JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: Complete Organ Works Konstantin Volostnov (on the Röver organ (1898) of the Moscow Central Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists) [ Naxos / CD - released 24/Nov/2023 ] In contrast to the grand scale and public profile of his orchestral and choral works, Johannes Brahms saw the organ as an instrument 'for home use', and one in which he confided his most intimate feelings. |
BERNHARD HEINRUCH ROMBERG / ANTON KRAFT / NIKOLAUS KRAFT
Works for two cellos Alexander Rudin, Emin Martirosian (cello) / Musica Viva Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Rudin [ Naxos / CD - released 22/Jul/2022 ] The emergence of the cello as a solo instrument at the beginning of the 19th century encouraged composers to explore its melodic and sonorous potential, with compositions for two or more cellos becoming increasingly popular. Bernhard Romberg and... |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante K364 Violin Concertos No.1 K207 & No.3 K216 David Oistrakh (violin) Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Rudolf Barshai (conductor), Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin (conductor) [ Alto / CD - released 22/Apr/2022 ] "you can't go wrong with Oistrakh's pre-authenticity Mozart. True, this is big-boned, dyed in the wool Mozart, 1960's style. Tempi are relaxed, textures quite heavy and the ethos masculine and robust … subtle shadings are there." MusicWeb |
TCHAIKOSVKY / BORODIN / DARGOMYZHSKY / GLAZUNOV / LIADOV / PROKOFIEV / SHOSTAKOVICH / etc
Sviatoslav Richter plays Russian Composers (recorded 1945-1963) Sviatoslav Richter (piano) with Nina Dorliak (soprano) / Brno Radio Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, Leningrad Philharmonic, Moscow Youth Symph [ Hanssler Profil / 13 CD Box Set - released 3/Sep/2021 ] "Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was born on March 20, 1915 (Julian: March 7) in Zhitomir in present-day Ukraine. His father Teofil (Theophilus) came from a German commercial family. The famous Russian piano teacher Heinrich Neuhaus (of German origin)... |
ANTON ARENSKY
Arensky: Egyptian Nights - Complete Ballet Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Dmitry Yablonsky [ Naxos / CD - released 27/Aug/2021 ] A student of Rimsky-Korsakov and the teacher of Rachmaninov and Scriabin, Anton Arensky holds a distinguished place in the history of Russian music as both an academic and a composer. For his 1900 ballet Egyptian Nights, based on Pushkin, he chose an... |
MARCEL POOT
Poot: Symphonies Nos. 1-7 Antwerp Philharmonic, Belgian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, BRTN Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Franz André, Frédéric Devrees [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 14/May/2021 ] The Belgian composer, Marcel Poot, was one of the most striking musical figures of his time, with a spicy compositional style that exemplified his zest for life. His cycle of seven symphonies, the earliest of which show the influence of Ravel,... |
NIKOLAY TCHEREPNIN
Tcherepnin: Le Pavillon d'Armide Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Henry Shek [ Naxos / CD - released 15/Jan/2021 ] Nikolay Tcherepnin, a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov in St Petersburg, achieved fame as a conductor, directing the premiere of his ballet Le Pavillon d'Armide as the opening to Diaghilev's first Ballets Russes season in 1911 which also marked the Paris... |
ALEXANDER MOSOLOV
Mosolov: Symphony No. 5 / Harp Concerto Taylor Ann Fleshman, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Arnold [ Naxos / CD - released 4/Dec/2020 ] Alexander Mosolov was one of the foremost composers of the Russian avant-garde during the 1920s. His music was considered 'a testament to the revolutionary spirit of his time', but the legacy of his fame from that period now rests solely on The Iron... |
JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies / Symphonic Poems Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester, Kurt Sanderling / Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Vassily Sinaisky [ Brilliant Classics Quintessence / 5 CD Box Set - released 25/Sep/2020 ] "Sanderling glories in detail..brings out details that others gloss over or elide. He is not afraid to allow these Northern flowers and trees to bloom at a natural pace. He is no stranger to drama but will not force it unnaturally." MusicWeb |
MARIO PILATI
