Preface to the Complete Edition of My Works and a Brief Reflection Apropos of this Preface
(1966) (Vorrede zur Gesamtausgabe meiner Werke und Betrachtungen aus Anlass dieser Vorrede) 123for bass and piano
Duration: 2'
Music Text
Dmitri Shostakovich (R)
Abbreviations (PDF)
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes
/ Sikorski for the UK, British Commonwealth (excluding Canada), Republic of Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Israel.
Repertoire Note
Preface to the Complete Edition of my Works and a Brief Reflection upon this Preface, for bass and piano, op.123 (1966)
This one-off song is a private joke, written by Shostakovich to make fun of himself in the wake of learning of plans to publish a collected edition of his music. The first four lines borrow from a satirical poem by Pushkin. Thereafter the words are by the composer himself and include comical listings of his numerous awards, medals and honorary degrees. The song is notable for the openness with which he makes fun of his various Soviet titles and distinctions.
Note by Gerard McBurney
