Borodin quartet shostakovich cello

String quartet

The Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in in the then Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest-lasting string quartets, having marked its 70th-anniversary season in

The quartet was one of the Soviet Union's best known in the West during the Cold War era, through recordings as well as concert performances in the United States and Europe.

The quartet had a close relationship with composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who personally consulted them on each of his quartets. They also performed with the pianist Sviatoslav Richter on many occasions. They have recorded all of Shostakovich's string quartets as well as all of Beethoven's quartets. Their other recordings include works by a wide range of composers on the Melodiya, Teldec, Virgin Records, and Chandos Records labels.

The original Borodin quartet's sound was characterised by an almost symphonic volume and a highly developed ability to phrase while maintaining group cohesion. Although it has seen many personnel changes in its lifespan, all quartet members have been graduates of the Moscow Conservatory.

History

The quartet was formed as the Moscow Conservatoire Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich on cello, Rostislav Dubinsky and Vladimir Rabei&#;[Wikidata] on first and

SHOSTAKOVICH: String Quartets Nos. Unfinished Quartet Movement. 2 Pieces for String Quartet. Piano Quintet.* Music from the film, “Podrugi” / Borodin String Quartet; *Alexei Volodin, pno; Alexei Lubomov, pno & Sergei Nakariakov, tpt / Decca or available for free streaming on YouTube beginning HERE

Although this set, which interested me greatly, was released in , I had no access to reviewing it until now because, as usual, Decca doesn’t like to share music download links (let alone hard copies) for any reviewers who don’t write for the Big Five (Gramophone, BBC Music, MusicWeb International, Fanfare and American Record Guide), thus I had to wait until the whole thing became available for free streaming online. But I’m happy that I persisted, because this is clearly the best set of these works yet recorded.

I say that despite the fact that various configurations of the Borodin Quartet, long considered the authority in these works, have recorded them three times, although the first set from the s only included nine quartets because the last six hadn’t been written yet. I’ve lived with their second set from the early s for some time now, and was satisfied by it, but this one really is better, not only in terms of sonics (the s set, made in the earlier years of the digital age, were somewhat constricted in sound quality) but also in terms of overall playing. As for interpretive detail and phrasing, they follow in the footsteps of their predecessors; after all, each of these four musicians were recruited into the quartet as replacements for players who could pass along the tradition of playing Shostakovich the way Shostakovich preferred it performed.

All three sets were rather close-miked, which is often my preference for chamber music recordings. I don’t like to hear string quartets or any other chamber ensemble swimming in too much echo or reverb. The sound here has just enough natural room acoustic around the instruments to make the

The Borodin Quartet’s relationship with Shostakovich’s chamber music is intensely personal. This special association between creator and interpreters originated in cellist Valentin Berlinsky’s student days, when he studied the First Quartet with the composer. Thereafter, the Borodin Quartet would play through each new quartet for the composer before its premiere. As well as giving Shostakovich the chance to hear his music before it was made public, these sessions enabled the players to receive the composer’s advice on the nuances of performance.

There is ample evidence that Shostakovich regarded the Borodin ensemble as unsurpassed advocates of his music. Not only did he regularly perform his Piano Quintet with the Borodin members, he also entrusted them with private performances of his Fourth Quartet in , in order that it could be vetted by the Soviet Ministry of Culture before being made public. Coming just months after the composer’s denunciation by the authorities, this was an occasion demanding the utmost poise and discipline.

The first firmly established Borodin formation – Dubinsky, Alexandrov, Shebalin and Berlinsky – therefore had extensive experience of playing for and with the composer. Not only was Berlinsky a close friend of the composer, but viola-player Dmitri Shebalin was the son of composer Vissarion Shebalin, very much part of Shostakovich’s inner circle.

Igor Naidin, who joined as viola player after Dmitri Shebalin retired in , says: “Shostakovich watched over the Borodin Quartet’s development through its first generations. You could say he gave his blessing to the quartet’s playing of his music. Of course, the members who played his quartets to him before they were heard in public remembered all his remarks about interpretation, and the way of playing that met with his approval. Mr Berlinsky was the guardian of this tradition – we have received the ‘information’ from him, and as the next generation we will look