Introduction

Dmitry Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a composer and pianist, born on September 25, 1906 (September 12, Old Style calendar) and died on August 9, 1975. During this period, several world-historical events centered in Russia, as well as occurrences that transformed the Russian and Soviet music scene, took place. World War I, which erupted in 1914, the two Russian Revolutions of 1917, and World War II fundamentally shook people's lives, leading to significant changes in the atmosphere of the music world and the societal demand for music. The October Revolution of 1917 brought about the collapse of capitalist society, followed by a series of events such as the nationalization and communization policies for music organizations, conservatories, and publishing houses; the unification of various musical groups into the 'Union of Soviet Composers' by the resolution 'On the Restructuring of Literary and Artistic Organizations' in April 1932; and the repressions of the 1936 'Pravda criticism' and the 1948 'Zhdanov criticism,' in which Shostakovich was singled out. These events marked major turning points in the composer's life.

While discussions continue regarding the historical context and significance of each of these events, the life and creative trajectory of Shostakovich, who lived through an era of upheaval, also remain a subject of ongoing debate to this day, making it difficult to summarize or provide a comprehensive overview. Therefore, this text will focus primarily on aspects related to Shostakovich's creation and performance of piano music, and then touch upon the latest research materials deemed important for performing his piano works.

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Piano Works

Given the sheer volume of Shostakovich's works, numbering 147 by opus number alone, and the fact that he was active as a pianist for a period, it is surprising how few piano pieces he composed. This is especially true considering that the leading masters of the era in Russia, from the late 19th century up to his time—Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Prokofiev—produced many excellent piano works. This is likely due to a combination of factors. Among these are societal factors, such as:

• The collapse of the salon and aristocratic cultures nurtured since the 18th century due to the Russian Revolution.
• The difficulty in continuing the tradition of 'musical gatherings (muzitsirovanie)' where cultural figures held private concerts at home, due to policies promoting communal housing.
• The resulting decrease in demand.

There are also factors attributable to Shostakovich himself, such as his personal preferences, the composition of musicians around him, and the destruction of piano works during his 'creative crisis,' which will be discussed later.

However, though few in number, many of Shostakovich's piano works and chamber/orchestral works involving piano are rich in content and highly acclaimed masterpieces. From his early piano works written around age 13, such as Melancholy and Piece in C Major, and student works like Eight Preludes, Op. 2 (1919, 1921), Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5 (1922), and Suite for Two Pianos, Op. 6 (1922), it is clear why people were captivated by his talent. Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 12 (1926), Aphorisms, Op. 13 (1927), and 24 Preludes, Op. 34 (1932-33) clearly demonstrate his experimental spirit as a young composer. Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 61 (1942) and 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 (1950-51) are classical masterpieces that show a harmony of mature compositional technique and stylistic vision. Both piano concertos are interesting works with stimulating sounds in different ways. Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 8 (1923), No. 2, Op. 67 (1944), the Piano Quintet, Op. 57 (1940), which received the Stalin Prize after many twists and turns... and even his swan song, the Viola Sonata, Op. 147 (1975), features piano accompaniment. In this sense, the piano can be said to have accompanied him throughout his life in a way.

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Early Life and Career

As is the case with many composers, Shostakovich's path as a musician began with attending musical gatherings (muzitsirovanie) at home, where his father sang and his mother played the piano; experiencing theater performances with his mother (said to be either Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tale of Tsar Saltan or Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin); and then receiving piano lessons from his mother at the age of nine. He later recalled that Mozart's Piano Sonata in E-flat major was the first music he ever heard, or that he 'began composing almost immediately after starting piano lessons.'

In 1919, Glazunov, then director of the Petrograd Conservatory, took notice of his talent in both piano and composition and offered to help him gain admission to the conservatory. After successfully entering the conservatory, Shostakovich honed his skills in both the piano department (graduating in 1923) and the composition department (graduating in 1925, and later completing postgraduate studies in 1930), while deepening his friendships with fellow aspiring musicians. The majority of Shostakovich's compositions for piano are concentrated in this period, partly due to curriculum requirements. Many pieces were written reluctantly, as Shostakovich complained in a letter to Tatyana Glivenko, whom he was fond of at the time, regarding a now-lost piano sonata: 'I'm not writing it because I particularly want to. I'm writing it because it's an obligation. It's a formal assignment.' Unfortunately, many of these early compositions, including those written reluctantly, were all burned during Shostakovich's 'creative crisis' in 1926. Consequently, it is now difficult to trace Shostakovich's early and student period compositions and their development. He himself seemed to regret destroying many of his own works, recalling in a 1956 essay:

For some reason I cannot now recall, for a short time after graduating from the conservatory, I was seized by doubts about my talent as a composer. I became completely unable to compose, fell into a fit of 'despair,' and destroyed almost all my autograph manuscripts. I deeply regret having done this now, because among the burned manuscripts was the opera The Gypsies, which I had written based on Pushkin's poem.

