Piano Concerto 2 - Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Allegro: Andante: Allegro

What better birthday present could the nineteen year old Maxim Shostakovich have than a piano concerto written especially for him by his father Dmitri? The concerto's two outer movements are light-hearted in vein throwing into sharp perspective the beautiful central slow movement. The brilliant showiness of the piece made the concerto an apt choice for inclusion in the "Steadfast Tin Soldier" section of Disney's Fantasia 2000.

The first movement contains bold melodic and rhythmic invention: an ominous theme of octaves marches up and down the keyboard and, at a moment of high drama, the full orchestra blazons out the main melody. All the themes of the movement are skilfully combined near the end; the piano, thrown into relief by the brilliant piccolo, and the full orchestra making a jaunty march to the close. Lovers of Russian melancholy will savour the slow movement's echoes of Rachmaninov.

The soulful mood of the opening, expressed by the strings, is extended as the piano outlines a poignant melody. The overall lyricism is maintained with a tangible nostalgia redolent of Russian music of an earlier romantic tradition. The third movement bustles straight in with the piano indulging in a series of "exercises " some of which are direct quotes from the Studies of Hanon. Many of us would-be pianists will remember these Studies with mixed feelings. My own piano teacher at the Guildhall School of Music was a staunch advocate of Hanon; I certainly spent countless hours trying to improve my technique - to little effect I might add! Shostakovich adds his favourite snare drum to give spice to the general ensemble especially highlighting a brisk theme which, by adding an extra quaver to the overall rhythmic plan, gives a thoroughly riotous, almost drunken, skew to the music. The all too short movement gallops to a racy climax led home by the flute and piccolo.

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