Shostakovich's Piano Quintet was created in 1940, at a time when he needed to regain momentum after the unenthusiastic reception of his Sixth Symphony and navigate his controversial relationship with Soviet authorities.
Composition History
The Beethoven Quartet, a young ensemble from the Moscow Conservatory, suggested to Shostakovich the idea of writing a Piano Quintet so they could perform together.
Performer Biography
Quartetto Noûs, formed in 2011, has established itself as one of the most interesting chamber music ensembles of its generation, winning the Piero Farulli Prize in 2015.
Critical Reception
Despite Prokofiev's harsh judgment that Shostakovich's Piano Quintet was "over calculated," the work highlights a wide range of feelings coexisting harmoniously.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Shostakovich often used chamber music as an escape route during difficult years, as it attracted less public attention than his symphonies.
Compositional Technique
Shostakovich's Second Quartet is one of the rare cases of a work that opens in a major key and closes in a minor key.
Composer Biography
Dmitri Shostakovich, like Bartók and Ravel, was an excellent pianist, though he joked he added a piano part to his Second Quartet to travel the world.
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