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Three author’s manuscripts of the score to the First Symphony were used in preparing this edition. Two of them are kept in Dmitri Shostakovich’s private depositary in the Russian State Archives of Literature and Art (RSALA), an incomplete author’s manuscript (IM), from which the first page is missing (the first 20 bars)—RSALA rec. gr. 2048, inv. 1, f. 1, and a complete fair copy of the author’s manuscript (CFM), which serves as the basis of the work’s first publication (Muzsektor Gosizdata, Moscow—Universal Publishers, Vienna, New York, 1927)—RSALA, rec. gr. 653, inv. 1, f. 2262. The third rough draft of the author’s manuscript (RM) is kept in the Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (GSCMMC), rec. gr. 32, f. 97.

The publications of the symphony during Shostakovich’s lifetime and the 1987 edition are also used (D. Shostakovich, Collected Works in 42 volumes, Vol. 1, Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, pp. 1-122), the text of which forms the basis of this edition. The early author’s manuscript of the score (IM) dated 1923 is the original orchestral version of the composition, which differs from the final one in a few instrumentation details. In particular, two, instead of three, trumpets are used in this version and, correspondingly, the chords in the group of brass instruments are arranged differently.

Of course, the CFM should be considered the most reliable source, which the composer apparently rewrote especially for the publishers. It was the CFM that was used as the basis of the text in the first volume of Collected Works (1987) mentioned above. Nevertheless, during preparation of this publication certain inaccuracies in the 1987 edition were revealed and corrected. Moreover, after Collected Works in 42 volumes had already come out, several additional sources and author’s documents were discovered, relating to the First Symphony and its sheet music in particular, which were also taken into account in our edition.

Instrumentation:
Piccolo (= flute III), 2 Flutes (II = Piccolo II), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (B flat and A), 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 3 Trumpets (I and II B flat, III F), 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Triangle, Side drum, Cymbals, Bass drum, Gong, Glockenspiel, Piano, Strings.

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)