Piano Quintets By David Matthews And Dmitri Shostakovich

Released in 2016 by the boutique label Somm Recordings, this album features the Villiers Quartet and pianist Martin Cousin performing chamber works by the contemporary British composer David Matthews and the Russian master Dmitri Shostakovich. Matthews, who studied under Anthony Milner and worked as an assistant to Benjamin Britten, wrote his ninth string quartet for the Villiers Quartet, marking a significant collaboration that showcases his lyrical and deeply structural approach to the genre.

The disc serves as a compelling study in contrasts, pairing Matthews’ modern British sensibility with Shostakovich’s iconic Piano Quintet in G minor, op. 57. The recording was conceived to bridge the gap between mid-20th-century Soviet expressionism and the refined, contrapuntal language of the contemporary English school. Critics at the time praised the clarity of the recording and the ensemble's ability to navigate the emotional weight of the Shostakovich quintet while bringing technical precision to the intricate textures of the Matthews composition.