Shostakovich and Beethoven

Tim  Paxton (cello) with Simon Coverdale (piano)  gave us a lunch time  recital today -  Beethoven's variations on "Bei Mannern" from Mozart's The Magic Flute plus a cello sonata by Shostakovich. 

We also had a talk in advance and followed the score.  This was really  useful. I didn't know the music, and so it was great to talk it  through  and know what to watch for - interrupted cadences and appoggiaturas!!  The Beethoven was beautiful.
 
Simon and Tim were great performers. Tricky stuff played with such skill  and charisma.  I loved the flourish at the end of one movement where Tim shot his bow straight up the air.  Maybe I might try it!

I really enjoyed the introduction each of them did of the pieces. It  added to the performance and painted a picture for us - particularly the Shostakovich piece.  At one point,  Tim described one the movements as a human heart bleeding in the desolate freezing snow!  You can just imagine it!

The music depicted the hard  times of a difficult political regime in the Soviet Union.   It wasn't very accessible and I'm not completely sure if I liked it. Its hard core classical.  But I can appreciate the skill and passion that it was performed with and it was interesting.

I'll listen to it again.  But I like some of Shostakvich's music.  He sounds an interesting man who had to walk a tighrope all his life - trying to please his political masters -  while also being true to his feelings and the suffering of the people.  He has written his memoirs, which sound an interesting read.  It said that he always carried a toothbrush around with him in case the black cars came to arrest him and he was never heard of again!