Rudolf Barshai created these arrangements of Shostakovich’s Quartets Nos. 3, 4, 8, and 10, and while his performances have been equalled in some instances (notably in an excellent series from BIS), they have not been surpassed. As a Shostakovich conductor, Barshai’s credentials are second to none. He led the premiere of the Fourteenth Symphony, and his complete symphony cycle on Brilliant Classics remains one of the glories of the composer’s large discography. Barshai’s conducting has an aristocratic elegance that never becomes fussy or fails to plumb the music’s emotional depths. Even in the transcription of the Eighth Quartet (Op. 110a) he manages to combine poise and anguish in a way that bespeaks superior musicianship all around. The playing of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe is outstanding in every respect, and the sonics are equally vivid. Only in the most heavily-scored climaxes of the Fourth Quartet (transcribed for winds and percussion as well as strings) is there a hint of congestion. Otherwise this is essential listening for all fans of the composer, made only more so by the interesting arrangement of the Fifteenth Symphony, as well as the Schnittke, both also exceptionally well done by Gidon Kremer & Co. A stunning collection.
