Sjostakovitsj' Symfonie nr. 5 & Celloconcert: Semyon Bychkov & Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a cellist, a twenty-something from a now famous English family. There is also a book, written by mother Kanneh-Mason: House of Music , about a household with 7 musical children. Millions of viewers saw Sheku Kanneh-Mason perform at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. This young cellist is making waves on big stages and has now signed with Decca Classics. His Shostakovich performances say that he transforms ghostly harmonies into stars glowing in the firmament.

Shostakovich' Cello Concerto No. 1

Perhaps the most famous cello concerto of the twentieth century, Shostakovich's First . The work, dedicated to Rostropovich, emphasizes depth, not virtuosity. This becomes clear in the long cadenza: heartbreaking, not shocking. Soloist Sheku Kanneh-Mason is very young, but life experience is not always a requirement for a moving musical performance. Conductor Semyon Bychkov studied with Ilya Musin, a contemporary of Shostakovich's at the conservatory. With Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic - winner of the prestigious Gramophone Orchestra of the Year 2024 - the accompaniment is in trusted hands.