Soviet Archive
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major; SCRIABIN: Piano Concerto in f-sharp; DVORAK: Sym. Variations – Paul Badura-Skoda, p./ Polish Radio Sym. Orch./ Charles Mackerras – Pristine Audio
Charles Mackerras makes his Pristine debut with a concert appearance in Scotland with the Polish Radio Orchestra. SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70; SCRIABIN: Piano Concerto in f-sharp minor, Op. 20; DVORAK: Symphonic Variations, Op. 78 – Paul Badura-Skoda, p./ Polish Radio Sym. Orch./ Charles Mackerras – Pristine Audio PASC 487, 74:47 […]
WEINBERG: Chamber Symphonies 1, 2, 3 & 4; Piano Quintet – Gidon Kremer, v./ Yulianna Avdeeva, p./ Mate Bekavac, clarinet / Kremerata Baltica/Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla – ECM New Series
A major Russian composer emerges in these scintillating chamber works. WEINBERG: Chamber Symphonies 1, 2, 3 & 4; Piano Quintet – Gidon Kremer, v./ Yulianna Avdeeva, p./ Mate Bekavac, clarinet / Kremerata Baltica/Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla – ECM New Series 2538/39, 79:45, 79:40, *****: It’s hard to imagine how difficult it was to be a Polish Jew […]
GLAZUNOV: Sym. 4 & 5; Seasons ballet (excerpts) – Praga Digitals
Why stereo SACD for such poor Soviet recordings, when standard CD would have been fine? GLAZUNOV: Sym. 4 & 5; Seasons ballet (excerpts) – Praga Digitals stereo-only hi-res SACD PRD/DSD 350 129, 79:23 (11/4/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ***: While these are truly great performances conducted by the great Mravinsky, these original Soviet recordings date from […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concertos 1 & 2 – Alisa Weilerstein, c. – Sym. Orch. of Bavarian Radio/ Pablo Heras-Casado – Decca
Riveting performances of Shostakovich’s two cello concertos. SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concertos 1 & 2 – Alisa Weilerstein, c. – Sym. Orch. of Bavarian Radio/ Pablo Heras-Casado – Decca 483.0835, 60:52 *****: Shostakovich (1906-75) was Russian (with all the emotional connotations that nationality evokes), yet his music is often classical in structure and tonal. Beleaguered by totalitarian […]
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 6 in e-flat; Waltz Suite – Sao Paulo Sym. Orch./ Marin Alsop – Naxos
Two contrasting Prokofiev works of 1947 capture our attention through the ongoing series by Marin Alsop. PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 6 in e-flat minor, Op. 111; Waltz Suite, Op. 110 – Sao Paulo Sym. Orch./ Marin Alsop – Naxos 8.573518, 68:21 (8/12/16) ****: Prokofiev conceived his 1947 Sixth Symphony as an elegy of the tragedy of […]
KLUGHARDT: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor; Drei Stücke ‒ Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau / Antony Hermus ‒ CPO; JUROWSKI: Symphony No. 5; Russian Painters ‒ Norrköping Sym. Orch./ Michail Jurowski ‒ CPO
AUGUST KLUGHARDT: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 57; Drei Stücke, Op. 87 ‒ Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau / Antony Hermus ‒ CPO 777 740-2; 53:48 (8/14/15) (Distr. by Naxos) ***1/2: VLADIMIR MICHAILOVIC JUROWSKI: Symphony No. 5, Op. 79; Russian Painters ‒ Norrköping Sym. Orch./ Michail Jurowski ‒ CPO 777 875-2; 73:46 (3/11/15) (Distr. by […]
Ken Russell’s View of The Planets, Blu-ray (1983/2016)
An interesting visual version of the Gustav Holst score. Ken Russell’s View of The Planets, Blu-ray (1983/2016) Director: Ken Russell Performed by: The Philadelphia Orch. cond. by Eugene Ormandy Music: Gustav Holst Studio: Monarda/ ArtHaus Musik 109169 (3/25/16) Video: 4:3 1080i HD color Audio: PCM stereo All regions Extras: introduced by Melvyn Bragg Length: 50 […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: Complete Symphonies and Concertos/ Valery Gergiev – Blu-ray (2015)
Essential. Nothing else to say. SHOSTAKOVICH: Complete Symphonies and Concertos – Valery Gergiev, Blu-ray (2015) Performers: Orch. and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre/ Valery Gergiev/ Alena Baeva, violin/ Vadin Repin, violin/ Mario Brunello, cello/ Gautier Capucon, cello/ Denis Matsuev, piano/ Danil Trifonov, piano/ Timur Martynov, trumpet/ Veroinika Dzhioeva, sop./ Mikhail Petrenko, bass (Live from Salle […]
BRAHMS: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 2 & 3; Four Hungarian Dances – Leonid Kogan, v./ Andrei Mytnik, p. – Archipel
Impassioned, fiery Brahms from Leonid Kogan in live performance warrants our unqualified admiration. BRAHMS: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78; Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100; Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor, Op. 108; Four Hungarian Dances – Leonid Kogan, v./ Andrei Mytnik, p. – Archipel ARPCD 0355, […]
PROKOKIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2 in g minor; Sonata for 2 Violins in C Major; Solo Violin Sonata in D Major – Viktoria Mullova, v./ Tedi Papavrami, v. /Frankfurt Radio Sym. Orch./ Paavo Jarvi – Onyx
Live performances of Mullova’s Prokofiev violin repertory convince us of her pungent authority.
