Shostakovich & Matthews: Piano Quintets Martin Cousin & Villiers Quartet

• 1 I. Prelude: Moderato con moto 04:46
• 2 II. Tango: Urgente 05:00
• 3 III. Ciaccona: Largo 06:08
• 4 IV. Canto: Allegretto Giocoso 04:29
• 5 I. Prelude: Lento 04:42
• 6 II. Fugue: Adagio 09:25
• 7 III. Scherzo: Allegretto 03:28
• 8 IV. Intermezzo: Lento 06:38
• 9 V. Finale: Allegretto 07:27
• Total Runtime 52:03

Info zu Shostakovich & Matthews: Piano Quintets

This new release brings an exciting first recording to the SOMM catalogue -- the Piano Quintet, Op. 92 by David Matthews coupled with an ideal companion piece, the Piano Quintet by Dmitri Shostakovich. David Matthews wrote his Piano Quintet in 2004 as an engagement present for his wife Jenifer, so in his view, its overall happy mood is appropriate. The two outer movements of the four-movement Quintet are essentially lyrical, while the middle movements are dance movements, with the chaconne third movement a blend of song and dance. The 2nd movement is a Tango, a form that has come to interest Matthews a great deal, whilst the Finale was inspired by a walking holiday in Italy during which, on Easter Sunday morning, he heard the bells of a convent near the town of Montefalco. Shostakovich's five-moment Piano Quintet Op. 57 is arguably the finest of the few notable piano quintets of the 20th century. Shostakovich organised his Quintet with considerable skill, and despite the overall mood of contemplation it still retains a vein of light poetry which can be traced throughout the piece in various guises. When first performed by the Beethoven Quartet in November 1940, it was awarded a Stalin prize of 1000,000 roubles, a gesture which seemed to confirm the complete public rehabilitation of the composer in the eyes of the regime. The Villiers Quartet and Martin Cousin are too well-known and well established to need a special introduction but an excerpt from a recent communication by David Matthews says it all: "Martin, James, Tamaki, Carmen, Nick thank you all for a superb recording, full of warmth and passion. I'm absolutely delighted."

„An exceptionally fine release from Somm of Piano Quintets by David Matthews and Dmitri Shostakovich performed by the Villiers String Quartet with pianist Martin Cousin.“ (The Classical Review)

Martin Cousin, piano
Villiers String Quartet:
James Dickenson, violin
Tamaki Higashi, violin
Carmen Flores, viola
Nick Stringfellow, cello

Recorded at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St. Hilda’s College, Oxford on 20th and 21st January 2015
Engineered by Ben Connellan
Produced by Siva Oke

Martin Cousin
is now regarded as one of the most dynamic pianists of his generation, having been awarded 1st prize at the 2005 Ettore Pozzoli International Piano Competition (Seregno, Italy) and Gold Medal at the 2003 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition (London).

Martin has appeared regularly in the major British musical venues since graduating from the Royal College of Music, making his London solo debut at the Purcell Room in 1998 to great critical acclaim. Numerous solo recitals followed, notably at the Wigmore Hall in 2001 and 2005.

He has performed as concerto soloist with the London Philharmonic, Halle, Royal Philharmonic and BBC Concert Orchestras.

Performances further afield have included tours of New Zealand, the US, Indonesia and Thailand, concerts in Stockholm, Brussels, Toronto, Tokyo, Berne and The Hague together with numerous recitals throughout Italy.

2006 saw the release of his debut CD of Rachmaninov’s Sonata No 1 and Morceaux de Salon with SOMM Recordings, which was selected as Classical CD of the week by the Daily Telegraph, with Geoffrey Norris stating that, “Martin Cousin’s debut disc establishes a striking new benchmark for the interpretation of Rachmaninov’s 1st Piano Sonata ….. has discretion, judgment, perception and formidable technique.”

The US magazine Fanfare added, “This is the performance of the 1st Sonata that I have always heard in my head but never thought I’d actually get to hear with my ears. This guy’s the Real Deal!”

Highlights of the last two seasons have included Tchaikovsky’s 1st Concerto at Bridgewater Hall and Symphony Hall, Gershwin’s Concerto in F at the Adrian Boult Hall and the European premiere of Terry Mann’s ‘No Ordinary Piano Suite’ at the Purcell Room.

Alongside his solo schedule, chamber music has taken him to Prague, Zimbabwe and Barbados and he is a founder member of the Aquinas Piano Trio.

In 2009, Trinity Guildhall Exams invited him to record the Grade 6-8 violin and piano syllabus (2010-2015) with Andrew Haveron.

This season will see the release of his much-anticipated second CD for SOMM Recordings, which will feature Glazunov’s Piano Sonatas, along with a return to the Wigmore Hall and Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Philharmonia at Barbican Hall and Royal Festival Hall.

Martin’s hands are also featured on the big screen in the Oscar-winning film “Shine”, for the scenes involving Rachmaninov’s 3rd Concerto.

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