Northern Flowers presents two of the cello repertoire's most beloved masterworks receive authoritative, deeply felt performances from one of Russia's most distinguished cellists in this new studio recording from Moscow's "Palace on the Yauza." The album leads with Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, written to represent the atmosphere and styles of what Tchaikovsky believed to be the less complicated age of the 18th century. The work pays homage to Mozartian classical styles throughout the series of charming variations. Dvor�k's Cello Concerto in B minor was composed during his last year in New York City during his famous American trip, though, he wrote in the manuscript, "I finished the Concerto in New York, but when I returned home to Bohemia I changed the end completely as it stands here now." And the melodies certainly reflect the Bohemian countryside he loved so much. Together they make an ideal programme, contrasting Dvor�k's sweeping Bohemian passion with the refined wit and tenderness of Tchaikovsky's tribute to the rococo era. At the centre of it all is Marina Tarasova, a winner of International Competitions in Prague, Florence and Paris and a laureate of Moscow's Tchaikovsky International Competition. Partnering her is the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra under it's principal conductor Sergey Kondrashev, a graduate of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory who trained under the legendary Mark Ermler and Gennady Rozhdestvensky.

BORIS TCHAIKOVSKY - VIOLIN CONCERTO

TCHAIKOVSKY: SOUVENIR DE FLORNCE SCHOENBERG

SVIRIDOV: RUSSIA FLYING AWAY - BORIS TCHAIKOVSKY

BORIS TCHAIKOVSKY - EARLY WORKS FOR ORCHESTRA

First CD issue of Tishchenko's Ballet 'The Twelve' based on Alexander Block's famous text

SCHUMANN: DICHTERLIEBE OP. 48 LIEDERKREIS LO.39

Three Soviet composers including Banschikov, one of the most underrated outside Russia, but who wrote only one quartet alongside much vocal and opera. Basner wrote in all forms including symphonies, but as a violinist himself he composed five string quartets and formed a strong relationship with the legendary Taneyev Quartet, who perform the best two here

Anton Rubinstein (1829-94) was a central figure in the growth of Russian music in the second half of the 19th century. He was famous across Europe as a virtuoso pianist, but in Russia he was also well known as a composer, conductor and educator. In 1862, Rubinstein founded the St Petersburg Conservatory, where he would later teach Tchaikovsky. In 1866, Rubinstein's older brother, Nikolai, also an important pianist and composer, founded the Moscow Conservatory, and the two brothers played an important role in the consolidation of musical education in Russia. The cello concertos presented here demonstrate the two sides of Rubinstein's musical personality, combining aspects of the German techniques he had learned with distinctively Russian elements, especially in the folk-inspired melodies of their faster sections.

COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS 3 NOS. 3 & 8

Shostakovich wrote vocal music all of his life, and these works form a kind of satellite to his more well-known symphonic works. Any enthusiast for his work will love to explore this volume and there are extensive notes in English to illuminate these masterly performances.

Gennady Banschikov, (teacher Leningrad Conservatory since 1974) is one of the Union of Soviet composers who are the most underestimated outside St. Petersburg. Everything in his music is vivid, clear, and original

a first-class collection which (was) obscure only because it's virtues had not been 'trumpeted'... Neunecker is a musician of outstanding musicality and technical brilliance. Snap it up while it is available (MusicWeb Rob Barnett)

SONETTI ROMANI - VIACHESLAV IVANOV IN MUSIC

TISHCHENKO: PIANO SONATAS NOS. 6 & 7

WORLD PREMIERES: (Levitin & Komarov Sonatas) Only the 2nd recording of the Komarov Concerto: "Rostropovich thanked [me] for the dedication, which remained in the handwritten score, and spoke very highly of the work and the tremendous performance of Marina Tarasova. At that time, we were already neighbours in the composer's house at No.13 Orgareva Street (now Gazetny Lane)". [Vladimir Komarov]

Recorded in St. Petersburg in 2010, originally issued by LSO Live. Gramophone reviewed this very favorably; "Talented examples of the interest in Russian culture that binds together the apparently polarised worldly and spiritual aspects of Shchedrin... these finely executed pieces can be counted an important document. [Concertos] if you like your Russian concerto-playing declamatory and armour-plated, it could be just the treat you're looking for."

HAYDN: QUARTET

TCHAIKOVSKY: THE SEASONS A. ARENSKY - PIANO TRIO

OUR LADY'S REJOICING IN SORROW

New World Premiere recordings of gloriously cellistic cello repertoire from Marina Tarasova who has recently been getting much well deserved acclaim for her work

Classical Music

More great Melodiya recordings (never issued) from Petersburg studios

Classical Music

Classical Music