As fine a single-disc collection of
Shostakovich's chamber music as was released at the time of the composer's centenary, this disc has the twin virtues of a fascinating program and compelling performances. The repertoire includes one of the composer's least frequently played pieces of chamber music -- the Piano Trio No. 1 -- and one of his most frequently pieces of chamber music -- the Piano Quintet -- as well as a set of five works for other mediums arranged for two violins and piano by the composer's friend Lev Atovmian. Violinist
Julian Rachlin and pianist
Itamar Golan form the core of the performing forces, joined by violist
Yuri Bashmet in the trio and quintet and violinist
Janine Jansen in the Atovmian arrangements and quintet. The players, none of them wallflowers, bring their big tone, expressive touch, and blazing virtuosity to bear on all three works, and the result is a moody and melancholy Trio, a sweet and sexy set of arrangements, and an intense, exuberant, and ultimately exultant quintet. Though any
Shostakovich fans no doubt already have three or four recordings of the quintet starting with the composer's own with the
Beethoven quartet from 1955, they will still want to hear this superlative account. And while some
Shostakovich fans may already have one or two favorite recordings of the First Trio, few if any will know Atovmian's arrangements, and the chance to hear Elegy, the beguiling theme for the Soviet film based on Balzac's Human Comedy turned into a sentimental salon piece, performed with the lush-toned
Rachlin and the dewy-toned
Jansen is not to be missed. Recorded live in the Musiverein in Vienna, Onyx's sound here is rich, deep, and clear.