Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99 - download (MP3 & FLAC)

“The raw immediacy of Yossif Ivanov's tone is the first thing to strike in this pairing of two of the mid-20th century's most pungent violin concertos. [In Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1], Ivanov's characterisation is edgy and intelligent through-out, his sound big and forthright.” The Independent on Sunday, 9th August 2009

“Though still only a teenager, the Armenian-born Sergey Khachatryan is a shining beacon among today’s young violinists, a persuasive interpreter with a musical personality all his own.” The Independent

“Do we need another pairing of the Shostakovich violin concertos? The answer is an unequivocal yes when the playing is as sensational as this.
Not just a preternaturally gifted teen, Sergey Khachatryan is a real rival to Maxim Vengerov in this repertoire: the Shostakovich No 1 is his party piece as well. Interpreting it with a less unyielding intensity, he too satisfies its demands as few have done since the great David Oistrakh.
Rock-solid intonation is combined with wonderfully sweet tone.
Kurt Masur's accompaniment is characteristic of him. You'll hear the important tam-tam contributions in the first movement, which Rostropovich and/or his sound team fail to clarify, but you shouldn't expect minatory timp thwacks when the third movement passacaglia launches with kapellmeisterish restraint. Masur's lack of theatricality puts the focus on the way the music is put together. One drawback hereabouts is a microphone placement that captures soloistic sniffles, distracting if you do your listening on headphones.
The finale is aptly lighter in style, with a dash to the finishing-line perfectly calculated to win prizes and bring the house down.
Authoritative booklet-notes portray the companion concerto as something of an also-ran, an impression the performance perhaps does too little to allay. There are some exquisite effects but Vengerov, Rostropovich and the LSO take us to another, darker place. In Paris the accompaniment has too much politesse and is backwardly balanced. Strongly recommended even so.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Born in 1985 in Yerevan, Armenia, Sergey Khachatryan… is a real rival to Maxim Vengerov in this repertoire: the Shostakovich No 1 is his party piece as well. Interpreting it with a less unyielding intensity, he too satisfies its demands as few have done since the great David Oistrakh. Rock-solid intonation is combined with wonderfully sweet tone.” Gramophone Magazine, November 2006

“This coupling completely explodes the idea of the Second Violin Concerto being a disappointment after the dramatic originality of No 1.
Certainly No 2, completed in 1967, a year after the very comparable Cello Concerto No 2, has never won the allegiance of violin virtuosos as the earlier work has done, but here Lydia Mordkovitch confirms what has become increasingly clear, that the spareness of late Shostakovich marks no diminution of his creative spark, maybe even the opposite. In that she's greatly helped by the equal commitment of Neeme Järvi in drawing such purposeful, warmly expressive playing from the SNO. With such spare textures the first two movements can be difficult to hold together, but here from the start, where Mordkovitch plays the lyrical first theme in a hushed, beautifully withdrawn way, the concentration is consistent.
It isn't just that Mordkovitch has the benefit of far fuller recording and a less close recording balance, but that her playing has an even wider range of colouring and dynamic than Oistrakh's.
She conveys more of the mystery of the work and is perfectly matched by the orchestra. As in the First Concerto the principal horn has a vital role, here crowning each of the first two movements with a solo of ecstatic beauty in the coda.
The range of the recording helps in the finale, where the Allegro has a satisfyingly barbaric bite, while the scherzando element is delectably pointed, as it is in the first movement too.
In the First Concerto Mordkovitch is hardly less impressive. As in Concerto No 2 one of her strengths lies in the meditative intensity which she brings to the darkly lyrical writing of the first and third movements. Here, too, she has never sounded quite so full and warm of tone on record before. In the brilliant second and fourth movements she may not play with quite the demonic bravura of Oistrakh, but again there's no lack of power, and in place of demonry she gives rustic jollity to the dance rhythms, faithfully reflecting the title of the finale, Burlesque.
She's helped by recorded sound far fuller than Oistrakh's. This is a superb disc.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“This is another winner from the BBC…Just listen and marvel at Oistrakh's control and depth of feeling for this magnificent opening movement…The third movement, Passacaglia, is truly superb as music and so is this performance... The music's argument is so logical and coherent in this account and Oistrakh's tone is impeccable. At times the playing is so moving that it is almost unbearable yet it is not slushy or sentimental… Irrefutably magnificent! …You will not hear these concertos played better!” David Wright, MusicWeb International

“David Oistrakh’s authority in the Shostakovich concertos is an absolute feast for the ear…” BBC Music Magazine

“An important recording of landmarks of this century's violin literature. Highest commendation.” Fanfare