Melodiya presents Dmitri Shostakovich’s instrumental concertos performed by young soloists, prize-winners of the XIV and XV International Tchaikovsky Competitions, and the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Sladkovsky.

The instrumental concertos occupy a special niche in Shostakovich’s legacy. In terms of depth of content and scale of concept they are not inferior to his symphonic cycles. At the same time, the personal statements bring them closer to the master’s chamber music that, some argue, contains the composer's 'internal voice'. Shostakovich wrote both his concertos and chamber music with personalities and performing styles of certain musicians in mind. So, he wrote the piano concertos for himself (No.1) and his son Maxim (No.2), both violin concertos for David Oistrakh, and the cello concertos were inspired by the art of Mstislav Rostropovich. Today Shostakovich’s instrumental concertos enjoy wide, deserved popularity and are present in many musicians’ repertoire.

This set is the first in a project that will include recordings of Shostakovich’s symphonic music made by Alexander Sladkovsky and the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra in 2016, the year of the composer’s 110th birthday. Sladkovsky became the orchestra’s chief conductor in 2010; with him at the helm, the orchestra is now one of the best symphony collectives in Russia. It has been a participant of international music festivals and has collaborated with the best international soloists. The careers of Lukas Geniušas, Alexander Buzlov, Alexander Ramm, Dmitri Masleyev, Sergei Dogadin and Pavel Milyukov began in the 21st century, but we are confident when we say that they are among the most remarkable representatives of music art of their generation and worthy successors of the great traditions of the Russian performing school.