Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich
Performer: Martin Helmchen, Paul Beniston, Pieter Schoeman, Vesselin Gellev, Alexander Zemtsov, Kristina Blaumane
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: LPO
Catalogue: LPO0053
Release: 2011
Size: 702 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor for piano, trumpet & strings, Op. 35
01. I. Allegretto-Allegro vivace – Moderato
02. II. Lento
03. III. Moderato
04. IV. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102
05. I. Allegro
06. II. Andante
07. III. Allegro
Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57
08. I. Prelude
09. II. Fugue
10. III. Scherzo
11. IV. Intermezzo
12. V. Finale
Shostakovich’s energetic piano concertos feature striking and attractive themes, with sudden changes of mood between the burlesque and haunting, perfectly captured in these live recordings with pianist Martin Helmchen and the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Principal Conductor Vladimir Jurowski. The Piano Quintet displays perhaps an even greater range of styles within a work of unusual purity written under the looming shadow of war.
Martin Helmchen is a former member of the BBC New Generation Artist Scheme (2005-2007) and was the 2001 winner of the Clara Haskill Competition.