SHOSTAKOVICH: The Symphonies (Complete) – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orch./ Vasily Petrenko – Naxos
Magnificent, thrilling performances given expressive, idiomatic readings by a formidable young conductor.
PROKOFIEV: The Story of a Real Man – Soloists, Chorus and Orch. of the USSR State Academic Bolshoi Th./Mark Ermler – Melodiya (2 CDs)
Mostly a curiosity from the early days of the USSR.
Rostropovich – A Romantic Portrait – DVORAK/ SCHUMANN/ TCHAIKOVSKY – Mstislav Rostropovich, cello – Royal Philharmonic / Sir Adrian Boult/ Leningrad Philharmonic / Gennady Rozhdestvensky – Praga Digitals
Archival performances lovingly remastered and beautifully played.
WEINBERG: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 10 – Kirill Kondrashin/ Rudolf Barshai / The Moscow Philharmonic Orch. / The Moscow Ch. Orch. – Melodiya
Fine music from an often overlooked Russian great.
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor; SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy – Leningrad Philharmonic Orch./ Yevgeny Mravinsky – Praga Digitals
Much maligned at its premier, the Shostakovich Eighth now commands respect, and the Scriabin work showcases Mravinsky’s virtuoso ensemble.
Hilary Hahn, violin, in program of VON WEBER, SHOSTAKOVICH, BACH & DVORAK, with Berlin Philharmonic (2011)
A fine performance by Ms. Hahn, but the recording is not a recent one.
Nicolai Golovanov conducts TCHAIKOVSKY = Moscouw Cantata; Voyevoda; Overture Solennelle, The Tempest – Praga Digitals mono
Selected music of Peter Tchaikovsky finds an illustrious interpreter in Nicolai Golovanov, whose original inscriptions gain a new, vivid life in these Praga restorations.
![“Christ the Saviour Cathedral Moscow: New Liturgical Chant of the Russian Orthodox Church” [TrackList follows] – Moscow Patriarch Choir/ Tolkachev – Christophorus](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/OrthodoxCHANT.jpg)
“Christ the Saviour Cathedral Moscow: New Liturgical Chant of the Russian Orthodox Church” [TrackList follows] – Moscow Patriarch Choir/ Tolkachev – Christophorus
A most surprising release—knocking the cobwebs off the antiquities. “Christ the Saviour Cathedral Moscow: New Liturgical Chant of the Russian Orthodox Church”
MEDTNER plays MEDTNER: Vol. 1 = Eight Fairy Tales; Three Novellas; Festive Dance; Spring; Morning Song; Tragic Sonata; Joyful Dance – Nikolai Medtner, piano – Melodiya
Composer-pianist Nikolai Medtner appears in historic performances of his own works, idiosyncratic and brilliant in every sense.
TCHAIKOVSKY-ZHILIN: The Seasons (8 of the 12 seasons) – Sergey Zhilin, piano and with his trio – Melodiya vinyl
An interesting Russian pianist’s jazzed-up version of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons.
22 Soundtrack CDs
22 soundtrack CDs that may interest you.
WEINBERG: Solo Sonata No. 3; Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello; Sonatina for Violin and Piano; Concertino for Violin and String Orch.; Symphony No. 10 for String Orch. – Gidon Kremer & Kremerata Baltica – ECM New Series
Violinist-conductor Gidon Kremer and his select Baltic ensemble explore the romantic/experimental side of Mieczyslaw Weinberg.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
