Shostakovich regarded his 3rd String Quartet as one of his best works and initially gave each of the movements titles such as 'blithe ignorance of the future cataclysm' and 'Forces of war unleased', but then withdrew the titles shortly after completing the work. Why he did this we don't know, maybe he was wary of the Soviet authorities reading unpatriotic meanings into them. Whatever the reasons, the 3rd is a powerful statement containing the composer's dry humor, with a good dash of sarcasm, the sinister and the passionate. Saariaho's Terra Memoria, her 2nd String Quartet, bears the subtitle 'for those departed.' The composer said that "we continue to remember those who are no longer with us. Their life is complete, nothing will be added... our experiences of being with them, different aspects of their personality, certain memories haunt our dreams, some remain clear flashes which we can relive."

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. String Quartet No. 3 in F major Op. 73I. Allegretto
2. String Quartet No. 3 in F major Op. 73II. Moderato con moto
3. String Quartet No. 3 in F major Op. 73III. Allegro non troppo
4. String Quartet No. 3 in F major Op. 73IV. Adagio (attacca)
5. String Quartet No. 3 in F major Op. 73V. Moderato
6. Terra Memoria for String Quartet
7. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 1 in C major - Moderato
8. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 2 in A minor - Allegretto
9. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 4 in E minor - Moderato
10. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 6 in B minor - Allegretto
11. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 7 in A major - Andante
12. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 12 in G sharp minor - Allegro non troppo
13. 24 Preludes Op. 34No. 22 in G minor - Adagio