SHOSTAKOVICH  Cello Sonata in D Minor, Op. 40

Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata in D Minor of 1934 is a study in sharp and often jarring contrasts, veering from one stylistic and emotional extreme to another. In harmonizing these diverse and often discordant elements, the young Russian composer created a highly personal musical language of extraordinary power and beauty.

SHOSTAKOVICH  Violin Sonata, Op. 134

Composed in 1968, Shostakovich’s Violin Sonata has much in common with his youthful, high-spirited Cello Sonata and the elegiac Viola Sonata. At the same time, the score features two notable distinctive elements: It marks Shostakovich’s first use of 12-note melodies and his last use of the Baroque passacaglia form. In its marriage of old and new, the work illustrates Shostakovich’s advice to his fellow musicians: “By building bridges into the future, we must take care not to burn the bridges connecting today’s culture to its immortal past.”

SHOSTAKOVICH  Viola Sonata, Op. 147

Written shortly before his death in 1975, the Viola Sonata is one of Shostakovich’s most poignant and deeply personal works. The many quotations and allusions—to his own music, as well as to other composers’ works—embedded in its three movements contribute to the sonata’s elegiac, valedictory mood. At the same time, the spare, linear textures justify Shostakovich’s description of the music as “bright and clear.”