Prelude and Scherzo (Two Pieces for String Octet), Op. 11 (1925)

Dedicated to the memory of Vladimir I. Kurchavov

One of the strangest of Shostakovich’s early work is this short octet for strings. Based on the famous Mendelssohn combination of a double string quartet, it consists of a wistful prelude and a fleeting scherzo. The piece is dedicated to the memory of a young friend of the composer, a promising poet, who had died unexpectedly.

Originally Op. 10. There are drafts for a third piece for string octet, a fugue, whose rough autograph is preserved, together with those of ‘Prelude’ and ‘Scherzo’, at the Russian State Archives of Literature and Art.

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1. Prelude in D minor (Adagio)
2. Scherzo in G minor (Allegro molto – Moderato – Allegro)