Pilati: Preludio, aria e tarantella; Quattro canzoni popolari italiane, Divertimento, Bagatelles Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Adriano [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Jan/2020 ] Mario Pilati was a leading member of the Italian generation of composers born around the turn of the 20th century. His love of the Baroque can be felt in the sunny and joyful immediacy of Preludio, aria e tarantella, originally conceived for violin... |
JOHANN STAMITZ
Stamitz: Symphonies, Vol. 3 - Op. 3, Nos. 1 and 3-6 Musica Viva Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Rudin [ Naxos / CD - released 19/Jul/2019 ] Johann Stamitz was one of the pioneering figures in symphonic music before the emergence of Haydn. |
FRITZ BRUN
Brun: Complete Orchestral Works Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, Adriano [ Brilliant Classics / 11 CD Box Set - released 1/May/2019 ] "...if you have yet to explore the music of this Swiss master, this release affords a very reasonably priced way of immersing yourself into the gorgeous musical world of Fritz Brun." Fanfare |
NIKOLAJ RIMSKY-KORSAKOV / IGOR STRAVINSKY
Russian Symphonies Moscow Radio Symphone / Columbia Symphony / CBC Symphony / Boris Khanin (conductor) [ Praga Digitals SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 11/Aug/2017 ] Master and pupil? A youthful venture on the part of Rimsky-Korsakov while a naval officer, his first symphony deploys fine rhetoric, worthy of Haydn's 'military' model incorporating contemporary material. His 'cadet' applies himself studiously. After... |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Ballets (Incls 'Chout', 'Romeo & Juliet', 'The Stone Flower' & 'Cinderella') Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, USSR Ministry Of Culture Symphony Orchestra, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky [ Melodiya / 9 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2016 ] Firma Melodiya presents an anniversary set of recordings of Sergei Prokofiev's ballets. In 2016, the world will commemorate 125th anniversary of the Russian genius's birth. Prokofiev's contribution to 20th century music cannot be overestimated -... |
DMITRY KABALEVSKY
Kabalevsky: Cello Concertos. Nos 1&2 Alexander Rudin (cello) / Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Igor Golovschin [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Sep/2016 ] "these performances convey the flow and character of the music admirably" (BBC Music) |
HASSE / C.P.E BACH / HERTEL
Cello Concertos Musica Viva (Moscow Chamber Orchestra) [ Chandos / CD - released 27/May/2016 ] This album presents three rarely performed or heard early German cello concertos, played by Alexander Rudin. The multi-prize winning soloist is also a well-established conductor, in his native Russia as well as worldwide, fulfilling both roles in... |
SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Piano Concerto No. 3, Op.30 / The Bells, Op.35 Van Cliburn (piano), Elizaveta Shumskaya (soprano), Mikhail Dovenmann (tenor) & Alexei Bolshakov (bass) Moscow Philharmonic & Russian Republic Capella [ Praga Digitals / CD - released 6/May/2016 ] "Is he the best?" Khrushchev asked a nervous Jury in 1958, "Then give him the prize". At the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow during the height of the Cold War, the gold medal went to the young American pianist Van Cliburn. On... |
GYORGY SVIRIDOV
The Snowstorm / Pushkin's Garland / (Three) Choruses Large Symphony Orchestra of Moscow [ Alto / CD - released 1/May/2016 ] (Snowstorm) "Sviridov created music for the film that was epic, romantic, tinged with nostalgia and above all, tuneful, which illustrated superbly his love for Russia, its history and its cultural heritage. Snowstorm was massively successful... |
MOZART / HAYDN / SHOSTAKOVICH / BEETHOVEN / RACHMANINOV / MOZART
The Complete Concerto Recordings Evgeny Kissin (piano) / Moscow Virtuosi, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra [ RCA Red Seal / 4 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2015 ] Reissued at a special price! |
TRADITIONAL
Russian Chants - Easter Liturgy Moscow Liturgic Choir, Father Amvrosy [ Erato / Warner Classics Inspiration / CD - released 10/Apr/2015 ] Tradition in magnificent robes: Easter in Russia is the most important of all religious festivals, surpassing even the splendour of Christmas. People old and young flock to church in order to celebrate Christ's resurrection together in the Eucharist.... |