The Heart of the Tenth Symphony
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The Heart of the Tenth Symphony by Aida Huseynova admired for many years Shostakovich’s ra presented her Baku Music Academy, Azerbaijan portrait containing his written dedication Piano Preludes “To dearest Elmira from Dmitry during the Discoveries concerning the Tenth Sym- Dmitriyevich”. And, quite symbolically, ‘Decade of Music phony comprise one of the best-docu- our conversation took place right next to of the Transcau- mented stories to emerge within this portrait, hanging on the wall in casian Republics’ Shostakovich studies in recent times. Fol- Nazirova’s study. She didn’t seem to be in Tbilisi, Geor- lowing Nelly Kravetz’ revelations sur- excited; rather, what I noticed in her eyes gia, where her composing and perform- rounding the contents of correspondence was an immense sense of relief as she ing talents were highly regarded by many between Dmitry Shostakovich and Elmi- spoke, able to reveal so much after so prominent Soviet musicians including ra Nazirova, a pianist and composer from many years of silence. Reinhold Gliere[4]. However, the person Azerbaijan[1] a number of articles here who played a crucial role in Naziro- appeared in which aspects of the Tenth Nazirova’s preoccupation was for her pre- va’s future was Uzeir Hajibeyov, revered Symphony were now viewed in the light cious manuscripts. “We are all aware of in Azerbaijan as a national genius and the of this new biographical data: broadly how complicated the issue of emigration founder of classical music in the country. speaking, the emotions the composer is,” she said. “Passing through customs Hajibeyov suggested that Elmira should experienced towards his ex-student[2] and and a lot of various official channels: I continue her education at the world-reput- the place these emotions forged them- really don’t know what the destiny of ed Moscow Conservatory: and so it was that she moved to study piano there with selves in his work. these letters will be. That’s why I request you read them now: I hope you will write Yakov Zak and composition with Dmitry Shostakovich. The author of this article was probably about this story some time.” among the first in whom Elmira Naziro- She spoke to me quite nostalgically about va confided this chapter of her life. This What I heard about and read about that the unique atmosphere in Shostakovich’s was in August 1990, just prior to her emi- day was so startling that my article class, where the students were encouraged gration to Israel. “We need to talk, Aida”, formed itself in my mind almost imme- to delve into the inner workings of cer- she requested during a phone conversa- diately, but because of many reasons it tain composers’ creative minds, where tion. “It’s really important. Could you stop has not been published. More than ten heated discussions occurred on a variety by my place, please?” We were already years later and these facts have lost their sensational edge, but to my mind the full of issues in literature and in art and where very close - Nazirova was more than performances took place of Haydn and merely my piano professor at college and story of Dmitry Shostakovich’s sincere, pure and quite desperate love remains to Beethoven symphonies on two pianos, then Conservatory, she was my genuine and so forth. spiritual mentor and had a tremendous be told. When and in what circumstances did Shostakovich and Nazirova meet and influence on me as a musician and as a At this time Elmira witnessed the deeply person. It was no accident that I devoted how did their relationship grow? How were the facts that surround this episode tragic period in Shostakovich’s life fol- my first scholarly article to my favorite of the composer’s life sublimated in the lowing the infamous 1948 Decree in teacher[3]. At the appointed time I entered music of the Tenth Symphony? And, which the composer was singled out for Nazirova’s nice, cozy apartment in down- above all, who is this woman who entered particular criticism. She remembers how, town Baku. I dearly loved this place as it the life and the music of the great man? during one of the concerts in the Great reminded me of my piano classes, Naziro- Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, she va’s enjoyable birthday parties and meet- They first met in the autumn of 1947 in chose a seat somewhere near ings with her wonderful family. At that Moscow. By this time Elmira was already Shostakovich or, more precisely, within time I often simply stopped by to say known in Azerbaijan as a promising young the ‘vacuum’ around him, and how the hello or to share problems, both profes- musician. She had been a genuine child composer asked her, surprised, “Aren’t