Alexander Nevsky / Pushkiniana

"Beautiful Russian choral sound and diction. The mezzo soloist, Irina Gelahova, who sings the part of the young woman searching for her lover--'that fine lad'--in 'The Field of Death', has a hauntingly plangent voice...This release is recommendable for several reasons. It is budget-priced and contains a fine performance of one of the finest choral/orchestral pieces of the 20th century, 'Alexander Nevsky.' And it has some fairly rare but prime stage and film music by one of the masters of that genre, Sergey Prokofiev. Another plus is the fine recorded sound; just listen to those first few bars of 'Nevsky'--high strings in unison with the basses and bassoons four octaves below--and experience the visceral effect that only rich life-like sound can provide...Recommended. ****? Stars"
- Scott Morrison, Amazon.com, August 2003

"Though still the most stirring of movie scores!Kthis haunting evocation of repression, suffering, and eventual triumph benefits mightily from its poignant mezzo soloist amid the ranks of the Stanislavsky Chorus under Dmitri Yablonsky in the first recording entirely by Russian forces."
- Anthony Holden, The Observer, 6/1/03

"A competent traversal of a score that appeals directly to our baser emotions...the orchestra certainly sounds as if it is enjoying itself...Richard Whitehouse's notes are excellent, leading the listener by the hand through Nevsky and placing the remaining items faithfully in context."
- Colin Clarke, Musicweb.uk.net, July 2003

"This is one of the better Nevskys, and at Naxos' price, a splendid bargain. The fillers here make this an irresistible choice, especially for Prokofiev mavens...The sound is excellent throughout, and the notes by Richard Whitehouse quite insightful."
- Classical Net, July 2003

"Irina Gelehove strikes just the right note of numbed tragedy in the Field of Death aria, the orchestra playing is always brilliant and incisive and Yablonsky's choice of tempi always seems right."
- Ivan Hewett, The Times, 5/24/03

"Naxos offers a well-planned and by and large admirably executed and recorded disc, to which the 'Dance of the Oprichniks' from Ivan the Terrible makes arousing conclusion."
- David Fanning, Gramophone, June 2003