Shostakovich, Dmitri.

Shostakovich's draft written in blue ink, in Russian, containing deletions and alterations, untitled, expressing the incomparable joy of working with Rostropovich, explaining that he has dedicated two cello concertos to him, but would really like to write a lot more, emphasizing Rostropovich's enthusiasm for playing new music, and his contribution to their creation, praising his fantastic technical ability and the unusually broad range of his art, encompassing both tragedy and lyrical expression, and wishing him "good heath and enormous creative success to the greater glory of Soviet musical culture", with a summary at the end, 2 pages, folio (c. 28.5 x 20cms), [probably Moscow, 1966-1967]; together with visiting cards and letters by Rostropovich (card with an 8-line autograph message to the impresario Sol Hurok), and Sviatoslav Richter (2), Emil Gilels and Aram Khachaturian, and a collection of documents and telegrams about Richter's early concert tours in America (1961-1964), including notes for a programme, biographical literature, and correspondence about and to Richter, about 50 items in all, Moscow and New York

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
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This is a remarkable tribute from one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century to the inspiration for his two cello concertos, the great cellist Rostropovich. Shostakovich appears to have prepared this draft to assist him during a filmed interview shortly after the premiere of the Second Cello Concerto in 1966.  At the end of the manuscript he appends some further notes, summarizing the main points, apparently as an aide-memoire for his interview.  Autograph drafts of Shostakovich's essays and interviews are almost unknown outside Russia: indeed it is commonly believed that the articles published in his name were written by party apparatchiks.  This manuscript does not relate to any known article by Shostakovich.  We are most grateful to Elizabeth Wilson for her assistance in our cataloguing of this manuscript.

"...one of the most precious events in my life was getting to know M.L. Rostropovich.  He is indeed a phenomenally gifted musician...He uses technique to produce musical content of the work being performed,  M.L. feels and understands the music he is performing to an astonishing degree...He is both a lyricist and a tragedian,  He feels and expresses Grotesque, joy and sorrow. M.L. can rightly be called the co-author of a large number of works written for the cello by Soviet composers...R. never avoids new works, He [sees] a new work and he absolutely has to play it through...I have dedicated two concertos to him and I would really like to write a lot more for him... [translation]

Shostakovich remained friends with Rostropovich and his wife Galina Vischevskaya even after the cellist and his wife fell foul of the Russian regime in late 1970.