Our cellist Yibai Chen performs D. Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107 with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yang Yang.

Composed in 1959 for M. Rostropovich, the concerto is one of the most powerful and distinctive works in the cello repertoire. Marked by rhythmic drive, sharp irony, and moments of profound introspection, the piece unfolds with dramatic intensity, culminating in a virtuosic and technically demanding finale.