"The First Echelon". Music for the film.

"The First Echelon". Music for the film.

Op. 99

Form:

Music for the colour film The First Echelon (aka Virgin Lands), with scenario by Nikolai Pogodin and directed by Mikhail Kalatozov for Mosfilm. Scored for full symphony orchestra (with 3 alto saxophones, vibraphone, harp, and piano).

Composed: 1955–56 at Moscow.

Opus 99a—Suite assembled by Levon Atovmyan:

1. Overture—Allegretto poco moderato
2. The Train—Allegro molto
3. Children’s Song (text by Sergei Vasiliev)—Allegretto
4. The Field—Allegro molto
5. Evening Landscape—Andantino
6. The Quarry—Allegro
7. Intermezzo—Allegretto
8. Waltz—Allegro poco moderato
9. The Tender Maiden (text by Sergei Vasiliev)—Moderato
10. The Fire—Allegro
11. The House-warming—Allegro

No. 8 reorchestrated as the Waltz II in Suite for Variety Stage Orchestra, Sans op. G(ii). Transcriptions of No. 3 for wind band accompaniment and of No. 9 for guitar duet. Accompaniment of songs Nos. 3 and 9 arranged for piano by the composer. No. 8 transcribed for wind orchestra by M. Marantslikht.

Duration: Film: 114 minutes. Suite: 40 minutes (Sadovnikov).

Recordings:

- 78 rpm—USSR: 26898-9 (10"). No. 9—L. LAZAREVA andR. LOBACHEVA (guitar duet); No. 3—ALL-UNION SONG ENSEMBLE. P 1956. Reissued on LP—USSR: MK D004146-7 (‘Songs of the Virgin Lands’, 8” mono). I 1958 ~ USSR: MK D5062-3. I 1959.
- CD—Russia: Manchester CDMAN 129 (‘Shostakovich Theatre and Cinema Music’). Op. 99a No. 8 Waltz. St. Petersburg PhilharmonicAcademic Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir ALTSHULER. P St Petersburg 1995, I 1998.
- Delos DE 3313 (‘Shostakovich Complete Songs, Volume Four— 1932–68: The Unknown Shostakovich’). Op. 99a No. 9. The Tender Maiden. Lyudmila SHKIRTIL (mezzo-soprano) and Victoria YEVTODIEVA (soprano) and Yuri Serov (piano). [Opp. 33, 80, 72, 128, 109; Sans op. X(i &.ii).] P St Catherine Lutheran Church, St Petersburg 23 Jan., 8 and 16 Feb. 2002, I UK Jan. 2006.