Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Sonata; Impromptu; Viola Sonata (Paul Neubauer; Anne-Marie McDermott)

Information

Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich

• Cello Sonata in D Minor, Op. 40 (Arr. for Viola & Piano)
• Impromptu, Op. 33
• Viola Sonata, Op. 147

Paul Neubauer, viola

Anne-Marie McDermott, piano

Date: 2025

Label: First Hand Records

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This album, released on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, brings together violist Paul Neubauer and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott for three works spanning the composer’s career. It features Shostakovich’s final composition, the 1975 Viola Sonata, written for Fyodor Druzhinin just weeks before the composer’s passing; the Cello Sonata (1934) in its viola transcription, approved by Shostakovich; and the brief 1931 Impromptu, discovered in 2017 and premiered in the U.S. by Neubauer in 2018. Together, they offer a poignant portrait from youthful creativity to late-life reflection.

Paul Neubauer (b. 1962), praised by The New York Times as “a master musician,” is an acclaimed violist known for his exceptional musicality and versatility. Appointed principal violist of the New York Philharmonic at just 21, he has since performed as soloist with over 100 major orchestras worldwide and premiered numerous viola concertos by leading composers. In 2025, he releases two First Hand Records albums featuring the final works of Bartók and Shostakovich. A two-time Grammy nominee, Neubauer records for top labels, performs with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, co-leads the trio SPA, directs the Mostly Music series, and teaches at Juilliard and Mannes.

Anne-Marie McDermott (b. 1963), one of America’s most versatile and acclaimed pianists, has performed worldwide in concertos, recitals, and chamber music. She is music and artistic director of Bravo! Vail (through 2026), the Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival, and the McKnight Center’s Chamber Music Festival. Her wide-ranging repertoire spans from Bach and Beethoven to contemporary works, with acclaimed recordings of Beethoven, Prokofiev, Bach, Haydn, and Gershwin. She regularly appears with leading orchestras, tours internationally, and has premiered major new works. A recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and other honors, McDermott earned a 2024 Honorary Doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.