Lokshin A. Symphony No. 1 “Requiem”. For mixed choir and full symphony orchestra. Score

Alexander Lazarevich Lokshin (1920–1987) is the author of 11 symphonies, mono-opera “Three Scenes from Goethe’s Faust” (1980), cantata “Mater Dolorosa” (1977) to the verses from Anna Akhmatova’s Requiem and Russian funeral service; number of compositions for chamber orchestra. Such well-known musicians as Dmitri Shostakovich, Maria Yudina, Boris Tishchenko and Rudolf Barshai highly appreciated Lokshin’s music considering him to be one of the most talented composers of the second part of the 20th century.

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Requiem (Symphony №1) dates 1957. Medieval Latin text is used in it, meanwhile it was replaced by Ye. M. Solonovich’s verses especially written for the première in 1967 (conducted by Arvīds Jansons). D. Shostakovich was at that performance, having called it “the ingenious music”. The original Latin text was used, when Rudolf Barshai performed it in England in 1988. The 4th International Conference “Resistance in GULAG” (2002), having taken place in Moscow was signed by Lokshin’s Requiem performed by Rudolf Barshai in the final day.