Shostakovich - Piano Concerto no. 1
Shostakovich - Piano Quintet
Argerich; Nakariakov
Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana / Verdernikov
Capucon; Margulis; Chen; Maisky
EMI 504 5042

Release date October 2007

Recorded at the Lugano Festival last year, Martha Argerich’s disc of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto no. 1 has been well worth the wait. Her playing sparkles from start to finish, passage work excitedly skipping along. After the extraordinary first movement, the Lento movement gives a brief and delicate respite. The young Sergei Nakariarov is an ideal trumpet soloist and the orchestra clearly shares the soloists’ enthusiasm for the work. The Allegro poco moderato in the final movement of the Concerto is reminiscent of the Shostakovich Jazz Suites; the trumpet solo passages are taken with ease, sounding almost lazy after the frenzy of moments before. The piano, trumpet and orchestra gallop to the end, barely taking a breath on their way. The well-deserved applause has been left in and the overall effect is an incredibly powerful, clean and alive performance. As if the concerto wasn’t enough to tempt, also on the disc is Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet with Renaud Capucon, Mischa Maisky and Lilya Zilberstein. With such a starry group of names one can’t help but expect something very special here. Fortunately we are not disappointed; the players work well together, giving it everything they have, all the while maintaining a delicate balance. Sandwiched between these two substantial works is the lesser-known Shostakovich Concertino, Op. 94 for two pianos. The placing of the Concertino acts slightly as a palate cleanser, although not to its detriment – the individuality of each work is accentuated. The Guardian described these performances as “live music-making of the most exhilarating order” – this accurately sums up what is one of the most exciting recordings I have heard in quite some time.

Ruth Squire