***Interview in English! *** with violinist Simone Lamsma and conductor James Gaffigan about Shostakovich's Violin Concerto no.1.

The structure of Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto is particularly original, with a  sequence of four movements – slow, fast, slow, fast – entitled Nocturne, Scherzo, Passacaglia and Burlesque. The opening movement (Nocturne) is a beautiful song, blossoming from a single melodic fragment.
The Scherzo is biting and dazzlingly virtuosic, like a carousel gone wild.  The ensuing Passacaglia is, quite simply, the pinnacle of this concerto; a masterpiece – mature, elegiac and highly lyrical. The passacaglia theme is repeated nine times with contrapuntal elaborations. This is followed by a large-scale cadenza that forms a bridge to the finale. The concerto closes with a Burlesque, in which the theme from the Passacaglia has one final, piercing reappearance.

Pizzicato on Lamsa’s first release on Challenge Classics (CC 72677): "The surround recording from Challenge Classics stands out due to especially brilliant and powerful interpretations and a finely coordinated dialogue between the instruments. This is perfect harmony."

For more information about the new album, go to Challenge Records Internationalhttp://www.challengerecords.com/products/14851639216103/

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