This new box set with the Brodsky Quartet features Shostakovich’s fifteen string quartets at a special price. Over the years the Brodsky Quartet has undertaken numerous performances of the complete cycle of quartets by several composers, including Zemlinsky whose set was released on Chandos to critical acclaim last year. It is, however, the complete Shostakovich cycle that has now become synonymous with its name: its 2012 London performance of the cycle resulted in its taking the prestigious title of ‘Artist in Residence’ at the city’s Kings Place. One of the most rewarding aspects of performing this cycle is the way in which it seems to pan out so naturally and perfectly. To be aware that Shostakovich had intended to write twenty-four quartets, one in every key, but ended up with these fifteen thereby creating a unique musical journey that feels predestined and all-encompassing, makes one think that there really must be a greater force at work. The Quartet now adds to its famed discography this remarkable box set, recorded live at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw.