My First Symphony, performed in Leningrad on 12 May 1926, conducted by Nikolai Malko, was a decisive factor in my subsequent career. The symphony was received warmly by the public and musicians, and very cooly by the Association of Contemporary Music. Its success strengthened me in my decision to take up composition seriously. I attempted to give the symphony a serious content, and although the work was immature in many ways, I belive it was valuable precisely because of this sincere desire to reflect real life.