Concerto No. 1

The legendary playing of David Oistrakh inspired Shostakovich to write his first violin concerto. Biographically, the composition is closely linked to a phase of condemnation as a „formalist“, „counter-revolutionär“ and „sympathiser of bourgeois“ from 1948, so that Shostakovich did not premiere the concerto until 1955, two years after Stalin's death, with Oistrakh and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Yevgeny Mravinsky. The concerto has repeatedly been attributed symphonic proportions; the soloist's technique and stamina are challenged to the utmost. The present piano reduction, arranged by Oistrakh and the composer, has been revised and improved in accordance with the New Complete Edition and tested in orchestral practice.