Russia's Borodin Quartet are best known for performing works by two of their country's greatest composers - their namesake, the 19th century's Alexander Borodin, and 20th century giant Dmitri Shostakovich. When the quartet play in Wellington this week for the first time since their 2010 appearance at the New Zealand Festival, Shostakovich is on the programme with a performance of his String Quartet No 11, along with Beethoven's String Quartet in B Flat Op 130. But it's the inclusion of a Russian composer rarely played or heard of in New Zealand these days that has generated curiosity, and even a little excitement, in the classical community. The quartet will...
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