Opus by Shostakovich

COMPOSITIONS by DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH:
Criticism and the Response to Criticism (1936-1940)

Internet Edition compiled by Onno van Rijen

Last update: 19 August 2006

Clustering after Elizabeth Wilson's book "SHOSTAKOVICH: A Life Remembered":

  • Childhood and Youth (1906-1924)
  • The Young Composer Established (1925-1935)
  • Criticism and the Response to Criticism (1936-1940)
  • The War Years (1941-1945)
  • The Final Years of Stalinism (1946-1952)
  • The Thaw (1953-1961)
  • Regeneration (1962-1968)
  • The Last Years (1969-1975)

    Compositions without opus numbers are allotted a letter designation B, C, D, etc. to facilitate indexing

    For your comments, questions, etc. please send E-mail to Onno van Rijen

    Criticism and the Response to Criticism (1936-1940)

    Opus 43-59

    Opus 43: Symphony No. 4 C minor (1935-1936)

    Movements:
    1. Allegretto poco moderato
    2. Moderato con moto
    3. Largo - Allegro
    First performance: 30 December 1961 in Moscow Conservatory by Moscow PO under K. Kondrashin.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 43B: Reduction of Symphony No. 4 for two pianos (1935-1936)
    Reduction of opus 43; also version for piano four hands by L. Atovmyan.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 44: Music to the Play "Hail, Spain" by Afinogenov (1936)
    1. Fanfares
    2. The Song of Rosita: Moderato
    3. Funeral March: Andante
    4. Andante
    5. March: Allegro non troppo
    Producers: N. Petrov and S. Radlov.
    First performance: 23 November 1936 in Leningrad; design by A. Akimov; produced by S. Radlov and N. Petrov.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 44A: Music to the Play "Hail, Spain" by Afinogenov, arranged for piano (1936)
    Arranged by Lev Solin.
    1. March - 2 min. 30 sec.
    2. Funeral March - 3 min.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 45: Music to the Film "The Return of Maxim" (1936-1937)
    Filmproducers: G. Kosintsev and L. Trauberg (Lenfilm); No. 2 of "Maxim"-trilogy.
    First performance: 23 May 1937 under N. Rabinovich.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 46: Four Romances on Verses by Pushkin for bass and piano (1936-1937)
    1. Renaissance: Moderato
    2. To a Young Man, Sobbing Bitterly: Allegretto
    3. Presentiment: Allegro
    4. Stanzas: Adagio
    In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Pushkin's death.
    First performance: 8 December 1940 in Moscow.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 46B: Orchestration of "Four Romances on Verses by Pushkin for bass and orchestra (1936-1937)
    Orchestrated by G. Rozhdestvensky.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 46C: Arrangement of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of Four Romances on Verses by Pushkin for bass and stringorchestra (1936-1937)

    Opus 47: Symphony No. 5 D minor (1937)

    Movements:
    1. Moderato
    2. Allegretto
    3. Largo
    4. Allegro non troppo
    First performance: 21 November 1937 in Leningrad Philharmony by Leningrad PO under Y. Mravinsky.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 47B: Reduction of Scherzo (Allegretto) of Symphony No. 5 for solo piano (1937)

    Opus 48: Music to the Film "Volochayev Days" (1936-1937)

    Filmproducers: G. and S. Vassiliev (Lenfilm).
    First performance: 20 January 1938 under N. Rabinovich.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 48B: Orchestration of "Internationale" by Degeyter (1937)

    Opus 48C: "The Twelve Chairs", operetta (1937-1938)

    Libretto by Y. Petrov, after the story by Ilf and Petrov.
    Unfinished (probably only sketched).
    Opus 49: String Quartet No. 1 C major (1938)
    Movements:
    1. Moderato - 4 min. 30 sec.
    2. Moderato - 4 min. 30 sec.
    3. Allegro molto - 2 min.
    4. Allegro - 3 min.
    Originally entitled "Springtime".
    First performance: 10 Oktober 1938 in Leningrad by the Glazunov Quartet.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 49A: Transcription of String Quartet No. 1 for orchestra (1938)
    Transcription by R. Barshai.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 50: Music to the Film "The Vyborg District" (1938)
    Filmproducers: G. Kosintsev and L. Trauberg (Lenfilm); No. 3 of "Maxim"-trilogy.
    First performance: 2 February 1939 under N. Rabinovich.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 50A: Suite from "The Maxim Film-Trilogy" for orchestra and chorus (1938)
    Eight pieces; assembled by L. Atovmian.
    1 Introduction ('Courage, my friends'): Moderato - 4 min.
    2 Attack: Allegro - 2 min.
    3 Death of the Old Worker: Adagio - 6 min.
    4 Waltz: Allegro sostenuto - 3 min.
    5 Demonstration: Allegretto - 2 min. 30 sec.
    6 Struggle at the Barricades: Allegro con brio - 5 min.
    7 Funeral March: Tempo di marcia funèbre - 2 min. 30 sec.
    8 Finale - 1 min. 30 sec.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 50B: Suite for jazz orchestra No. 2 (1938)
    Eight pieces:
    1. March: Merrily, Tempo di Marcia
    2. Dance: Presto
    3. Dance: Allegretto scherzando
    4. Little Polka: Allegretto
    5. Lyric Waltz: Allegretto
    6. Waltz: Tempo di Valse
    7. Waltz: Allegretto poco moderato
    8. Finale: Allegro moderato
    First performance: 28 November 1938 in Moscow (Moscow Radio) by State Jazz Band of the USSR.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 51: Music to the Film "Friends" (1938)
    Filmproducer: L. Arnstamm (Lenfilm).
    First performance: 1 Oktober 1938.
    Opus 51B: "Vocalise" from "Friends" for unaccompanied chorus (1938)

