Byron Quartet - Shostakovich: String Quartets (Quatuor Byron) on CD

Description

Native of different countries of Europe, the four musicians of the Byron Quartet met in Geneva thanks to the impetus of Gabor Takacs-Nagy. In 2009, the Byron Quartet won the Audience Prize of the Chamber Music Contest of the "Pour-cent culturel Migros", having thus the benefit of their support for two years. They have been engaged in important concert seasons and are regularly broadcasted on Radio 2 and Espace DRS2. Their first recording is entirely devoted to Dmitri Shostakovich. The String Quartet n. 8, the most famous, is a quasi-autobiographical work that evokes the composer's struggle against the Soviet regime. Shostakovich uses numerous themes of works that made his success. The String Quartet n. 9 and the Two Pieces for String Quartet less known, are caracteristic of the style of the composer (pain and suffering mixed to a sardonic humor).