Tribute to the Teacher. Towards the centenary of D. Shostakovich's birthday. For full symphony orchestra. Score. (+CD)

On the 29th of June 2005 Chairman of St. Petersburg Union of Composers Andrey Petrov invited those who were the pupils of Shostakovich in his later years — the post-graduates of the 1960s Gennady Belov, Vadim Bibergan, Alexander Mnatsakanyan, Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn, Boris Tishchenko — to his office in Bolshaya Morskaya and suggested that they compose a piece of music together to commemorate their teacher’s 100th anniversary.

Together with Grigory Korchmar, who was also present, various musical ideas were discussed, and eleven months later, on the 11th of May 2006, their joint work “Tribute to the Teacher” was performed at the opening of Peterburgskaya Musykalnaya Vesna (Petersburg musical spring) Festival in the Grand Hall of the Philharmonic Society by the Honoured Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Philharmonic Society of Russia conducted by Alexander Titov.

The five-part symphonic work is based on themes as well as textural, orchestral and harmonic reminiscences from different works by Shostakovich.

The prospect for the whole composition is suggested by the Piano Prelude in C-dur (op. 87) orchestrated by G. Belov. In Part I, apart from the well-known anagram DSCH, G. Belov introduced the theme that Shostakovich composed at the age of 11 and later used in one of his last works, Vocal Suite based on verses by Michaelangelo.

V. Bibergan built his “Variations” on the theme from Shostakovich’s music for the animated cartoon “Skazka O Pope I O Rabotnike Yego Balde” (Tale of a priest and his serf Blockhead) which was restored by V. Bibergan as well.
In A. Mnatsakanyan’s “Contrasts” one can hear themes from the Tenth Quartet and “stillness chords” from the 15th Symphony. In V. Nagovitsyn’s “Reflections” we find a whole kaleidoscope of intonations characteristic of D. Shostakovich, from the DSCH anagram to the ingeniously varied themed from Prelude in D flat major with the tune of “Fonariki” (Lanterns) song intertwined in it.
The closing part, “Variations” by B. Tishchenko, uses three themes from Shostakovich: the theme from his D-moll Fugue, the tune “Ele, Junk Dealer” (the vocal cycle “From Jewish folk poetry”) and the C-dur Prelude that echoes the opening part and closes the whole composition.

It was agreed that parts would follow one another in alphabetical order of the composers’ names. The temporal and dynamic correlation of the parts was also agreed upon in advance. In all other aspects, the composers were free in the choice of themes, form and means of expression, and this enabled them to express their admiration for the Teacher and their understanding of his work in their own individual ways. 

The result of this was a composition that approaches a symphonic cycle, in which the parts, though created by different composers, are remarkably similar in style. As the Kultura newspaper said after the first performance, it was an unexpected symphony “On going over D. D. Shostakovich”. (“Kultura” № 23, 2006).

Contents:

I. G. Belov. Theme by D. Shostakovich and Four Variations. Instrumentation by G. Belov
II. V. Bibergan. Variations on the Theme From D. D. Shostakovich
III. A. Mnatsakanyan. Contrasts. On the themes from D. D. Shostakovich
IV. V. Nagovitsyn. Reflections (DSCH+BHAG). Symphony study
V. B. Tishchenko. Variations on Three Themes From D. D. Shostakovich