm Page 222 Friday, February 6, 2004 3:38 PM

222 Vaillant, Ludovic, 77 Vainberg, Moisei; and Blok Romances, 170, 171; danger from Stalin terror, 123, 145; piano duo collaborations with DS, 121, 132, 145–6, 154, 158; and Symphony No. 10, 101, 134, 145–6, 148; and Violin Sonata, 172 Vakman, Sofia, 177 Valter, Victor, 15, 32, 34–5 Varlamov, Alexander, 6 Varzar, Irina, 151, 188n1, 188n77 Varzar, Nina (later Nina Shostakovich, first wife); death of, 148–9, 150; DS works dedicated to, 67, 68, 161, 188n1; and Lady Macbeth, 68, 188n77; marriage to DS, 60, 82–3, 149, 189n22 Varzar, Sofia, 89 vaudeville, 68 Verdi, Giuseppe: Otello, 102 Vertinsky, Alexander, 148 Veysberg, Yulia, 41 Vidal, Paul Antonin, 11 Vienna, 144, 167

index Vilboa, Konstantin, 6 Vilnius (Lithuania), 143, 150 Vinogradov (cellist), 34 Vishnevskaya, Galina, 162, 165, 170, 173; descriptions of DS, 164, 168 Vladimirov, Yevgeniy, 173 Volovnik, Josif, 77, 148 Voronezh, 76, 158 Vuillaume Quartet, 79 Vyrlan, Lydia, 41, 60 Wagner, Richard, 175; Götterdämmerung, 161; Tannhäuser, 21 Walter, Bruno, 40, 41 Warsaw, 3, 51–2 Warsaw Conservatory, 8 Welter, Nadezhda, 67 Wilson, Elizabeth: Shostakovich: A Life Remembered, 4 Wulfius, Pavel, 41 Yakobson, Grigoriy, 65 Yanko, Tamara, 125, 150 Yavorsky, Boleslav, 4, 36, 40, 52, 94; and Chopin Competition, 49, 50, 51; DS letters to, 34,

36, 37, 39, 41, 42–3, 48, 53, 93; memorial concert for, 144 Yegorov, Anatoly, 35 Yerevan (Armenia), 143, 148 Yevlakhov, Orest, 90, 100, 101 Yevtushenko, Yevgeniy, 163, 164, 165, 166; The Bratsk Power Station, 166 Youman, Vincent; Tea for Two, 188n71 Yudin, Gavriil, 22 Yudina, Maria, 19, 33, 61, 131, 133 Yuditsky, A., 125 Yur’yev, Leonid, 81, 87, 88 Yutkevich, Sergei, 64 Zagursky, Boris, 89, 149 Zamyatin, Yevgeniy, 59 Zateplinsky, Sergei, 22 Zhdanov, Andrei, 121, 123, 128, 133, 143 Zhilyaev, Nikolai, 91 Zhitomirsky, Daniil, 125, 143 Zhook, Isaak, 103 Zhukovka (near Moscow), 170 Zoshchenko, Mikhail, 108–9, 121