The reliance upon the melodic and rhythmic expressions of some popular genres, composing the reality of Shostakovich’s contemporary music environment, is quite evident in the composer’s musical language. <...> The analysis of the composer’s methods of work with the song and dance genre models, specifi c actualization of the typical features of such primary genres help the researchers understand the specifi city of his composition world. <...> The present article discusses the themes of quartets by D. Shostakovich originating from the genre of waltz. <...> In the fi fteen chamber instrumental cycles composed within the period from the year 1938 to 1974, there are some musical themes based both on the academic and popular genres widely spread in the Soviet Union. <...> Some of them act as ways to characterize the protagonist (such as songs, lyrical songs and arias), and others are used to describe the characters from the Outer world (marches, dances, waltzes, scherzos). <...> The present article is dedicated to the study the themes used in string quartets by D. of Shostakovich and revealing the genre model of waltz. <...> Its distinctive features are: triple meter, © Siberian Federal University. <...> All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: Averkole@mail.ru # 158 # repetitive rhythmic and melodic expressions caused by the specifi city of the dance steps, the typical structural formula of the accompaniment: bass and two chords, structural regularity. <...> The typical waltz fi gures, such as whirling and waltz step, are refl ected in the melodic pattern by means of combining and repeating the simplest intonation elements (scale-wise and triad melodic elements, short two- and three-voice motives). <...> Most frequently introduced in parts III1 the waltz themes and II2 less frequently they appear in parts I3 fi nals4 are of the quartets; and quartet . <...> They are predominantly found in the Olesia A. Osipenko. <...> Waltz Themes in String Quartets by D. Shostakovich: Semantic Aspect primary5 or secondary areas6 in the main7 and once – in the fi nal area9 or middle parts of the ternary forms8 . , and less frequently , With all the visibility of the genre prototype, the composer’s work with the standard genre tool set is always different, in each case forming the limits of the possible conceptual and fi gurative interpretation. <...> Sometimes D. Shostakovich resorts to waltzes in his quartets in the festive <...>