Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 1 (Shostakovich)

The Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 1 (commonly known as Jazz Suite No. 1) by Dmitri Shostakovich was composed in 1934. On the occasion of the work's first performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel in March 2011.

Structure The suite has three movements:

It is scored for 3 saxophones (2 alto (2nd doubling soprano), and tenor), 2 trumpets, trombone, wood block, snare drum, suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, xylophone - one player, banjo, Hawaiian guitar, piano, violin and double bass. The premiere was on March 24, 1934. A performance takes about 8 minutes.

Shostakovich used the waltz in his 1935 ballet The Limpid Stream.

Notable recordings Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam conducted by Riccardo Chailly (DECCA) National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, conducted by Theodore Kuchar (Brilliant Classics) Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons (EMI) Russian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dmitry Yablonsky (Naxos)"Lightweight fare from Shostakovich done by a suitably characterful Russian band", Gramophone, August 2002

See also Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2

References

External links Work details, note by Gerard McBurney , Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly