SHOSTAKOVICH

String Quartets Nos 4, 6 and 9 Borodin Quartet

Praga PRD 250 331 (1966) 79:15 mins

Nothing dulcet about these recordings, especially when violins soar. But the players know Shostakovich’s moods inside out, and deliver them with clear textures, crisp articulation, and plenty of Russian soul.