MAPESU Music proudly presents this brand new engraving and revised edition of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102 was composed in 1957 for the 19th birthday of his son Maxim, who gave the premiere performance at his graduation concert on 10 May 1957 at the Moscow Conservatory. Written in a notably cheerful vein compared to much of Shostakovich’s output, the concerto was intended to be accessible to a talented young pianist while still reflecting the composer’s craft. The concerto balances clear tonal centers and singable melodies with light orchestral textures, allowing the piano’s bright, virtuosic writing to shine without being overwhelmed.

The concerto has inspired two major ballets: Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, premiered on 30 November 1966 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (later entering the Royal Ballet repertory), and Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH, created for the New York City Ballet in 2008. Both choreographies exploit the work’s rhythmic vitality and lyrical contrasts, underscoring its narrative potential through dance.

In Disney’s Fantasia 2000, the concerto’s final movement serves as the soundtrack to the animated segment based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Introduced by Quincy Jones with pianist Yefim Bronfman performing, the sequence adapts the concerto’s spirited character to a toy-soldier romance, broadening its audience beyond the concert hall.