Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110a - Strauss: Metamorphosen for 23 Strings Baltic Chamber Orchestra and Emmanuel Ledoucq-Barome

• Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Chamber Symphony in C Minor, Op. 110a:
• 1I. Largo (Arr. for String Quartet)05:11
• 2II. Allegro molto (Arr. for String Quartet)02:55
• 3III. Allegretto (Arr. for String Quartet)10:52
• 4IV. Largo (Arr. for String Quartet)06:41
• 5V. Largo (Arr. for String Quartet)04:25
• Richard Strauss (1864-1949): Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings:
• 6Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings28:59
• Total Runtime59:03

Info for Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110a - Strauss: Metamorphosen for 23 Strings

Both the works on this album came about as a reaction to the horrors of war. Shostakovich visited Dresden in 1960, and much of the city still lay in ruins. His 8th String Quartet dedicated to the victims of fascism, is one of his most powerful and deeply personal works, quoting from earlier compositions, and using the composer’s musical motto D Es C H. The composer wept after the first private performance. His son later suggested that the work was actually meant to be dedicated to the victims of totalitarianism. The 8th String Quartet was arranged for string orchestra with the approval of the composer by Rudolf Barshai. In this form, it is known as the Chamber Symphony. Richard Strauss, well into his 80s when the war ended, was crushed by the destruction of the great opera houses and places of learning in Germany as the Allies defeated the Nazis. Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings is a profound and heartfelt lament for the loss of the Germany he knew as a young man, and the news of the Goethehaus in Dresden being obliterated was the impetus for this late masterwork. The Baltic Chamber Orchestra is comprised of the string sections of the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Under their French music director Emmanuel Leducq-Barôme they are one of the finest chamber ensembles in Russia.

Baltic Chamber Orchestra
Emmanuel Leducq-Barôme, conductor

Emmanuel Leducq-Barôme
Since August 2014, Emmanuel Leducq-Barome has been appointed chief conductor and musical director of the Academic Symphony Orchestra of Saratov Philharmonie named after Alfred Schnittke (Russia). After musical studies at the conservatories of Lyon and Geneva, Emmanuel Leducq-Barome was admitted, at the age of 21, into the class of conductor Mariss Jansons at the Saint-Petersburg Conservatory. In 1997 he concluded his studies there under the legendary pedagogue Ilya Musin, the mentor of several generations of conductors, including Valery Gergiev, Semyon Bychkov and Yuri Temirkanov.

Since then he has held the post of principal conductor at the philharmonic orchestras of Kaliningrad and Irkutsk, in Russia.

In recent years, Emmanuel Leducq-Barome has been invited to conduct several of the most prestigious Russian orchestras, such as the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Russian National State Orchestra, the Academic Saint-Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and many others, as well as several Russian Opera Houses. In September 2000 he was appointed musical director of the « Baltic Chamber Orchestra » (a chamber orchestra formed by the principal string players of the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic); with which he has made several recordings and concert tours in Europe. He also has been appointed principal guest conductor of the East Russian Symphony Orchestra in Khabarovsk.

He has taken part in numerous European summer music festivals (in France, Sweden, Germany, Poland,…) conducting various Russian ensembles, particularly the Baltic Chamber Orchestra, and working with such prestigious soloists as Natalia Gutman, Yakov Kasman, Regis Pasquier, Arto Noras, Pierre Amoyal, Ilya Yakushev, Andrei Korobeinikov, Alena Baeva, Denis Masleev, Denis Matsuev, and many others. In France he has conducted several different orchestras such as the Orchestre National du Capitole de Tolouse, the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, the Orchestras of Cannes, Bretagne, Picardie, the Lorraine Philharmonic and, recently, the Orchestra of Bordeaux-Aquitaine.

He also had engagements to conduct productions of “Carmen”, “Pique Dame”, “Iolanta” in Russia. Few years ago he conducted the season-opening concert at the Rio de Janeiro Opera as replacement Maestro Kurt Masur, and in June the same year he gave his debut concert in the USA conducting the Texas Festival Orchestra at the Round Top Festival.

Following an invitation of conductor Yuri Temirkanov, he conducted in 2010 the Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic for the first time and since then was invited regularly to conduct this world class ensemble.

His recordings with different orchestras have received great critical acclaim from “Monde de la Musique”, “Classica”, “Télérama” and “Diapason”, as well as from international critics. Emmanuel Leducq-Barome is a laureate of the 2001 AFAA Price. (Association Française d’Action Artistique).

Booklet for Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110a - Strauss: Metamorphosen for 23 Strings