The Kiev Virtuosi is an orchestra from Ukraine that has gained national and international recognition, with most of its members being competition winners.
Composer Biography
Rudolf Barshai, a violist and conductor, was a catalyst for transcribing Shostakovich's string quartets for larger ensembles and had a professional association with the composer until Shostakovich's death.
Performer Biography
Dmitry Yablonsky, the conductor, is a GRAMMY®-nominated cellist who began playing at age five and made his orchestral debut at age nine.
Compositional Technique
Rudolf Barshai recast Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 3 as a chamber symphony for strings and woodwind, with the woodwind adding a sense of foreboding and engaging in whimsical dialogues.
Compositional Technique
Shostakovich's string quartets are unusual because almost all of them have been transcribed for larger forces, ranging from string ensemble to full orchestra.
Composition History
Shostakovich's Third String Quartet, written in 1946, was banned for several years after the 'Zhdanov decree' in February 1948, though it was heard privately.
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