Scottish Ensemble - Shostakovich - Christchurch - New Zealand

Shostakovich, played by the Scottish Ensemble, with John Wallace, trumpet and Sophia Rahman, piano; Clio Gould, artistic director and violin.

Here are three of Shostakovich's most approachable works for string orchestra. On the surface the Chamber Symphony Op. 110 is a richer version of the String Quartet No. 8, of which it is in fact an arrangement. The Piano Concerto No. 1, sometimes called the concerto for piano, trumpet and strings, and the Two pieces for String Octet are early Shostakovich,positive in mood before he went into his succession of crises of conflict with the soviet authorities that dominated his later work, including the eigth quartet.

The performances are excellent. In fact it occurs to me that I am yet to hear an indifferent performance from Scottish musicians on the Linn label.