sional and personal. prodigy and at Baku Music School, oper- you scared?” ating under the Azerbaijani Conservatory, Our confidential talk seemed to last an Elmira was admitted into a separate group Nazirova rejected the idea of her hav- eternity. It was my exposure to another, for gifted children. Nazirova’s first pro- ing been aware of anything different, parallel world that had remained hidden fessional achievements were so impres- or special in Shostakovich’s manner beneath the surface - a surface with which sive that in 1942, at the age of 14, she was of relating to her at this time. “I I was very familiar. I had always known honoured with membership of the Azer- could not even imagine anything of that Nazirova and Shostakovich had been baijani Composers’ Union! In 1944 Elmi- that kind - I was so abashed in his well acquainted with each other; I had presence!” she explained to me. 38 DSCH JOURNAL No. 17 - July 2002 “And he never verbalised his feelings.” written dedications. On April 4th 1953 progress. In a let- However, certain emotions, uncon- Elmira received Shostakovich’s first ter from August sciously perhaps, had already begin to letter, in which he detailed misprints 10th 1953 grow in Shostakovich’s heart. How in the first edition of his Preludes and Shostakovich tells else to explain the paragraph in a let- Fugues. This was the beginning of a her about his see- ter to Nazirova dating from July 29th correspondence that was to last for ing or, more pre- 1953 where he describes his excite- three and a half years. Every line of cisely, hearing the ment in noticing Elmira among the these precious documents contains music of the third movement in a people who came to meet him in Baku. valuable informa- dream. Finally, on August 21st Elmira In 1948, after her marriage to a student tion. Shostakovich receives the striking news concerning of the Azerbaijani Medical Institute shares with Elmira the third movement theme depicting Miron Fel, Elmira returned to Baku his philosophical her name! “This is the result”, he and resumed her studies in the Azer- ponderings about writes in this letter. “Even if I had not baijani Conservatory with Georgiy the irony of life, the arrived at this result, I would be think- Sharoyev (piano) and Boris Zeidman essence of a com- ing of you constantly - whether or not (composition). But the intensely active poser’s work in this fact is recorded in my worthless musical life in the former Soviet Union general and corre- manuscripts”. soon brought her into contact with her lated with his own mentor once more. Shostakovich’s Elmira Nazirova experiences. But The purpose of this paper is far from close associations with many Azerbai- above all these let- that of a detailed musicological analy- jani musicians led him to pay frequent ters reflect his incredibly profound and sis of the Tenth Symphony; my objec- visits to Baku. complex feelings in which love and tive is to reveal the psychological and admiration for Nazirova were com- conceptual inspiration behind this In 1952 he came to the city twice: in bined with the deepest respect and work and to discover how the com- March he participated in a concert appreciation of her professional abili- poser’s real life emotional experiences devoted to his own works and later, in ties and successes. Almost all the let- are transformed into musical ideas. December, he attended the premiere of ters feature this unique blend. From this standpoint the alternating the ballet Seven Beauties by Kara musical signatures D-Es-C-H and E- Karayev, his former student and close Sometimes Shostakovich chooses a A-E-D-A allude to the deepness and friend. Elmira, in turn, often went to humouristic way of expressing his profundity of Shostakovich’s feelings, Moscow, participating in various pro- feelings; in a letter from June 21st the enigmatically beseeching qualities jects organized by the Soviet Com- 1953 he simply includes the music of the motive E-A-E-D-A denoting posers’ Union: discussing profession- phrase from Lensky’s arioso with its unattainability. al issues with her colleagues from the original words “I love you!” Here, too, Moscow Conservatory, giving public he expresses his great interest in the But just how was this emotionally- performances, and so on. In 1951, works Nazirova was composing at the ground lyricism integrated so smooth- together with Sviatoslav Knushevitsky, time - Variations for Piano, Etudes, a ly into the tragic concept of the sym- she performed her Cello Sonata in the Piano Concerto and so on, asking her phony? I have already mentioned the Small Hall of the Moscow Conserva- for the details of her own composi- source of the extreme hardships that tory. And so again and again she met tional process.