Accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich performs Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Opus 107. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves. Concertmaster: Hugh Maguire, the Irish violinist. This performance was recorded in 1961.

Accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich performs Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Opus 107. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves. Concertmaster: Hugh Maguire. This performance was recorded in 1961.

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107, is a monumental work in the cello repertoire that has captivated audiences and musicians alike since its premiere. Written in 1959 for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, the concerto reflects both the political landscape of the Soviet Union at that time and the complex relationship between the composer and his homeland. Shostakovich was a composer who often struggled with the artistic constraints imposed by the Soviet regime, and this concerto can be seen as both a personal and political statement.

The great cellist admired Shostakovich’s music very much, and he had on several occasions wanted to ask the composer for a concerto, but he consulted Dmitri’s wife at the time and she advised him not to ask him directly for one. Nevertheless, Rostropovich was to get his concerto. He only found out that Shostakovich had written this new cello concerto after he (Rostropovich) had read the morning papers. Shostakovich met him later that day, showed him the score, and then asked him humbly if Rostropovich would accept his dedication.

“The major work in my immediate plans is a cello concerto,” Shostakovich had said to a friend in the spring of 1959 when the First Concerto was still in embryonic form. “Its first movement, an Allegretto in the nature of a scherzo-like march, is ready. I think the concerto will have three movements, but I am at a loss to say anything definite about its content. … It often happens that in the process of writing a piece, the form, expressive media, and even the genre of work undergo a marked change.”

Shostakovich and Rostropovich in 1959
Shostakovich (left) and Rostropovich in 1959. Shostakovich wrote his Cello Concerto No. 1 for Rostropovich.

Rostropovich committed it to memory in four days and gave the premiere on October 4, 1959, with Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in the Large Hall of the Leningrad Conservatory. The first recording was made in two days following the premiere by Rostropovich and the Moscow Philharmonic, under the baton of Aleksandr Gauk.

The concerto is marked by its emotional depth and technical demands, making it a challenging piece for even the most skilled cellists. It’s also noted for its stark contrasts: moments of frenetic energy are juxtaposed with passages of haunting lyricism, and traditional harmonic language is interspersed with dissonance. The concerto has a unique structural design that differs from the traditional three- or four-movement concerto format. This makes it stand out not only within the cello repertoire but also among concerti in general.

When it comes to instrumentation, Shostakovich employs a modest orchestral ensemble, excluding certain instruments like clarinets and violas. Despite this scaled-down ensemble, the concerto never lacks in impact or breadth. The orchestration enhances the focus on the solo cello, allowing it to shine through even in the most intricate passages.

The concerto was immediately successful at its premiere, with Rostropovich as the soloist and Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. It wasn’t just a technical showcase for Rostropovich; it also became a cornerstone of 20th-century classical music, illustrating how Shostakovich could balance complexity and emotional depth in a single work. Given its technical demands and emotional intensity, the concerto has become a defining piece for cellists, a rite of passage that demonstrates both technical prowess and interpretative skill.

Movements

The concerto is in four movements. With start times in the video:

  1. 00:22 Allegretto
  2. 06:36 Moderato
  3. 17:28 Cadenza (Attacca)
  4. 22:27 Allegro con moto

1. Allegretto

The first movement of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107, is marked “Allegretto,” but don’t let that term mislead you into thinking it’s a light or cheerful piece. It begins in a highly charged manner with a four-note motif played by the solo cello. This motif recurs throughout the movement and serves as its foundational material, showing Shostakovich’s affinity for structural unity. The first movement sets the tone for the entire concerto and demonstrates the emotional intensity and technical demands that will unfold as the work progresses.

In terms of musical language, the movement employs a mix of tonality and dissonance. Shostakovich blends classical harmonic language with moments of jarring dissonance to create a landscape that is at once familiar and unsettling. He uses the orchestra in a way that both complements and contrasts with the cello, providing a rich tapestry of sounds that allows the solo instrument to stand out.

The solo cello part in this movement is technically demanding, requiring a wide range of techniques from the performer, including rapid string crossings, extended passages in high registers, and complex articulations. These technical demands are not just for show; they serve the emotional and structural aspects of the piece, emphasizing its intense character and complex narrative. The movement also contains moments of lyrical beauty, offering the cellist opportunities to showcase not just their technical prowess but also their expressive capabilities.

The movement carries with it a sense of urgency, a feeling of relentless motion that barely lets up from start to finish. This creates an emotionally charged atmosphere that engages listeners and sets the stage for the complex interplay of themes, emotions, and musical ideas that will unfold in the subsequent movements. As such, it serves as a compelling introduction to one of the most important works in the cello repertoire.

2. Moderato

The second movement of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 is marked “Moderato,” a term that implies a moderate tempo but doesn’t fully encapsulate the emotional depth of this part of the concerto. The movement serves as a stark contrast to the frenetic energy of the first movement. It can be seen as the emotional core of the work, providing a more introspective and lyrical character that allows for deep expression.

The movement opens with the solo cello playing a poignant melody, which is more melodic and expansive compared to the motifs in the first movement. The orchestration is sparse, which amplifies the focus on the solo instrument. This allows the cello to fully explore the rich sonorities and emotional nuances of the melody, moving through various registers and employing different bowing techniques to add texture and depth.

While the first movement employs a fair amount of dissonance and complexity, the second movement veers toward a more traditionally harmonic language. Yet, Shostakovich maintains a sense of unease. The straightforward harmonic progression is occasionally interrupted by unexpected modulations and dissonances, which adds complexity and depth to the overall texture. These harmonic shifts subtly maintain the tension built up in the first movement, never allowing the listener to become entirely comfortable.

The orchestral accompaniment is carefully designed to enhance the lyrical qualities of the solo cello without overwhelming it. It’s worth noting that while the orchestration is restrained, it’s no less effective in conveying the deep emotional undercurrents of the music. The interplay between the orchestra and the solo cello is more collaborative here, with the ensemble often echoing or responding to the soloist’s lines rather than merely serving as a backdrop.

The “Moderato” movement also prepares the listener for what’s to come in the later movements, both in terms of thematic material and emotional intensity. It provides a necessary breathing space in the concerto, a moment of reflection before the work moves on to its more turbulent sections. Yet, within its relatively brief span, it encapsulates a wide emotional range, from moments of melancholic beauty to undertones of lurking tension.

3. Cadenza (Attacca)

The third movement of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 is unique because it serves as a bridge between the second and fourth movements without a pause, forming a continuous musical narrative. The movement is marked “Cadenza,” which in a traditional concerto is usually a short, improvisatory passage allowing the soloist to display their technical prowess. However, Shostakovich elevates the cadenza into an entire movement, making it a focal point of the concerto rather than a transitional element.

The cadenza opens softly, picking up thematic fragments from earlier in the concerto. The solo cello revisits these ideas, elaborating on them, and providing a retrospective of sorts before launching into the final movement. But it’s not just a recapitulation; Shostakovich uses this space to deepen the emotional and thematic material, making it an exploration rather than a mere repetition. This unaccompanied section allows the cellist to engage in a monologue that is rich in emotion and technical complexity.

As the cadenza progresses, the intensity builds up. The cellist navigates through technically challenging passages, including rapid scales, arpeggios, and complex fingerings. The tone gradually shifts from introspective to increasingly urgent, serving as a bridge to the final movement. One of the striking features of this cadenza is the way it allows for moments of freedom within a highly structured framework. Though it’s meticulously composed, it offers the cellist some latitude for personal expression, making each performance uniquely compelling.

This cadenza is also a masterful example of how Shostakovich blends classical forms with his own innovative ideas. Unlike traditional cadenzas that are often light and virtuosic, this one is heavy with emotional weight, maintaining the gravitas that pervades the entire concerto. The movement concludes with a powerful ascent, leading directly into the high-energy finale. This seamless transition serves to unify the concerto structurally and emotionally, connecting the reflective, introspective moments of the earlier movements with the urgency and complexity of what follows.

4. Allegro con moto

The finale of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, marked “Allegro con moto,” catapults the listener into a whirlwind of rhythmic energy and thematic development. Following the introspective and complex cadenza of the third movement, this finale serves as a release of the accumulated tension, yet it retains a sense of complexity and urgency. One might describe the mood of the movement as frenzied but tightly controlled, embodying a sort of organized chaos.

The solo cello and orchestra engage in a dynamic dialogue right from the start, revisiting some of the thematic material presented earlier in the concerto but presenting it in new guises. The orchestra provides a pulsating rhythmic backdrop against which the cello unleashes a torrent of notes, showcasing both technical virtuosity and emotional intensity. Here, the soloist must navigate intricate passages, rapid string crossings, and agile leaps across the fingerboard, often within the span of a few bars.

Musically, the fourth movement integrates the motifs and themes from earlier movements, reinforcing the concerto’s cyclic structure. This creates a sense of unity and closure, making the work feel like a coherent, integrated whole rather than a collection of disparate parts. The harmonic language continues to be complex, blending tonality with dissonance in a manner that is characteristic of Shostakovich. The orchestration is dense but transparent, allowing the solo cello to cut through even in the most turbulent sections.

As the movement progresses, the pace doesn’t let up. It pushes forward relentlessly, with the orchestra and solo cello continually upping the ante, leading to a climactic finale. Despite the breakneck speed and complex textures, the movement is not devoid of lyrical moments. These brief episodes serve as islands of relative calm, but they are fleeting and serve to intensify the overall impact of the movement.

The fourth movement concludes in a decisive, almost abrupt manner, leaving both the performers and the audience little time to catch their breath. It’s as if the entire concerto has been building up to this moment, and when it arrives, it’s over almost as quickly as it began. The impact, however, lingers on, encapsulating the emotional and technical roller-coaster that is Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1.

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

Published by M. Özgür Nevres

I am Özgür Nevres, a software engineer, a former road racing cyclist, and also an amateur musician. I opened andantemoderato.com to share my favorite music. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!

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