“Motherland”. Op. 63. Vocal-symphonic suite. Score.
Volume 75
2017
Suite for Soloists, Choir and Orchestra. Words by Sergei Alymov. Op. 63.
Edited by Victor Ekimovsky. Explanatory article by Maria Karachevskaya.
Form:
For Native Country, the composer wrote four short items forming a short suite Native Leningrad for orchestra, choir and soloists to words by Sergei Alymov (the suite was assigned as Op. 63):
- “Overture”,
- “Song of the Victorious October”,
- “Youth Dance” (orchestral piece)
- “Ode to Leningrad”
The music of the suite blended harmoniously into the show’s folk and patriotic atmosphere. Shostakovich included fragments of the revolutionary songs “Varshavyanka (The Warsaw March)” and “Boldly, Friends, On We March!” in the first item of the suite (the latter is also symphonically developed somewhat in the same way as a coda in sonata form). The choral part of the final “Ode to Leningrad” also has a revolutionary march rhythm. The second item, “Song of the Victorious October”, was written in the spirit of a stirring full-blooded folk song, which is emphasised not only by the characteristic melodic idioms, but also by the presence of balalaika and tambourine in the orchestra. The third item, “Youth Dance,” which harkens back to the style of Shostakovich’s ballet music, later became extremely popular as a separate piece (primarily under the title “Folk Dance”) in different arrangements.
Performers:
Piccolo, Flauto, Oboe, 2 Clarinetti (B, A), Fagotto
2 Corni (F), 3 Trombe (B), 2 Tromboni, Tuba
Timpani, Triangolo, Tamburino, Tamburo, Piatti, Cassa
Piano
Balalaikas (ad lib): Prima, Secunda, Alta, Bassa, Contrabassa
Tenore solo, Basso solo
Coro: S.A.T.B.
Violini I, Violini II, Viole, Violoncelli, Contrabassi
Composed:
October 1942, Kuibyshev (Samara).
Shostakovich wrote the suite Native Leningrad for the stage show Native Country performed by the Song and Dance Ensemble at the Dzerzhinsky Central Club.
This publication is based on: D. Shostakovich, Collected Works, in 42 vols., Vol. 27, Muzyka Publishers, Moscow, 1987, which was based on the first edition: the suite has been included in the oratorio My Native Country by Yuri Silantyev (Sovetsky kompozitor, Moscow, 1972).
The whereabouts of the author’s manuscript of the score is unknown.