Accordionist.org

The Accordion Community

dimitri shostakowich shostakovitch symphony for accordionWaltz No 2 from 'Second Suite for Jazz Orchestra' by Dmitri Shostakovich has been arranged for accordion by Nikolai Ryskov.  A review of his arrangement appeared in the November 2006 edition of Accordion Profile, however Nikolai has now revised his arrangement.  Here is a review of Nikolai Ryskov's recently revised version. 

Although Shostakovich (born a hundred years ago on 25th September, 1906) wrote two Suites for Jazz Orchestra, in 1934 and 1938, both containing three movements, what is erroneously described above as the Second Suite for Jazz Orchestra is in fact the Suite for Variety Stage Orchestra, written during the second half of the 1950s. It consists of eight movements, of which the Second Waltz is the seventh movement and each movement de­rives from ballet, incidental and film music pieces written by Shostakovich during the 1920s-1950s. The Second Waltz comes from the film “The First Echelon” Op 99, written 1955-56 and appropriately has been used in Stanley Kubrick's last film "”Eyes Wide Shut”. (The reason for the confusion is that the genuine Second Jazz Suite was lost and only brought to light in 1999.)

The piece is well suited to the accordion and if Shostakovich had written accordion solos they probably would have sounded like this piece. The waltz has already been arranged for accordion solo with optional 2nd accordion by Otto Eckelmann in an album published by Ecora Verlag, although it does contain some minor inaccuracies in the Stradella bass part. I have arranged the work for accordion quin­tet and have the benefit of the full orchestral score published by DSCH Publishers, Mos­cow, edited by Manashir lakubov in 2001.

Although Shostakovich uses a large orchestra, with 43 different instrumental parts of which the accordion and guitar are just two, the piece is quite simple and he uses different combinations of instruments to give a different sound colour each time the tunes are re­peated. There are three sections, in D minor, F major and B flat major and the whole piece lasts no more than three minutes and it is moderately easy to play. Nikolai Ryskov has done an excellent job and has arranged the piece so that it contains its essential character, including the subtlety of the chords, yet managing to keep the piece playable by the most accordionists. Some arrangements, in attempting to simplify, can miss out important notes, resulting in a bland sound. This is not the case here and by careful attention to the marked dynamics a very musical performance can result from this arrangement.

Although Nikolai’s original arrangement was simply marked 8, 8~, 4 for the treble registration throughout, this revised edition has now included a number of changes of registration. This follows Shostakovich’s intentions where he varies the timbre by the use of different orchestral combinations and results in a more interesting rendering. Two other revisions which improve the arrangement are:

  1. the ongoing waltz rhythm is now played throughout by left hand chords, which, in the original arrangement, was interrupted in the section between bars 28 to 38 and
  2. the initial introduction is played each time before the main D minor tune is heard.

These are just minor amendments, which further improve an arrangement that I believe is well worth buying.

Peter Ayers


 

Ordering information for the work reviewed above:

Waltz No 2 from Second Suite for Jazz Orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich

Arranged for Accordion by Nikolai Ryskov
£5 including postage & packing.
Cheques payable to Nikolai Ryskov
at 15, Chaffinch Road,
Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4LT

(Phone 0208 325 8147)
www. abnir.co.uk

 


 

If you are familiar with the original arrangement,
and just want to know what Nikolai changed, Peter Ayers writes: 

I reviewed this arrangement in the November 2006 edition of Accordion profile. I found the arrangement well worth buying, although I there were just three minor criticisms that I felt needed consideration. Nikolai Ryskov has now revised the arrangement in line with my suggestions and so I feel that I should point these out. They are as follows:

 

  1. The revised edition has now included a number of changes of registration. This follows Shostakovich’s intentions where he varies the timbre by the use of different orchestral combinations and results in a more interesting rendering.
  2. The ongoing waltz rhythm is now played throughout by left hand chords, which, in the original arrangement, was interrupted in the section between bars 28 to 38. This allows the piece to maintain its momentum.
  3. The initial introduction is played each time before the main D minor tune is heard.

 

Although these are just minor amendments they further improve an arrangement that I believe is well worth buying.”

  {mos_fb_discuss:8}

Most Popular File Downloads

Downloads: 19586

Christmas song ''Jingle Bells'' arranged by Nikolai Ryskov for Accordion Solo using Stradella Bass.

Downloads: 18876

'O Gin I Were a Baron's Heir' Hi - one of my absolute favourite traditional scots slow airs is this 'O Gin I Were a Baron's Heir'. It's an old lov...

