Shostakovich's Piano Quintet with Julia Fischer, Nils Monkemeyer and the Oliver Schnyder Trio. Shostakovich: 50th anniversary of his death: August 9

Shostakovich's Piano Quintet with Julia Fischer, Nils Monkemeyer and the Oliver Schnyder Trio. Shostakovich: 50th anniversary of his death: August 9

Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra have begun to record the complete symphonies of Shostakovich, starting with his Fourth and Fifth symphonies. Shostakovich dared to express human suffering, passion, fear and catastrophe in his music, but always asking the same nagging question: what is man? In this sense, these two symphonies open with a question - an idea of martyrdom that was to become one of the central ideas of his later symphonies and, of course, of his Lady MacBeth of Mzensk. Both symphonies are dated between 1935-1937 when Shostakovich was in his thirties; this was one of the darkest and most difficult phases of his life, marked as it was by the repercussions of some of his writings and the arrest of many people close to him, including members of his family.

This 28-CD set commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Dimitri Shostakovich, presenting his symphonies, chamber symphonies, concertos, chamber music, string quartets, Jazz Ballet & Film music, 24 Preludes & Fugues. Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) is without doubt one of the most famous and influential composers of 20th century Russia. He lived in a time of Soviet repression and, though outwardly a loyal communist, he resented the restrictions imposed by the regime on his creativity. This led to a fascinating duality between conformism and the expression of his most innermost feelings, fears and anger. Shostakovich's 15 symphonies chart a remarkable artistic journey. The Fifth Symphony, often considered his response to political censorship, balances grandeur with emotional depth. Later symphonies, such as the Eighth and Fourteenth, delve into themes of war and death, using stark textures and powerful contrasts to convey their messages. His concertos, particularly for piano, violin, and cello, showcase both virtuosity and lyrical intensity. The First Cello Concerto, written for Mstislav Rostropovich, is notable for it's bold structure and expressive range. Similarly, his Piano Concerto No. 1 stands out for it's wit and originality, blending classical form with jazz-like energy. Shostakovich's 15 string quartets form a deeply personal body of work. Unlike his public-facing symphonies, the quartets are introspective, often revealing his inner turmoil. The Eighth Quartet is especially poignant, widely interpreted as a self-portrait filled with coded references and bleak emotional content. In ballet, Shostakovich contributed scores such as The Golden Age and The Bolt, works that combine satire, modernist flair, and Soviet themes. These compositions often clashed with official ideology but are now appreciated for their rhythmic vitality and sharp characterizations. The Jazz suites show his playful, satirical side. They feature catchy dance rhythms and unconventional instrumentation, such as the saxophone and banjo. These works blend classical technique with popular idioms, reflecting Shostakovich's versatility and wit. Shostakovich's legacy lies in his ability to navigate artistic expression under a repressive regime, creating music that speaks both to his time and to universal human experiences. Excellent performances by Rudolf Barshai (who worked closely together with the composer), National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine/Theodore Kuchar (both received a 10/10 rating on Classicstoday. Com), and many others.

For this, the fifth instalment of his Shostakovich symphony cycle, John Storgards turns to some of the earliest of the composer's orchestral output, works which Shostakovich largely wrote during his student years. The orchestral scherzo was a favourite task set by composition tutors of the time: the relatively simple form still demands that the student produce contrasting material for the outer and central sections, and manage the transitions effectively. Unsurprisingly, the form looms large in the early works of Shostakovich, as well as Stravinsky, Bartok, and many others. The two examples recorded here show the young composer's ability and style, although not yet perhaps a distinct compositional voice. They do both share links with the later First Symphony, however, which was composed as a graduation test in composition from the Petrograd Conservatoire. Shostakovich spent two years working on it, but the Symphony he eventually produced was an instant success, marking him out as a Boy Wonder among Soviet composers. Written four years later, the Third Symphony evidences not only the rapid development of Shostakovich as a composer, but the equally rapid change in the world he inhabited. He passed the newly required examination in Marxist ideology in December 1926, and managed to extend his registration as a postgraduate student at Leningrad Conservatoire until early 1930. He submitted the symphony with the explanation that it 'expresses the festive spirit of peaceful construction'. At this early stage of the first of Stalin's Five-Year Plans, he already demonstrated his realisation that political spin would be crucial to his creative survival.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's death, the Asasello Quartet completes it's full recording of the most significant string quartet cycle of the twentieth century for GENUIN. The great Russian composer left behind fifteen quartets - works by a complex, despairing, tender, distant, and enigmatic figure whose music continues to move and compel with it's timeless power, even half a century after his passing. This is especially the case in these masterful interpretations by the Asasello Quartet, which are technically flawless and infused with the shared experience of 25 years, as well as with an extraordinarily profound engagement with the composer's life and oeuvre.

We begin with one of Shostakovich's earliest chamber works, the Cello Sonata, originally premiered by cellist Viktor Kubatsky with the composer at the piano. Kubatsky later transcribed the cello part for the viola with Shostakovich's approval. His version, along with subsequent transcriptions by Evgeny Strakov and Annette Bartholdy, adapted certain passages to suit the viola. For this recording, I chose to remain as faithful as possible to the original cello version, raising some passages by an octave to accommodate the viola's range. This is followed by Shostakovich's Impromptu, a brief but captivating piece discovered in 2017. The album concludes with Shostakovich's Viola Sonata, which stands as one of the cornerstones of the viola repertoire. Not only is it his final composition, but it's also one of his most profound. In this work, Shostakovich seems to bid a poignant farewell, weaving in quotations from his earlier pieces and even paying tribute to Beethoven in the final movement.

SYMPHONY NO.7, 'LENINGRAD'

SYMPHONY NO. 10

CELLO CONCERTOS NOS. 1 & 2

Composed against a cataclysmic backdrop of Stalinist oppression and the Second World War, Shostakovich's Symphony No.8 is a deeply affecting poem of suffering. The composer described it as, ''an attempt to reflect the terrible tragedy of war,'' and it contains some of the most terrifying music he ever wrote. Here, Gianandrea Noseda conducts the London Symphony Orchestra with intensity and understanding, allowing the music to tell its own story as it travels from darkness into light, yearning more for peace than for victory.

Shostakovich, D.: Odna (Alone)

Shostakovich: String Quartets, Vol. 4

Dmitri Shostakovich is first and foremost known for his symphonies and string quartets - works that contain some humor, but even more darkness, brooding, and desolation. But there is the jaunty side of the great composer, too, and nowhere does it come to it's cheerful fore than in these works, the Jazz Suites, the Tahiti Trot, and his Ballet Suites. This set, accompanying Capriccio's boxes of Shostakovich's Symphonies, Film Music, Orchestral Songs, and Chamber Music, is rounded out with two concertos. In the playful Piano Concerto, that humorous side comes through in the many quotations of songs, own works, and Beethoven. Only the grim Violin Concerto, held back, like the 4th Symphony, for fear of retribution, offers no smile.

Dmitri Shostakovich is known for his symphonies, his chamber music, maybe the popular Suites, and to some extent even his film. Largely unknown, however, is his vocal symphonic music, of which only the cycle on Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79, has gained some wider popularity. Here these hidden gems are brought together in authoritative interpretations under Michail Jurowski and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne with it's rich Shostakovich tradition under Semyon Bychkov and Rudolf Barshai, among others, from the Six Romances on words by Japanese poets to the Suite on Verses by Michelangelo Buonarroti.