Even after graduating from the piano department in 1923, Shostakovich actively engaged in performing his own works and accompanying others. Among Shostakovich's activities as a pianist, his participation in the 1st International Chopin Piano Competition in 1927 is particularly noteworthy (his friend Lev Oborin won first prize, while Shostakovich received an honorable mention). Furthermore, the skills he honed as a pianist were put to use in his work at a cinema, which he began in the winter of 1924 due to his father's premature death from pneumonia in 1922, forcing him to largely support the family financially by himself. Although Shostakovich initially thought, 'I am a weak-willed person, but music is different. I won't be overwhelmed by playing at the cinema,' the extremely demanding job, requiring him to play for several hours every evening except Mondays, not only deprived him of time for composing and attending concerts but also led to delayed wage payments, eventually resulting in a lawsuit over unpaid wages. Ultimately, he soon quit this job and refocused on composing and his activities as a pianist.

As Symphony No. 1, Op. 10, completed in 1925 as his conservatory graduation work, gained widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally, elevating Shostakovich's international reputation, he gradually began to concentrate on his activities as a composer. Concurrently, his primary creative focus shifted from piano and chamber music to large-scale orchestral and theatrical works.

Regarding his decision to live as a composer rather than a pianist, Shostakovich himself reflected in the same 1956 essay quoted earlier:

After graduating from the conservatory, the question arose before me: should I live as a pianist or as a composer? I chose the second option. To be honest, I think I should have been both a pianist and a composer. But it is too late now to make such a resolute decision. In 1930, I was still performing publicly as a pianist. I gave solo concerts and performed as a soloist in symphony concerts. In 1927, I participated in the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw and received an honorable mention. In symphony concerts, I performed Tchaikovsky's Concerto No. 1, Prokofiev's No. 1, and Chopin's Concertos [No. 1 and No. 2]. Nevertheless, my predilection for composition prevailed, and unfortunately, I stopped playing the piano. Still, having received thorough piano training, I continue to perform as a pianist of my own works.

The period from his departure from the conservatory to his active engagement as a young composer also coincides with the time when Shostakovich joined the Leningrad Association for Contemporary Music, exposed himself to cutting-edge music, and actively approached atonal techniques. His piano works remained few, including Piano Sonata No. 1, Aphorisms, 24 Preludes, and Piano Concerto No. 1, but the avant-garde and stimulating sounds of each piece reflect his interests. However, this progressive stance, along with the similarly stimulating sounds of his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and ballet The Bright Stream, became subdued after they were publicly denounced in Pravda, the official newspaper of the Soviet Communist Party, forcing him into self-criticism.

Thereafter, Shostakovich never fully returned to the field of solo piano music, only occasionally engaging with it. Among these, Piano Sonata No. 2 (1942), which he modestly described as 'nothing special, an improvisatory work,' written during wartime alongside his major symphonies No. 7, Op. 60 (1941), and No. 8, Op. 65 (1943), and the monumental 24 Preludes and Fugues (1950-51), created on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Bach's death, shine brightly. Especially the latter is undeniably one of his representative works.

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Research Resources

Finally, I would like to discuss resources that may be helpful for performing his works.

First, the 'New Collected Works,' planned to comprise 150 volumes and published by DSCH Publishers, which was co-founded by Shostakovich's third wife and widow, Irina, is extremely important. The publication pace is currently steady, and the piano music section, volumes 109-113, has already been completed. Scores can be ordered by searching for 'Шостакович фортепиано' (Shostakovich piano) or similar terms on the Muzyka Publishing House website (https://www.musica.ru/). Although the author, currently residing in Moscow as of 2023, has not personally tried it, it is said that 'delivery outside Russia is possible,' so those interested, even if they do not read Russian, are encouraged to try using a translation tool. The reason to consult these scores is not solely because they are critically edited according to the latest research. The end of each volume includes facsimiles of some sketches and autograph manuscripts, which are not usually accessible, along with summaries of the work's genesis, reception, and interpretation as revealed by the latest research, providing valuable insights for performance. Since they are written in both Russian and English, the barrier to reading them should not be too high.

As already mentioned at the outset, accurately grasping Shostakovich's life and creative output remains a difficult task. The countless works created throughout his life, which forms a gradient where public and private discourses, political and non-political actions, understanding and misunderstanding intertwine, constantly pose a profound challenge for scholars, musicians, and enthusiasts. The latest research by scholars clearly indicates that a highly cautious and delicate approach is required when considering Shostakovich himself, discourses and actions concerning him, and when discussing his works. According to leading Russian Shostakovich scholars, the work on Chronicle of Shostakovich's Life and Works (Летопись жизни и творчества Д.Д. Шостаковича), which saw its first volume (1903-1930) published in 2016 and is planned for a total of five volumes, is being conducted with extreme caution. Indeed, upon opening the book, one finds every aspect of his activities summarized chronologically, day by day, and sometimes even hour by hour, complete with extensive academic references and footnotes. While it will likely take some time for the fifth volume to be released, and the fact that the entire work is in Russian may pose a challenge for Japanese enthusiasts, its completion is highly anticipated for a more accurate understanding of Shostakovich and the dissemination of his works.