Cellists have the great Mstislav Rostropovich to thank for many works in their repertoire, especially by Britten and Shostakovich. This first of Shostakovich's two concertos for Rostropovich was written in the summer of 1959, and received its first performance in Leningrad in October, with Mravinsky conducting. Within the following twelve months Rostropovich had premiered it both in the USA and in London, and it has remained a huge success ever since. It seems an extrovert and ebullient work, but the beautiful slow movement is a deeply-felt lament. Rostropovich related: “When Shostakovich played the Cello Concerto to me for the first time, I knew that in his private life he was having great difficulty with his wife, whom he was divorcing at that time. When he played the second movement for me, I saw at one moment that tears were rolling down his cheeks, and striking his chest, and he said to me, ‘Slava, I’m sorry, but this composition is very close to my heart.’ “

sources

A  Autograph score (1959), presented by Shostakovich to Rostropovich, hence in private hands, Moscow

E  First edition score, published by the State Music Publishers, Moscow in 1960, reprinted in miniature format in 1961 (almost identically, but 274 Vc sƒ is correct)

V  Cello and piano score, published by Boosey & Hawkes, London in 1960; the arrangement is by the composer, hence significant when it differs from the score (404, 656)

W  Reprint of V, published by Peters, Leipzig in 1961; annoyingly, W has no rehearsal figures, but instead has bar numbers (useless, because not in E). Unless otherwise stated below, W = V

M  Miniature score, published in New York by MCA Music in 1966

Ur  Complete edition score, published in Moscow (1985)

There are several different printings of the orchestral parts, with different errors.