The two piano concertos of Shostakovich, though strikingly different from each other, have both become twentieth-century classics. The first has long been one of Marc-André Hamelin’s signature pieces and we are delighted to have paired him with Andrew Litton, who is thoroughly familiar with these works, both as a conductor and a pianist, giving the resulting performances a vitality and flair that places them amongst the greatest on disc today. The Shchedrin concerto, though less known, is no less enjoyable. There is brilliance in both the piano writing and the orchestration, and the surprise appearance in the finale of a jazz trio including vibraphone and drum kit is sure to bring the house down. This is definitely one of Hyperion’s records of the year!