For many years now I have maintained close contacts both with the Philharmonia and with its individual ensembles and soloists. As long as the twenties and thirties, when I was still a Leningrader, I often performed in Moscow both as a solo pianist and, more often, with chamber groups. It was always exciting to attend performances of my works there, both before and after the war. I am extremely grateful to the Philharmonia's various ensembles for their performances of my works– both symphony orchestras, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Beethoven and Borodin Quartets, and other instrumentalists and singers. I am also grateful to the sensitive, well-wishing Moscow audiences, with their find understanding of music. I am sure that my gratitude is shared by every composer who attended premières of his works arranged by the Moscow Philharmonia.