A lost impromptu by Dmitri Shostakovich was recently rediscovered in Moscow’s Central State Archive, among the papers of Vadim Borisovsky.
Borisovsky was violist in the Beethoven Quartet. The quartet, made up of graduates of the Moscow Conservatory, was founded in the mid-‘20s and played together for half a century. The ensemble gave first performances of thirteen of Shostakovich’s fifteen string quartets (Nos. 2 through 14). The third and fifth quartets were dedicated to the group, and Nos.11 through 14 to its individual members (No. 13 to Borisovsky himself). Shostakovich joined the quartet, at the keyboard, for the first performance of his Piano Quintet. He also played with quartet members at the premiere of his Piano Trio No. 2. Borisovsky died in 1972. He taught at the conservatory since the 1920s.
The impromptu – formally titled Impromptu, op. 33 – is a beautiful little piece. It is believed to have been written in one sitting in 1931. It is only the second known work written by Shostakovich to highlight the viola. The other is the Viola Sonata, Op. 147, of 1975, which has become a viola standard.
The discovery was announced on September 25, the composer’s birthday, but to my knowledge this is the first time a performance has been posted online. Listen to the “new” impromptu here, played by Paul Neubauer and Wu Han:
PHOTO: Shostakovich (second from left) with the Beethoven Quartet. Borisovsky is on the far right.