Chamber music: Schubert and Shostakovich
Shostakovich’s symphonies are milestones in the symphonic repertoire, all equally dramatic with that same rebellious, ironic undertone. His last symphony, Symphony No. 15, has a more introspective quality. Many of his contemporaries likened it to a meditation on life: the cheerful first movement represents the innocence of childhood, whereas the last, unsettling darker movement refers to adulthood and perhaps the end of life. In the piano trio for piano and two percussionists, his Fifteenth is reduced to its essence. Shostakovich has never sounded so pure, so transparent. Schubert’s Notturno is another work of brooding intensity. This serene gem, which was first performed after the composer’s death, really comes into its own in the stunning setting of AMUZ.
Program
Schubert Notturno in Es, D 897
Shostakovich Symphony no. 15 (arr. for piano trio and three percussionists)
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