Shostakovich       Famous for conducting as well as composing, Shostakovich was a leading figure in 20th century music.  His most beloved orchestral work is his 7th symphony, another post-WWII work.  Some of the most amazing music from this century came out of the time of WWII.  Deutcshe Grammophon has an excellent recording of this Symphony, as well as all the others.
    Shostakovich also wrote a sizeable amount of piano literature.  The full set of 24 Preludes & Fugues is an amazing tour of the piano.  There is an interesting recording of them by jazz pianist Kieth Jarrett that is worth listening to.  NAXOS has a some wonderful discs out, including the 2nd Piano concerto and the 1st and 2nd Piano Trios.  All of these works have a wide range of emotion.  That is what I love most about his music.  He covers every area.
 
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