This is the first recording of the complete works for violin and piano by the Russian composer Vissarion Shebalin (1902-63). He was a close friend and colleague of Shostakovich, who said of him: ‘Shebalin was an outstanding man. His kindness, honesty and absolute adherence to principle always amazed me. His enormous talent and great mastery immediately earned him burning love and authority with friends and musical community.’ Like Shostakovich, Shebalin was condemned at the infamous 1948 composers’ congress in Moscow and kicked out of his job at the Moscow Conservatoire. This recording reveals a surprisingly high number of unsuspected gems: music immediate in its melodic appeal but plumbing real depths of feeling.

The violinist Sergey Kostylev, born in 1976, started to learn the violin at five. He graduated from the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow in 2003. He has appeared as soloist with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, of which he is assistant leader, and leader of the Orchestra’s string quartet. He plays a Paulo Granchino violin provided by the Russian State collection of unique instruments.

The pianist Olga Solovieva, born in Moscow, graduated from the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow. Since 2004 she has been a professor at the Gnessin Musical College, and has given master-classes in Ireland and Belgium. Her discography consists of a number of recordings for Toccata Classics, with music by Galynin, Lyadov.and Boris Tchaikovsky.