Classical Music

Since his studenthood at the Leningrad Conservatory Dmitri Shostakovich had developed a strong connection to cinema. In the twenties of the last century he earned his living as a pianist at silent movie theatres, and the influence of this new media, which became highly important in the young Soviet Union, went along with the composer for a lifetime, testified by an output of nearly 40 film scores. In 1955 Alexander Fainzimmer made a film based on the novel ''The Gadfly'' by the English authoress Ethel Lilian Voynich, which was extremely popular and a bestseller in the Soviet Union. It was about the tragic story of a young freedom fighter in 19th-century Italy nicknamed ''Gadfly'', who, as an illegitimate son of a cardinal ultimately turned into a rebelling dandy, who was finally executed by a firing squad. Shostakovich was intrigued by the plot and the environment where it took place, since this allowed him to play with Mediterranean musical patterns. Shostakovich's associate and friend Levon atovmian condensed the complete score down to a suite, consisting of twewlve movements, which were used for this recording. The single titles already give an idea of what the music is about - pure entertainment, characterising the moving pictures by means of the music. A contredanse recalling the 18th century, an Italian tarantella type characterising a funfair, unusual classical instruments such as saxophone and hurdy-gurdy reminiscences during a humorous waltz, a romance, which recalls the famous ''Meditation'' from Saint-Saëns ''Thaïs'' - this is musical mainstream at the highest level making the listening of this colorful and diverse suite a genuine pleasure. Georgy Sviridov's roots in Russian folk music made his connection to Alexander Pushkin nearly inevitable. So when in 1964 the film director Vladimir Basov planned a filmization of Pushkin's short story Snowstom, he approached Sviridov, who agreed by return. His musical depiction of the film, based on Pushkin's Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin, proves his talent and creativeness in folkloristic musical composition, using at teh same time romantic stylistic elemtns, including the large romantic symphony orchestra. The richness of his musical language inspired by the poetic strength of Pushkin's writing creates a scen tof Hollywood flavor, which might not e a coincidence. The last scene from Snowstorm ''Winter Road'' was allegedly plagiarized and used as the main theme for the popular video game series ''Metal Gear Solid''.

STRING QUARTETS NOS. 3, 5, 7

Mayuko Katsumura offers sincerity and authenticity in this most substantial Shostakovich pairing- teaming with the Shostakovich Violin Concerto expert, The London Symphony Orchestra and the excellent pianist, Nigel Hutchison. “There was no denying Mayuko Katsumura’s technical and musical command of the work, nor her deep seriousness in coming to terms with the profundities of the score. Katsumura was wholly convincing.” (Classicalsource) Born in Tokyo, Mayuko Katsumura studied with professor Yasuro Sumi and graduated from the Music High School of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. In 1997 she moved to London to continue her studies with Yfrah neaman. She has distinguished herself in national music competitions in her native Japan, winning first prize in the Japan soloist contest in 1995. In 2002, she won first prize at the Ivan Sutton International Chamber Music Prize in London.

SHOSTAKOVICH: CELLO CONCERTOS

Classical Music

This new, outstanding live release featuring esteemed pianist Martha Argerich was recorded in Warsaw in 2006 at the Chopin and His Europe International Music Festival. For this programme, she performs one of her favorite Concertos: Shostakovich’s First. She is joined from the podium by her long-time musical partner Alexander Rabinovich. Also featured on this recording is the light-spirited Symphony No. 9, also by Shostakovich. The International Music Festival ‘Chopin and his Europe’ – an international music festival organized in Warsaw since 2005 by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, presenting European music within the context of its links with the life and work of the Polish pianist, composer and teacher Fryderyk Chopin (1810–1849). The project is realized as part of the government programme ‘Fryderyk Chopin Heritage 2010’. One important strand to the festival programme is historical performance – presenting works as they were originally heard, on period pianos in the possession of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute: an Erard from 1849, a Pleyel from 1846 and a Graf (a copy of an instrument from c. 1819). The festival is organized in collaboration with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and Polish Radio II.

Classical Music

Alpha is now reissuing three recordings from its back catalogue, the first album is of the conductor Teodor Currentzis. An opportunity to discover or rediscover three very different styles, and three facets of the talen tof ''the enfant terrible of classical music'', as Le Figaro called him, for whom ''music is intended to transport into the waking world the sentiments we feel when we dream''. With their invitation to travel through different periods and territories, these reissues may be appreciated both separately and as a triptych revealing the artistic approach of Teodor Currentzis and his ensemble MusicAeterna, from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas to Shostakovich's Symphony No. 14 by way of Mozart's Requiem, the Salzburg composer's last work, here given an invigorating reinterpretation.

Formed in 1994 at the Royal College of Music in London, the Belcea Quartet has recorded the complete string quartets of Beethoven, Brahms, Bartók and Britten. For this new Alpha release the ensemble has chosen two works by one of the leading composers of twentieth-century chamber music, Dmitri Shostakovich. The Quartet no.3, of historic importance, was initially censured by the Soviet regime, then revised by Shostakovich for its first performance in 1946; the refined playing of the Belcea Quartet brings out all of the piece's contours. The Piano Quintet is among its composer’s most famous works and significantly contributed to his success on the international scene and with the Soviet authorities. The Belcea Quartet performs it in the company of the Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski: the result is a musical encounter at the highest level of excellence.

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REVIEWS:

The Belcea Quartet’s first Shostakovich release offers much food for thought. Their insightful performance of the Third Quartet fully encapsulates the work’s war-scarred anguish. Anderszewski works miracles with Shostakovich’s often spare two-part piano writing, bringing out a greater wealth of colours than is normally the case.

– BBC Music Magazine

They look at the Quintet with fresh eyes and that is evident from the outset. The pianist’s opening soliloquy has power and a directness of emotion, which is matched by the Belcea. The Third String Quartet is every bit as successful. The absolute certainty of ensemble is one of the joys of the Belcea, but just as important is their fearlessness, and their reactivity, capturing the music’s emotional shifts unerringly. A tremendous addition to the Shostakovich discography.

–Gramophone

Classical Music

Shostakovich: The 15 String Quartets

Shostakovich Performs, Vol. 1: Piano Quintet, Trio & Solos

Shostakovich, D.: Cello Sonata, Op. 40 / Viola Sonata, Op. 1

Import Hybrid-SACD pressing.