In this work, as in the 10th symphony, the theme of Stalin is clearly present, especially in the second movement. Just like the 10th symphony, this is undoubtedly an autobiographical work.
This showed up on my home page years ago. I listened a few times and loved it, but I never was able to find it again. I know very little about music and less about string performances, but after typing in random combinations of quartets and octets and composers, I finally found it again. The conviction and emotion of the performers has never left me, and I could not rest until I rediscovered this masterpiece. This is such an incredible group of musicians and their sound is healing.
DSCH indeed required tapping the bow on the body of the violin, for a kind of skeletal danse macabre. Many fiddlers have stopped doing this. Violins are fragile and expensive. In many cases those instruments are on loan. Nowadays many tap their bows on the music stand. Unfortunately most bows are just as expensive, and even more fragile. Which is why Kam, the alto player here, slaps his hand on the body of his instrument. It's not the same sound. But anyway, the Jerusalem, a great quartet, performs this piece rather, shall I say, conservative. Without great risk taking.
Une merveill;euse interprétation de ce quatuor de Chostakovitch dont ils mettent si bien en valeur les facettes très différentes et expressives de son auteur.Chaque instrumentiste chante avec son instrument comme je l'ai rarement entendu
I’m shocked that this isn’t one of the most popular of Shostakovich’s string quartets….Personally it’s my absolute favorite of them because of the sheer depth and variety. Also, while this quartet is great I highly recommend the Pavel Haas Quartet’s recording
