Valeriy Sokolov performs Shostakovich

Opening the series with a concerto described as a “pithy 'Shakespearian' role” by celebrated violinist David Oistrakh, Valeriy Sokolov performs one of the most compelling violin concertos in the repertoire. No Russian composer has experienced the oppressive hand of the Soviet state more than Dmitri Shostakovich, and whilst Stalin silenced many artists, it was only after Stalin’s death that Shostakovich dared to publish his Violin Concerto No.1.

The emotional intensity swells after the interval as Lionel Bringuier conducts one of the most abundantly lyrical and superbly-crafted masterpieces, Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony.