Mark Walters is the Winner of our June Competition.

A £50 Asda voucher and our congratulations go to Mark Walters for an excellent review of Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op 102; Symphony for Strings, Op. 118a. We would like to thank Mark for drawing our attention to this beautiful album of classical music.

You can read an extract from Mark's concise and informative review below:

The concerto's first movement - the allegro - opens in an uncharacteristically upbeat major key for the composer, at a march-like tempo, before rapidly descending into speeds that set the piano alight with energy. The music wonderfully plays between these faster, louder temperaments and the softer moments in which the piano plays alone, but like a lull in the storm, works well to bring back the entire orchestra in wholehearted fashion.

The second movement - the andante - begins much slower than the first, and far more sombre, with an incredibly beautiful introduction from the strings, before the piano emerges silkily once more, as elegant a melody has ever been written for the piano.

The final movement - the allegro - returns to the bright and brilliant tone and tempo of the first, reminiscent of Rossini's famous William Tell Overture.

Rare is the piano concerto that can with such talent contrast the faster speeds and happier tones of the first and third movements with the more contemplative and delicate middle movement. For that reason alone, this is a piece that is an essential for any classical collection, and this is the recording of it to own.

Reviews are already being received for our July Competition so why not send in your entry?

If you have listened to an inspiring, exciting piece of music from any genre in our category list write your review and get it to us by 31st July. It is easy to enter, just click on "write a review" and you could be the next winner of a £50 Asda voucher.

Good Luck!

To find more of the beautiful works by this composer click on Shostakovitch