Shostakovich - Violin concertos

Dmitri Shostakovich (September 25 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. Shostakovich had a complex relationship with the Soviet government, suffering two official denunciations of his music, in 1936 and 1948, and the periodic banning of his work. At the same time, he received a number of accolades and state awards and served in the Supreme Soviet. Despite the official controversy, he remained the most popular Soviet composer of his generation.

The Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Opus 77, was originally written by Dmitri Shostakovich in 1947 - 1948. He was still working on the piece at the time of the Zhdanov decree, and in the period following the composer's denunciation the work could not be performed. In the period between the work's initial completion and the first performance on 29 October 1955, the composer and its dedicatee, David Oistrakh, worked on a number of revisions. The work was finally premiered by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Yevgeny Mravinsky. It was well received, Oistrakh remarking on the "depth of its artistic content" and describing the violin part as a "pithy 'Shakespearian' role".

The Violin Concerto No. 2 in C sharp minor, Opus 129, was Dmitri Shostakovich's last concerto. He wrote it in the spring of 1967 as an early 60th birthday present for its dedicatee, David Oistrakh. It was premiered unofficially in Bolshevo, near Moscow, on 13 September 1967, and officially on 26 September by Oistrakh and the Moscow Philharmonic under Kirill Kondrashin in Moscow.


On this CD:

1. Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77 (revised as Op. 99)
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Scottish National Orchestra, Edwin Paling
with Lydia Mordkovitch
Conducted by Neeme Jarvi

2. Violin Concerto No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 129
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich
Performed by Scottish National Orchestra, Edwin Paling
with Lydia Mordkovitch
Conducted by Neeme Jarvi


Product Details

* Composer: Dmitry Shostakovich
* Conductor: Neeme Järvi
* Performer: Lydia Mordkovitch
* Orchestra: Scottish National Orchestra
* Audio CD (October 28, 1992)
* SPARS Code: DDD
* Number of Discs: 1
* Label: Chandos
* ASIN: B000000AK7


Tracklist:

01. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor Op.99 -I- Nocturne. Moderato
02. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor Op.99 -II- Scherzo. Allegro
03. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor Op.99 -III- Passacaglia. Andante
04. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor Op.99 -IV- Burlesque. Allegro con brio
05. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.2 in C# minor Op.129 -I- Moderato
06. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.2 in C# minor Op.129 -II- Adagio
07. SNO - Jaarvi - Mordkovitch - Violin Concerto No.2 in C# minor Op.129 -III- Adagio - Allegro



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