Shostakovich’s Vocal Cycles of the 1940s-1960s.

“From Jewish Folk Poetry”.

Op. 79.

Song Cycle for Soprano, Contralto and Tenor with Piano Accompaniment.

1. Lament for a Dead Infant. Translated by T. Spendiarova.
2. The Loving Mother and Aunt. Translated by A. Globa.
3. Lullaby. Translated by V. Zvyagintseva.
4. Before a Long Separation. Translated by A. Globa.
5. Warning. Translated by N. Ushakov.
6. The Abandoned Father. Translated by S. Mar.
7. Song of Misery. Words by B. Shafir. Translated by B. Semyonov.
8. Winter. Translated by B. Semyonov.
9. The Good Life. Translated by S. Olender.
10. Song of the young Girl. Translated by S. Olender.
11. Happiness. Translated by L. Dligach.

The composition was first published by the USSR Music Fund in 1955. Evidently, the cycle was accepted for publication immediately after the premiere. It took some time to edit the music and poetry texts. Two months and ten days later, on 25 March 1955, the texts were submitted to other departments which prepared them for printing; the publication was signed to press on 11 June. A second separate publication was issued in 1961 by Sovetsky kompositor Publishers, and the cycle was also included in the collection Vocal Compositions (Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1967 and 1974) and in Volume 32 of Collected Works (Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1982).

This publication was based on the author’s manuscript of the composition. All the editions of the piano score are taken into account, as well as the author’s manuscript and edition of the score in Volume 31 of Collected Works (Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1982).

In author’s manuscript, there are separate rehearsal numbers in each song of the cycle. They are missing in all of the editions. Continuous rehearsal numbers that run through the entire composition are given in the author’s manuscript of the score.

“Satires” (“Pictures of the Past”) on Verses by Sasha Chorny.

Op. 109.

Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano.

1. To a Critic
2. Spring Awakening
3. Descendants
4. Misunderstanding
5. Kreutzer Sonata

The name of the cycle in author's manuscript is Satires. Five Romances on Verses by Sasha Chorny. For Soprano and Piano. The subtitle “Pictures of the Past” is missing in manuscript (for more detail, see the article in this volume).

The composition was published for the first time in the collection, D. Shostakovich, Vocal Compositions, Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1967, 1974 (in Russian). Printed in Vol. 33 of Collected Works (Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1984) without the dedication to Galina Vishnevskaya, which was removed by the censors.

Printed in keeping with the author’s manuscript and the 1974 edition.

Shostakovich made changes to the first edition of Satires in the metronome signs found in manuscript. These changes are preserved in the subsequent editions and in this edition. They are all noted in the bar-by-bar comments.

Seven Poems by Alexander Blok.

Op. 127.

Vocal-instrumental Suite for Soprano, Violin, Cello and Piano.

1. Song of Ophelia
2. Gamayun, the Bird of Prophecy (Victor Vasnetsov’s Picture)
3. We Were Together
4. The City Sleeps
5. The Storm
6. Secret Signs
7. Music

The name of the cycle in manuscript is Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok. Since there were plans to publish the work in Leipzig, Shostakovich wrote to Schultz and Weber, the publishing house’s editors: “I would be happy if you print my romances on poems by Alexander Blok… Please give the composition the following title:
“Vocal-instrumental suite for soprano, violin, violoncello and piano on poems by Alexander Blok… The violin and violoncello parts should also be published.”

However, the name Seven Poems by Alexander Blok became established in the lifetime Russian publications.

The work was first published (with separate violin and violoncello parts) in 1969 by Sovetsky kompositor Publishers in Moscow. In Volume 33 of Collected Works (Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1984), it was printed without the violin and violoncello parts and without the dedication to Galina Vishnevskaya, which was removed by the censors.

It is printed according to the author’s manuscript taking into account the 1969 and 1984 editions.