Kian Soltani's Favourites

"Tchaikovsky‘s Symphony No. 6 is one of my favourite symphonies of all time. The piece has an incredibly raw power and energy and this recording by Evgeny Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra captures its essence so perfectly. It’s honest and raw and really touches you - that‘s why it has become one of my favourite recordings. The 5th symphony from the same album is also really remarkable.

Vitali’s Chaconne in G minor: Jascha Heifetz is always an inspiration to listen to. I remember this Chaconne was part of a compilation called “Le Violon Du Siècle” and it made a lasting impression on me. The sound is pure artistry. As a child I listened to this recording countless times and it really stuck with me.

Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer and Mischa Maisky’s recording of the Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky trios is astounding. It has this incredible spontaneous energy and you can immediately hear that it was a live recording. It feels almost like an improvisation.

Schnittke’s Concerto grosso is an extraordinary work and the recording with Gidon Kremer, Heinrich Schiff and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe is so powerful and spot-on. Sometimes scary, sometimes brutal, sometimes charming, almost dance-like: it's an incredible piece and really played to perfection here. I have had the honour of working with Gidon Kremer on other Schnittke pieces and even performing them with him. He truly understands this composer and you can really hear that in this recording.

Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written and to hear Rachmaninoff himself perform this piece on the piano is breathtaking. The interpretation is free of any kind of cheesiness. It's very honest and Rachmaninoff really lets the music speak for itself in a remarkable way.

Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman and Lynn Harrell recorded this stunning interpretation of Dohnányi’s Serenade in C major op. 10. Lynn Harrell was actually using gut strings for this recording and the sound really blew me away. When these three musicians play together, the sound is so powerful, it’s almost like hearing a whole orchestra. It’s a huge inspiration to me - I love this recording a lot.

And finally, Harnoncourt conducting Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. When you hear the great master Harnoncourt conducting Beethoven, you know that this is how Beethoven should sound. It sounds like truth, like a lesson. It’s so raw and powerful - like a revolution is happening in the concert hall and I think that’s very true to the spirit of Beethoven. What a fantastic recording."

- Kian Soltani