Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich
Performer: Mstislav Rostropovich, Dmitri Shostakovich
Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Kirill Kondrashin, Yevgeni Svetlanov, Aleksandr Gauk
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Supraphon
Catalogue: SU41012
Release: 2013
Size: 288 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 107
01. I. Allegretto
02. II. Moderato (att.)
03. III. Cadenza (att.)
04. IV. Allegro con moto
Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 126
05. I. Largo
06. II. Allegretto /att./ – Allegretto
07. III. Allegretto
Sonata for Cello and Piano in D-Sharp Minor, Op. 40
08. I. Allegretto non troppo
09. II. Allegro
10. III. Largo
11. IV. Allegro
Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 107
12. I. Allegretto
13. II. Moderato (att.)
14. III. Cadenza (att.)
15. IV. Allegro con moto
Rostropovich previously unknown and unreleased – unique recordings of Shostakovich’s concertos.
Mstislav Rostropovich, one of the greatest 20th-century cellists, studied composition with Dmitri Shostakovich. Their mutual respect soon grew into a close friendship and in 1959 Shostakovich dedicated his Cello Concerto No. 1 to Rostropovich, thus making the cellist’s long-time wish come true. Rostropovich learned the piece within a mere four days and duly played it by heart to the astonished composer.
Two days after the premiere (4 October 1959 in Leningrad), Rostropovich performed the work in Moscow to an enthusiastic audience response. Our CD contains this version, the concerto’s oldest known recording. In 1960, the celebrated cellist and the Czech Philharmonic, under Kirill Kondrashin, presented the piece at the Prague Spring festival.
Back in 1959, Rostropovich and Shostakovich recorded for Moscow Radio the Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, written by Shostakovich when he was twenty-eight years of age. The recording is a precious example of Shostakovich’s continuing piano skills at the time when he no longer gave public performances. The fruitful collaboration between the two artists and friends culminated seven years later in Cello Concerto No. 2, which was premiered by Rostropovich in Moscow on the day of Shostakovich’s 60th birthday. A Prague audience first heard the piece about a year later.
These Supraphon discs feature the CD debut of the two Prague recordings.