Shostakovich & Schnittke: The Wild Russians
This CD won the inaugural ABC award for Best Australian Recording in 1993. It is a vibrant, fresh account of two major works by the Russian masters Shostakovich and Schnittke.
David Pereira and Lisa Moore perform Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40, and Schnittke’s Sonata for cello and piano of 1978.
The programme pairs two major twentieth-century Russian works for cello and piano.
Reviews
Winner of the 1993 ABC Award for the Best Australian Recording
Top of the Top Ten Best Records 1993 The Age
…a highly charged musical experience of extraordinary quality.
…a 'must' for lovers of the cello
…What makes this disc such a success is the rapport between these two artists. This is duo playing out of the top drawer…The range of expressive nuance from both players, separately and together, is really extraordinary – I had thought of Pereira as one of those golden-toned cellists, but this is only one of a huge variety of timbres he finds on this recording which, by the way, captures the performances superbly. I recommend this disc without reservation.
…from an intuitively matched pair of musicians comes sensational playing…Lisa Moore excels as a colourist in both works.
His (Pereira's) account of the Shostakovich is good by any standard, often crackling with excitement…The Schnittke however is quite superb, the stark and at times brutal aspects are so ideally realised, the intentional harsh sounds never underplayed and the final Largo is a moment of mixed despair and resignation. Technically it is brilliantly realised, and tempi are ideally chosen. Lisa Moore makes an admirable partner in an equally demanding role, light and shade so admirably judged.
Artists
Lisa Moore
Lisa Moore brings colour, stamina and sharp rhythmic sense to piano music that runs from Janáček’s brooding paths to the percussive glitter of new Australian scores and the charged partnership of Russian and American cello sonatas.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (25 September 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated of the twentieth century, whose symphonies, chamber works and piano music remain central to the repertoire.
David Pereira
David Pereira is an Australian classical cellist, teacher and composer, born in Macksville, New South Wales, in 1953. He has premiered many concertos and solo works written for him by Australian composers, and served as principal cellist of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke's music collides styles and eras, from Shostakovich-tinged early scores to stark polystylism in chamber works. His Cello Sonata moves through brutal Presto energy into a final Largo of mixed despair and resignation.
Tracks
- i. Allegro non troppo 12:39
- ii. Allegro 3:29
- iii. Largo 8:43
- iv. Allegretto 4:38
- i. Largo (1978) 4:29
- ii. Presto (1978) 7:09
- iii. Largo (1978) 13:38
Sonata in D minor, Op. 40 Dmitri Shostakovich
Sonata for Cello and Piano Alfred Schnittke
Performers
- Lisa Moore · piano
- David Pereira · cello
Where to listen
Shostakovich & Schnittke: The Wild Russians is available for streaming through Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Shostakovich & Schnittke: The Wild Russians is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- TP018
- Total playing time
- 54 minutes 45 seconds
- Release date
- 22 Aug 1992
- Label
- Tall Poppies
- Musical work
copyright - © 1992 Tall Poppies Records
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 1992 Tall Poppies Records
- Category
- Modern Masterpieces
- Genre
- Modernist Classical
- Barcode
- EAN 9399000001829
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