Shostakovich: Cello Concertos

Shostakovich wrote two cello concertos for his great friend Mstislav Rostropovich.

Cello Concerto No. 1 was written in 1959, a difficult year for the composer. His second marriage was failing, and he was suffering from a debility in his right hand that hampered his ability to write, and to play the piano. His personal circumstances could not help but to colour this dark and uncompromising cello concerto. The angular motifs in the first movement grate against one another, and the slow movement touches depths of feeling unheard in Shostakovich’s works since the First Violin Concerto a decade earlier.

Shostakovich’s inspiration for the concerto was Prokofiev’s Symphony-Concerto for cello and orchestra. He loved this work, and told Rostropovich that he had played the recording of it so many times that it eventually wore out completely and only emitted a kind of hiss when he put it on his gramophone player.

Cello Concerto No. 2 was written seven years later, in 1966. It was premiered at the composer’s sixtieth birthday concert with Mstislav Rostropovich as soloist. Until the very last moment it was doubtful that Shostakovich himself would attend, as he had recently suffered a heart attack. In the end, he did make it to the concert, and both he and the new concerto were rapturously received. In the words of Rostropovich, this work is ‘less striking [than its predecessor]… but its profundity is second to none’.

The works are here performed by the cellist Enrico Dindo, whom Rostropovich himself described as ‘a cellist of exceptional qualities, a complete artist and a formed musician, with an extraordinary sound which flows as a splendid Italian voice’. Dindo has performed with the BBC Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre national de France, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among others, under conductors such as Valery Gergiev and Rostropovich. On this recording he is accompanied by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under Gianandrea Noseda, an exclusive Chandos artist.

***** (Very Good)

Pierre-Jean Tribot - Pizzicato magazine - June 2012

"...Enrico Dindo offers compelling playing that is immediately arresting ... well-shaped playing from the Danish National Symphony Orchestra combine to cap an exceptionally fine reading [First Cello Concerto]..."

Joanne Talbot - The Strad magazine - April 2012

Recording of the Month

Dominy Clements – Musicweb-international.com – 12 March 2012

Performance (First Concerto) ***** (Second Concerto) *** Recording *****

“...The performance of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto is particularly distinguished... Dindo’s compatriot Gianandrea Noseda once again demonstrates his consummate artistry as a concerto accompanist, inspiring the Danish national Radio Symphony Orchestra to deliver incisive and strongly characterised playing...”

Erik Levi – BBC Music magazine – March 2012

“...Spacious recorded sound makes this a refreshing, vivid listen, and David Fanning’s sleeve notes are fascinating...”

Graham Rickson – theartsdesk.com – 11 February 2012

“This CD contains two of the finest cello concertos of the last century in performances of considerable merit ... Enrico Dindo is a magnificent cellist, and he has the technical measure of both of these very different but equally great compositions; he is very well partnered by Gianandrea Noseda and the Danish orchestra and the recording quality is first-class ...”

Robert Matthew-Walker - International Record Review – February 2012

“... an extremely worthy release.”

Ben Hogwood - classicalsource.com – February 2012

Performance ***** Sonics *****
"...A top recommendation for these riveting performances is warranted."

Castor - SA-CD.net - 5 January 2012

“...Enrico Dindo ... handles the solo parts with a lyrical character and lightly worn virtuosity that make perfect sense on their own terms. His atmospheric treatment of the opening to the second concerto is impressive. Superbly intense accompaniments from the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under Gianandrea Noseda.”

Andrew Clark – The Financial Times – 21-22 February 2012

"...Gianandrea Noseda makes his first appearance with the Danish national Symphony on this Chandos disc, giving alert and sympathetic support and achieving a fine pair of performances."

Peter Spaull - Liverpool Daily Post - 13 January 2012

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Shostakovich: Cello Concertos

Danish National Symphony Orchestra

Gianandrea Noseda

Enrico Dindo

Koncerthuset, DR Byen, Copenhagen

Bernhard Guttler

Ralph Couzens

Jan Oldrup

Chamber

DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH

Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 107 (1959)

Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 126 (1966)