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The author's arrangement (piano score) of the Third Symphony for singing with a piano two hands is being published for the first time according to the author's manuscript kept in Dmitri Shostakovich's private depository in the Russian State Archives of Literature and Art (rec. gr. 2048, inv. 1, f. 3). The score of the symphony's choral part is written out in full in the arrangement, which means it can be used when preparing the symphony to be performed by a choir.

There are differences between the music text of the piano score and the text of the symphony score. In this edition, the piano score text is presented in as close compliance as possible with the symphony score (in so doing the text of the published score is given preference even in those few instances when the piano score version seems contextually more natural and logical). In addition to eliminating the differences, the extremely laconic author's piano score is supplemented in several, but very few, instances with some important details of text borrowed from the symphony score. The bars missing in the author's manuscript of the piano score are reinstated. At the same time, in some cases, for example in the reproduction of “athematic” orchestral crescendos, and on, the textual differences between the piano score and the symphony score, which frankly speaking are inevitable, are retained in the published text.

There are a vast number of differences between the author's manuscript of the piano score and the symphony score in the tempo designations. Bearing in mind that, in all likelihood, the composer played the symphony on many occasions precisely from the piano score, when performing it for colleagues, we can say that the piano score text, in particular its tempo designations, is a kind of short-hand record of the author's performance and the author's ideas about the agogics of the work. In our publication, all th tempo designations are given in compliance with the symphony score. There are no metronome designations in the author's manuscript of the piano score. They have all been added to the text according to the symphony score and are not noted in the bar-by-bar comments.

Instrumentation:
Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 B flat Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Triangle, Side Drum, Cymbals, Bass Drum, Gong, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, S.A.T.B. chorus, Strings. Five-string double-basses required in the symphony; their use is not stipulated in the list of instruments.

This ambitious series by DSCH, the exclusive publisher of the works of Dmitri Shostakovich, when complete, will run to 150 volumes.

Based on authentic manuscripts, accompanied by commentaries in Russian and in English, each volume contains new engravings, articles relating to the history of the compositions, facsimile pages of Shostakovich's manuscripts, outlines, and rough drafts.

Divided into 15 different "series" or genres, the edition will include nearly all the original works of the composer, and his instrumentation of music by Domenico Scarlatti, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Johann Strauss, Youmans, Braga, Tishchenko, and others.

25% of the New Collected Works will be made up of previously unpublished material: over 80 of his works are being published here for the first time. Many of these previously unknown works could not be published or performed during the composer's lifetime for ideological reasons.

The fifteen "series" within the edition comprise:
I: Symphonies (vols 1-30)
II: Orchestra Compositions (vols 31-37)
III: Instrumental Concertos (vols 38-49)
IV: Compositions for the Stage (vols 50-67)
V: Suites from Operas and Ballets (vols 68-72)
VI: Compositions for Choir and Orchestra (With or Without Soloists) (vols 73-83)
VII: Unaccompanied Choral Compositions/Arrangements of Russian Folksongs (vols 84-86)
VIII: Compositions for Solo Voice(S) With Orchestra (vols 87-90)
IX: Chamber Compositions for Voice and Songs (vols 91-97)
X: Chamber Instrumental Ensembles (vols 98-105)
XI: Instrumental Sonatas(vols 106-108)
XII: Piano Compositions (vols 109-115)
XIII: Incidental Music (vols 116-121)
XIV: Film Music (vols 122-145)
XV: The Works of Other Composers, Instrumentation by Shostakovich (vols 146-150)