Dmitri Shostakovich was the chronicler, the poet in music, of Soviet Russia: from its bright and optimistic inception as enshrined in his First Symphony, through the gradual alienation experienced by genuinely creative figures within Stalin's regime, to which the suppressed Fourth Symphony and opera Lady Macbeth bear powerful witness, to the pressure to conform and supply music that buttressed the regime's ideals, such as patriotic symphonies and sturdy choral works; finally, to a late, disenchanted rapprochement between individual and state that allowed the elderly composer to retreat from the provision of public work and increasingly to focus his undimmed creative powers on a series of string quartets and song cycles which reinforce, through often cynical and sarcastic expression, the need for a man to retain his own identity and self-respect in the face of overwhelming opposition. All these facets of the man and his music -- rarely has there been a composer in whom the two were so indivisible -- are evident from this remarkable collection, the most complete available. All the symphonies and string quartets are here, of course, and the symphonies in particular enjoy the advocacy of special eloquence granted by the leadership of Rudolf Barshai, one of Shostakovich's most trusted intimates and performers. So too, however, are there rarities galore: English folksong settings; unpublished operas; occasional festivities for orchestra; forgotten movie soundtracks. The majority of performers and performances are Russian in origin, including the famous, unparalleled recording of Lady Macbeth sung by Galina Vishnevskaya and conducted by her husband, Mstislav Rostropovich. David Oistrakh is another dedicatee who brings unique authority to the concertos (violin, in this case). There's even a cameo from Shostakovich himself -- who was a superb pianist, as can be heard from this disc of concertos and solo works. Other information: - The most comprehensive Shostakovich Edition ever produced! - Shostakovich, one of Soviet Russia's most famous and fascinating composers, struggled his whole life with the restrictions and demands of the Stalin regime. This however didn't smother his creativity, on the contrary, it produced a unique ambiguity in his music, a fusion of the trivial and the profound, masquerade and intimate truth, of noise and contemplation, in short, a fusion of all the bizarre elements of life itself. - This set presents the near complete works of Shostakovich: Complete symphonies, chamber symphonies, concertos, songs, string quartets, a generous selection chamber music, ballets and suites (the famous Jazz suites!), cantatas, and the operas. - Famous and legendary performers include Rudolf Barshai (a close friend of Shostakovich), Cristina Ortiz, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Valery Polyansky,Victor Popov, Theodore Kuchar, Muza Rubackyte, Yuri Serov, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Andrey Chistiakov and Mstislav Rostropovich. - Includes unique historical recordings, featuring Dmitri Shostakovich performing on the piano. CD 1- 11: Symphonies CD 12-13: Chamber Symphonies CD 14-16: Concertos CD 17-21: String Quartets CD 22: Piano Quintet CD 23-24 - Sonatas CD 25-27: Works for solo piani CD 28-32: Songs CD 33: Suite, Six Romances CD 34: Choral Works CD 35-37: Jazz Suites, Film Suites, Ballet Suites CD 38-43: Film Scores CD 44: The Lady and the Hooligan CD 45 Rotschild's Violin CD 46 The Gamblers CD 47-48 Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District CD 49 Historical recordings