Following his album debut in 2023 with repertoire by British composer John Tavener, cellist Lionel Martin devotes his latest album to Russian repertoire from the 19th and 20th centuries. All three composers on this programme come from the same region, and all three struggled with their fate. Kabalevsky and Shostakovich were neighbours, even living in the same house for a while. Both dealt differently with the political regime – and the regime with them. Shostakovich was a thorn in the side of the Soviet authorities, and his music repeatedly and clearly criticises them. Kabalevsky came to terms with the regime and even worked for it at times. Tchaikovsky also suffered from the conventions of his time and ultimately broke under the strain.

SWR Kultur New Talent is a promotion and support programme of the SWR broadcasting corporation which aims to help exceptional young talents launch their career through concerts, studio productions and media presence over a period of three years. Lionel Martin has been an SWR New Talent since 2021. In 2017 Anne-Sophie Mutter accepted him into her foundation for young, outstanding musicians. Since then they have performed together on numerous occasions, touring with her and her scholarship holders throughout Europe and North and South America, where he performed not only in famous concert halls, but also for social projects in smaller locations.