Downloads: 18207

Someone asked for music to J'Attendrai and I couldn't figure out how to answer that directly, so I've just posted it here.  It's just a lead sheet...

Downloads: 17720

Brise Napolitaine by Guerino.. Great piece.. great for technique

Downloads: 16682

Hi, everyone!  I am new to this forum, and would like to introduce myself.  I am a Norwegian all-round musician, playing accordion and keyboards....

Downloads: 16526

 It's a lovely melody,you can play too! http://tw.video.yahoo.com/video/studio?ei=UTF-8&action=deletevideo&.scrumb=U4q7qbz5zLj

Downloads: 15956

Collected and notated by Jeroen Nijhof.  Emphasis on Dutch tunes. Bravade, `Od koga' pravo, Jesusita en Chihuahua, En Bolivia el carnaval, Sirde...

Downloads: 12236

Downloads: 11526

A groovy little cha-cha for two.

Downloads: 11510

Leadsheet for Limehouse Blues in G.  Play gypsy jazz!

Newest File Uploads

abc
Souvenir de Lille
A delightful french musette piece for accordion, composed by myself.
abc
Samba Romantica --- Domi Emorine
Between 1983 and 1989, Domi Emorine won twenty-four prizes as a child prodigy.   In 1990, not yet fifteen years old, she won the World Accordion Championship and the UNAF prize.   In 1991, she won the Silver Medal; and in 1993 the SACEM medal in the 'Voice and Wind' category.   Five years later, Domi won the World Championship again.   She also did something unique in the annals of acc...
abc
Polka Italienne --- Domi Emorine
Between 1983 and 1989, Domi Emorine won twenty-four prizes as a child prodigy.   In 1990, not yet fifteen years old, she won the World Accordion Championship and the UNAF prize.   In 1991, she won the Silver Medal; and in 1993 the SACEM medal in the 'Voice and Wind' category.   Five years later, Domi won the World Championship again.   She also did something unique in the annals of acc...
abc
Paris-Moscow --- Roman Jbanov & Domi Emorine
For information on these amazing performers, see their separate biographies attached to other music files. This audio sample is from the title track of  their CD, The Paris-Moscou Duo, which we gave away in our January 2007 contest.   
abc
Hiver --- Roman Jbanov & Domi Emorine
Roman Zhbanov graduated from The Conservatory of Novosibirsk. When he was fourteen, he won the regional contest of young bayanists.  At eighteen he won the International contest in Kligental (Germany).  At nineteen he won the forty-seventh International Trophee Mondiale, in Italy.  Later, he became a laureate of international contests in Andorra, Spain, Russia and France.  He has perfo...
abc
Boys of Bluehill (local copy)
HI Folks, This is an Irish Hornpipe played on my Roland FR-3X LIVE. I am playing through a software LOOPER (Mobius). I can play once through with one sound and then the recording automatically repeats so I can layer on another saound.Even though I did this at home on St. Pat's day I performed an hours worth of these live before an audience.I hope you emjhoy it. LooseBruce
abc
Boutade --- Roman Jbanov & Domi Emorine
Bayanist Roman Zhbanov is known to music lovers of Novosibirsk from their childhood.  He performed as a soloist with The Russian Folk Instruments Orchestra of the TV and radio company 'Novosibirsk'.  Recordings of his performances on radio and TV programs were made time and again. Since 1996, five CDs have been issued, and two films made. This is a far from complete list of achievements ...
abc
Badinerie --- Roman Jbanov & Domi Emorine
For information on these amazing performers, see their separate biographies on the Contest Page; Domi was introduced in our October contest and Roman in our November contest.  Check out these samples.  The 'Hiver' is amazing!
abc
Accordion Mechanic --- Domi Emorine
Between 1983 and 1989, Domi Emorine won twenty-four prizes as a child prodigy.   In 1990, not yet fifteen years old, she won the World Accordion Championship and the UNAF prize.   In 1991, she won the Silver Medal; and in 1993 the SACEM medal in the 'Voice and Wind' category.   Five years later, Domi won the World Championship again.   She also did something unique in the annals of acc...
abc
typisk trekkspill
Hi, everyone!  I am new to this forum, and would like to introduce myself.  I am a Norwegian all-round musician, playing accordion and keyboards.  Most of my work is composing and arranging for all kinds of instruments, bands and choirs.  This is a demo page of a little composition for accordion orchestra.  More demos can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=126261&id...

GTranslate

English French German Italian Portuguese Russian Spanish