The Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 102 was premiered by Shostakovich's son, Maxim, on his 19th birthday in 1957, and is considered a 'birthday present'.
Dmitri Shostakovich's life was marked by both immense success and profound misfortune, enduring protracted threats under the Soviet regime.
The Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra has received critical acclaim for its recordings, including a Diapason d'Or and gold and platinum discs.
Shostakovich's 24 Preludes, Op. 34 are aphoristic and varied in mood, with some suggesting an improvisatory style.
Oleg Marshev, the pianist on this recording, is a direct representative of the fifth generation of Russian pianists since Liszt.
Hannu Lintu, the conductor, won the Nordic Conductor's Competition in Bergen in 1994.
Shostakovich made an art form of ambiguity itself, using it as a means of survival and counter-attack against the Soviet regime.
