For the Record, Op. 67: Matthew Lipman's World Premiere Recording of Shostakovich Impromptu for Viola

October 19, 2018, 2:01 PM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Matthew Lipman.

Shostakovich: Impromptu for Viola and Piano, Op. 33
Matthew Lipman, viola

Violist and 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient Matthew Lipman makes his Cedille Records debut with the world-premiere recording of Shostakovich's recently rediscovered Impromptu for Viola and Piano, Op. 33. From Patrick Castillo's liner notes for the album: "The Impromptu for viola and piano, Op. 33, by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) dates from 1931. Previously lost, the work was discovered in 2017 in the Moscow State Archives among the effects of Vadim Borisovsky, violist of the Beethoven Quartet, with whom Shostakovich enjoyed a fruitful partnership throughout his career. The manuscript, dated May 2, 1931, bears a dedication to 'Alexander Mikhailovich'— presumably Alexander Mikhailovich Ryvkin, violist of the Glazunov Quartet. Experts surmise that Shostakovich penned the Impromptu in one sitting. It joins Shostakovich’s final work, the considerably more substantial Viola Sonata, Op. 147 (1975), as the composer’s only works for viola and piano." BELOW: Matthew Lipman talks about the project

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our Thursday "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes.

You might also like: