Concertino Op.94

The life and music of Dmitri Shostakovich is very much connected with the history of Russia in the 20th Century. His education began in the last years of the Tsar. He knew Stalin personally and was nearly purged twice, in 1936 and 1948. He survived the siege of Leningrad, argued with Khrushchev and to many Russians he was a coward, a hero, an opportunist and everything in between. He saw his friends purged, feared for his own life on many occasions and was an eye witness to the horrific “Five year plans”. Most of all, he was a truly great composer. He wrote music that both pleased and infuriated the state.

The Concertino was written in 1953 for him to play with his son Maxim, who at the time like his father was a student at the St. Petersburg conservatoire.  After a dramatic opening the music is quite upbeat and accessible. Two other things of great significance at this time happened. Firstly, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony was first performed to critical acclaim; and secondly Stalin was murdered. For a while Shostakovich was safe to allow his music to be performed without fear.