Deep Slavic emotions and gripping virtuosity - that's what characterizes many compositions by Rodion Shchedrin. Even if he has been a cosmopolitan for a long time, the Moscow-born composer nevertheless remains an originally Russian composer whose attachment to Russian music folklore and poetry has never been broken off. This tradition also shows in 'Belcanto', which was commissioned by the renowned Verbier Festival and premiered by the dedicatee Mischa Maisky, together with the composer on the piano. The cello part mainly maintains a cantabile character, while the piano accompanies and comments the vocal part with varied transparent sounds and figures.