Dmitri Schostakowitsch

Concerto No. 1

Shostakovich composed his two cello concertos for his close friend Mstislav Rostropovich. The first of these works was premiered in 1959 and immediately secured its place in the repertoire as one of the most powerful cello concertos. The first movement revolves, with biting satire, around the vulgar folk song “Birdie, Birdie,” while the emotional slow movement contains echoes of Modest Mussorgsky, one of Shostakovich’s favorite composers. The finale alternates incessantly between stormy seriousness and scornful laughter. This piano reduction, prepared by Rostropovich, has been revised and improved in accordance with the New Complete Edition and tested in orchestral practice.