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[ Manu Records New Zealand / CD ]
Release Date: Monday, 9 June, 2008
Should this item be out of stock at the time of your order, we would expect to be able to supply it to you within 2 - 6 weeks.
For the people of Russia Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966) is a legend. She was one of the Great Russian poets, a real link between the culture of the so called Silver Age (1900-1914) - and the Soviet era. During the Soviet Era her books were almost impossible to come by such was the power of her words against the tyrannical Stalinist regime.
Offered here is Akhmatova's major work Poem without a Hero, along with Midnight Verses, and Requiem narrated by
Terence O'Neill-Joyce. These works paint the ultimate picture of the Stalinist terror era first hand. The Requiem in particular is a piece of ultimate despair.
Set behind the words are a selection of pieces with high significance to the poetry. For example Poem Without A Hero is set against the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 and Britten's Suite for Cello Op. 87. The works are superbly performed byAlexander Ivashkin (cello), a real pioneer of the whole project, The Symphony Orchestra of Moscow, and Tamas Vesmas.
Both Ivashkin and Vesmas have very strong New Zealand links as they have both lived and worked in the country and have
pioneered many classical music schemes.
This is a project of very high importance, and deserves all the recognition. There is currently no recording in the catalogue
like it serving as a hugely important historical document and a very moving tribute to one of the 20th Centuries most
influential poets.
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