    Opus 52: Music to the Film "The Great Citizen", first part (1938)

    Filmproducer: F. Ermler (Lenfilm).
    First performance: 13 February 1938.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 53: Music to the Film "The Man with a Gun" (1938)
    Filmproducers: N. Pogodin and S. Yutkevich (Lenfilm); other filmtitle: "November". First performance: 1 November 1938.
    1. Overture: Allegretto - 2 min.
    2. October: Allegro moderato - 3 min. 30 sec.
    3. Smol'ny Palace: Presto - Allegretto - 2 min.
    4. Finale: Moderato - 1 min.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 53B: Lenin Symphony for soli, chorus and orchestra (1938-1939)
    Texts by Mayakovsky and folksong texts.
    Unfinished; material used in Symphony No. 6.
    Opus 54: Symphony No. 6 B minor (1939)
    Movements:
    1. Largo - 19 min.
    2. Allegro - 6 min.
    3. Presto - 7 min.
    Originally published as opus 53.
    First performance: 5 November 1939 in Leningrad Philharmony by Leningrad PO under Y. Mravinsky.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 55: Music to the Film "The Great Citizen", second part (1939)
    Filmproducer: F. Ermler (Lenfilm).
    First performance: 27 November 1939.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 56: Music to the Trickfilm "The Silly Little Mouse" (1939)
    Filmproducer: S. Marshak; regie: M. Zechanovsky.
    Film never released; manuscript lost.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 56A: Seven Finnish Folk Songs for soprano, tenor and small orchestra (1939)
    Five well-known Finnish Folk Songs and two instrumental parts.
    First Performance: 1 September 2001 in Kaustinen (Finland).
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 57: Piano Quintet G minor (1940)
    Movements:
    1. Prelude: Lento - Poco piu mosso - Lento
    2. Fugue: Adagio
    3. Scherzo: Allegretto
    4. Intermezzo: Lento
    5. Finale: Allegretto
    At request of the Beethoven Quartet.
    First performance: 13 September 1940 in Moscow Conservatory by Beethoven Quartet and D. Shostakovich.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 58: Orchestration of the Opera "Boris Godunov" by Mussorgsky (1939-1940)
    First performance: 4 November 1959 in Leningrad under S. Eltsin; design by G. Mosieev; produced by I. Shlepyanov.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 58A: Music to the Play "King Lear" by Shakespeare (1940)
    Producer: G. Kosintsev.
    First performance: 24 March 1941 in Leningrad; design by N. Altman; produced by G. Kosintsev.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 58B: Reduction of "King Lear" for piano (1940)
    Reduction of opus 58A Nos. 1, 2 and 3 by the composer.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 58C: "Songs of the Fool" and "Ballad of Cordelia" from "King Lear" for voice and piano (1940)
    Arrangement of opus 58A Nos. 4 and 5 by L. Solin.
    Opus 58D: Orchestration of "Wiener Blut" by Strauss (1940)
    Russian text by V. Tipot.
    First performance: 1941 in Leningrad; produced by G. Yaron.
    Opus 58E: Orchestration of "The Excursion Train Polka" by Strauss (1940)
    Composed as a speciality dance for G. Isayeva in "The Gipsy Baron".
    First performance: 1940 in Leningrad.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 58F: Orchestration of 27 Romances and Songs Arrangements (1941)
    Transcriptions of classical and popular songs for Leningrad frontline concerts.
    Opus 58G: "The Oath to the People's Commissar" for bass, chorus and piano (1941)
    Text by S. Sayanov.
    Opus 58H: "The Fearless Regiments Are On the Move", marching song with simple accompaniment for bayan or piano (1941)
    Lyric by L. Rakhmilevich.
    Opus 58I: Polka for harp duet F sharp minor (1941)
    Allegretto and Scherzando.
    Composed at the request of harpist Vera Dulova.
    Transcription of a piece by M. Balakirev.
    Opus 59: Music to the Film "The Adventures of Korzinkina" (1940)
    1. Overture: Allegretto
    2. March: Allegretto
    3. The Chase (for piano four hands): Presto
    4. Music in the Restaurant: Moderato non troppo.
    5. Intermezzo
    6. Finale: Andantino
    Filmproducer: K. Mintz (Lenfilm).
    Filmscore lost.
    Originally opus 59 was three pieces for violin (withdrawn). First performance: 11 November 1940.
    Opus 59B: Suite from "The Adventures of Korzinkina" (1940)
    Six pieces; arranged by G. Rozhdestvensky.
    Check out all CDs released.
    Opus 59C: Three Pieces for solo violin (1940)
    Originally opus 59 (withdrawn).
    Opus 59D: "Katyusha Maslova", opera after Tolsty's novel "Resurrection" (1940)
    Libretto by A. Mariengov.

    Please send your comments

    Return to Shostakovich Opus Page

    Return to Onno van Rijen's Soviet Composer's Page

    Return to Onno van Rijen's Home Page