Shostakovich - String Quartets Nos. 4, 6 & 8 - Hyperion: CDA67154 - CD or download

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Catalogue No: CDA67154
Label: Hyperion
Length: 70 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 4 in D major, Op. 83

Work length24:47

$4.40

$6.00

St Petersburg String Quartet

I. Allegretto

Track length3:53

$1.10

$1.50

II. Andantino

Track length6:19

$1.10

$1.50

III. Allegretto

Track length4:02

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Allegretto

Track length10:33

$1.10

$1.50

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 6 in G major, Op. 101

Work length25:12

$4.40

$6.00

St Petersburg String Quartet

I. Allegretto

Track length6:45

$1.10

$1.50

II. Moderato con moto

Track length5:31

$1.10

$1.50

III. Lento

Track length4:57

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Lento – Allegretto

Track length7:59

$1.10

$1.50

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110

Work length20:18

$5.50

$7.50

St Petersburg String Quartet

I. Largo

Track length4:37

$1.10

$1.50

II. Allegro molto

Track length2:37

$1.10

$1.50

III. Allegretto

Track length4:37

$1.10

$1.50

IV. Largo

Track length4:46

$1.10

$1.50

V. Largo

Track length3:41

$1.10

$1.50

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About

After the St Petersburg Quartet's 'dazzling debut' on Hyperion with String Quartets 2 and 3 (CDA67153), this CD brings three further compelling recordings of the Shostakovich Quartets. Quartet No 4 was written at a time when leading Soviet composers were having their music publicly denigrated for failing to appeal to 'the people'. Despite this condemnation, Shostakovich persevered with his composing and just delayed the premier until four years later. Whatever Shostakovich feared to express publicly at this time (1949), by 1956, the year of his Sixth Quartet, the political and cultural climate had improved. The works Shostakovich released following Stalin's deaththe Fourth and Fifth Quartets, Violin Concerto, Tenth Symphony and Festive Overturehad altered the international perception of his art considerably. 1956 was the year of Shostakovich's fiftieth birthday, and the Sixth Quartet was written for a commemorative concert by the Beethoven Quartet. The event was, naturally, to be a pleasant one, and the music reflects, at least on the surface, the happiness as may be felt on such an occasion. Beneath the surface, however, we discern one of this composer's greatest and most original masterpieces. In July 1960, Shostakovich was in Dresden, in the then German Democratic Republic, writing the music for a film, Five Days, Five Nights. This was the first time Shostakovich had seen the remains of the city's bombardment, and the experience directly inspired his Eighth String Quartet, Op 110, which was written in just three days, July 12 to 14.

Shostakovich - String Quartets Nos. 4, 6 & 8

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