Far from the traditional image of Russian music as a stately exercise in pomp comes this excellent recording of RUSSIAN ADAGIOS. Like its name implies, this disc contains slow movements of Russian composers, from the theatrical as well as symphonic repertoire. Under Russian conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov, these pieces shine with depth and lyricism. Particularly beautiful and sublime are the "Petit Adagio" from Alexander Glazunov's ballet 'The Seasons' which connects with emotions that bridge style periods, and the Adagio from Prokofiev's 'Cinderella' which highlights the brilliance of Russian 20th-century composition which broke from the official mold. Finally, there is the "Pas D'Action" from'Sleeping Beauty' of Tchaikovsky which never fails in its melodic wonder. This is a recording that gets at the heart of Russian music, which is worth the exploration.

[Villa Lobos] 'incorporates nationalistic musical elements of Brazil along with melodic, lullaby-like themes, to make a truly contrasting and interesting three-movement work.' (Classic FM) 'Brazilian sonorities and rhythms are a perfect match for the saxophone' (WFMT) [Glazunov] 'persistence paid off for Raschèr, who badgered Glazunov to write him a concerto. The Russian relented and the result - three short, pleasingly lyrical movements - was premiered by Raschèr' (BBC Music Magazine) 'Glaznov's Quartet is a foundational piece for the instrument' (WFMT)

This remarkable album marks the recording debut of German violinist Julia Fischer as well as the beginning of her extraordinary partnership with Russian-born conductor Yakov Kreizberg, which would result in numerous Pentatone releases before the conductor’s untimely death in 2011. Together they tackle three Russian violin concertos (by Khachaturian, Prokofiev, and Glazunov) which have been tragically overlooked, shedding new light on these masterpieces. After releases on SACD and vinyl, this iconic album now returns in an affordable stereo version.

Hidden behind the late 19th century’s great symphonies, sumptuous ballets, and concertos with moving climaxes is something much more thoughtful and contemplative. This secret landscape comes courtesy of a few precious pieces for string orchestra by three Russian composers, all active at approximately the same time.

The extremely simple theme in 3/4, from Glazunov’s Theme and Variations in G Minor, Op. 97, has the feel of a solemn, ancient dance, simultaneously nostalgic and sombre. In another example of Glazunov’s crystal-clear yet expressive writing, the string orchestra provides the backdrop and conversation partner for a solo instrument that was a rarity in concertos at the time: the saxophone. Overall, despite the explosive counterpoint in the work’s final movement, it is a dreamy composition, never overly dramatic, and subdued and melancholy in places: almost elegiac, in other words.

The two elegies Tchaikovsky composed for string orchestra are highly refined works that reveal another side to the famous composer. In the same period that Tchaikovsky was writing his elegies, between 1880 and 1885, the composer and chemist Alexander Borodin was drafting his second Quartet. The third movement, a Nocturne, is one of Borodin’s finest works. It was therefore not only written at the same time as Tchaikovsky’s elegies, but also shares their gracefulness.

REVIEW:

Sieva Borzak (b. 1997) serves as the Conductor-in-Residence of the Roma Tre Orchestra, a collegiate ensemble that, when founded in 2005, became the first of its kind in central Italy.

The young musicians play with an artistic maturity and sensitivity well beyond their age; and the entire program bathes the listener in the timeless and contemplative romantic soundscape of the pre-Soviet school. Even so, this remains a student ensemble; and moments of stunning beauty are sometimes followed by shaky intonation and patchy teamwork. Taddei has all the tools for a solo career, executing the Glazounov concerto with splendid poise, expressive phrasing, and superb technique; but his free-blowing set-up always seems on the edge of spreading, even if his control is very good. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating preview of what the next generation of Italian talent has to offer.

-- American Record Guide

Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was undoubtedly the most gifted Russian composer of his generation – that is to say, those born during the 1860s – and his profound musical aptitude led him to take full advantage of the educational facilities underpinning the burgeoning interest in the arts that grew exponentially in Russia during the second half of the 19th-century. He was not alone, but Glazunov’s superlative gifts did not lead him initially to a conservatoire. He began musical studies privately with Rimsky-Korsakov (twenty-one years his senior) rather than enter the St Petersburg Academy as just another gifted student.

The new album of the world-renowned horn player Radek Baborák, released on Animal Music, brings compositions by three romantic authors in arrangements for the French horn and string quartet. These include Radek Baborák and Alexei Aslamas’s arrangement of Brahms’s legendary Quintet in G major, Op. 111, two shorter pieces by Alexander Glazunov (Idylle and Serenade No. 2), and a Quintet in G minor, “Käyrätorvi” (French horn in Finnish), which was created by Baborák by extending the original score of Jean Sibelius’s famous String Trio. This album by Baborák Ensemble – Radek Baborák (French horn), Milan Al-Ashhab and Martina Bacová (violin), Karel Untermüller (viola), and Hana Baboráková (cello) – features the world premiere recording of the works by Brahms and Sibelius.