This is the world premiere recording of Rudolph Barshai's arrangements of Ravel and Shostakovich string quartets. Originally released in 2003 'Ravel & Shostakovich for strings' has been re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series which offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalogue. The specially commissioned arrangements retain the nuances that make the original string quartets so special but also add a whole world of subtle sonorities. The Shostakovich quartet shows him in the prime of his creative life; Barshai's orchestration adds to the texture and depth of this piece. The Ravel String Quartet in F major is one of director Clio Gould's favourite pieces of music so she was delighted when Rudolf Barshai agreed to orchestrate this. Barshai, a student of Shostakovich and a founding member of the Borodin and Tchaikovsky Quartets has also completed arrangements of Shostakovich's four chamber symphonies. Re-defining the string orchestra, Scottish Ensemble inspires audiences with vibrant and powerful performances. Scottish Ensemble is the UK's only professional string orchestra, built around a core of twelve outstanding string players. The ensemble is known both in the UK and internationally for it's versatility and ambitious programming. Performing standing up, the individual layers bring an energetic and passionate dynamic to every performance.