大象传媒

Shostakovich was composing for the big screen to earn money to support his family, writing pieces to comply with Party guidelines, and composing works for the concert hall that were hidden for many years, and only premiered after Stalin's death. In today's programme we hear of the terrifying moment Shostakovich received a phone call from Stalin himself. Donald Macleod presents Shostakovich's Fourth String Quartet, and a movement from his First Violin Concerto.

This week we're exploring Dmitri Shostakovich the family man. We are turning our attention to the middle of the Russian composer's life, hearing about his relationship with his two children (Galina, born in 1936, and Maxim, born in 1938) and his first wife Nina, who he was married to from 1935 until her death in 1954.

Pirogov (Finale)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor Op 77 (1st mvmt)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Lisa Batiashvili (violin)

The Song of the Forests Op 81 (part 1 & 2)
Mikhail Kotliarov, tenor
Nikita Storojev, bass
New London Children鈥檚 Choir
Brighton Festival Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor

String Quartet 4 Op 83
Emerson String Quartet

Producer: Amy Wheel, 大象传媒 Cymru Wales