And so we embark on what is sure to be a very exciting and rewarding adventure, in preparing the 15 quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich for many performances throughout 2015. Over the coming months we will be reacquainting ourselves with those quartets we have already performed over the years as well as introducing ourselves to those we have yet to perform. We will also be immersing ourselves in all things Shostakovich, researching his fascinating story and putting these monumental pieces into a historical context. We will inform you of interesting books and articles we are reading but will also greatly appreciate suggestions!
We are delighted that we will make our first Shostakovich recording this summer for Signum Records, to be released later this year. We have chosen his Fourth (1949), Eighth (1960) and Eleventh (1966) quartets, three very different works, which display all the deep emotion, irony and eccentricity associated with Shostakovich’s music. We are really looking forward to this exciting project!
