It is quite special that I bought this. It was very expensive, even though second hand and in 2014. I didn’t have that much money, but I got it anyway. It was the most expensive classical record I ever bought. I wanted it for two reasons: it was the Borodin Quartet, and I thought String Quartets that were this late in time should be an interesting venture to get into.
I was not disappointed, and when I listened to it now, I still am not. Shostakovich’s String Quartets cover most of his life, and they tell a story of a man hunted by the Russian authorities. Every composition tells a story, but these works must have been very close to his heart. What he couldn’t do in his major works, escaped the attention of the communist party when it was in his chamber music.
All of these recordings were premieres, and most of them were performed by the Borodin Quartet, in close cooperation with Shostakovich himself. Some of them were by the Beethoven Quartet. Some years ago I got the opportunity to see the whole series in the Concertgebouw, performed by the new line up of the Borodin Quartet. It was breathtaking. During the coffee breaks we were looking on the faces of the original quartet, staring at us on a painting in the lobby. It made the connection between old and new quite palpable.
If you listen to these, I hope you have patience. They require attention and perseverance. Try just one, and repeat it a couple of times. That way you understand the composer’s musical vocabulary. It is not like most other composers, and not for the faint of heart. However, as with many of these ventures in classical music, once conquered, it will stay with you.