THE prospect of all 15 Shostakovich string quartets in three days is hardly a joyous treat. After all, this cycle constitutes the most monumental and intense aggregation of dark and tragic themes -- sorrow, pain, suffering, oppression -- in the string quartet repertoire. If, however, one is braced for a profound emotional marathon, the opportunity to experience the complete quartets in live performance is a rare privilege. Indeed, this Australian National Academy of Music project deserves recognition as one of the greatest triumphs in the institution's history. Guiding the project as...
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