Includes such famous works as the Greensleeves and Tallis Fantasias as well as The Lark Ascending.

This release features 5 pieces conducted by Ormandy and Davis now available on CD including the two featured recordings plus Ibert's Escales, Faure's Pavane, and Roussel's Bacchus et Ariane Suite No. 2.

Recorded in: Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory 1994 Producer(s) Igor Veprintsev Sound Engineer(s) Elena Buneeva Vladimir Kisselev

Classical Music

There are few countries that can match Russia in terms of having produced as many outstanding musicians, especially pianists; Tatiana Nikolayeva was one member of what has become known as the Russian Piano School which along with her includes Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels and many others and that tradition continues right down to today’s representatives with no apparent sign of any let up, thank goodness! Raw talent coupled with a dedicated singl- minded sense of purpose drove these artists to dominate the very pinnacle of peerless pianism. In 1951, aged 27, Tatiana Nikolayeva visited Prague and made the earliest of these recordings, several of which appear on CD for the first time. She had already caused a considerable stir in Czechoslovakia’s capital on previous visits, which included her first in 1947 when she came second at a competition organised as part of the First World Festival of Youth and Students. That was the same year she completed her conservatory studies when she astounded her examiners by including all 48 of Bach’s preludes and fugues from his Well Tempered-Clavier for her final performance test. In Leipzig in July 1950 during that town’s Bachfest, organised to mark the 200th anniversary of Bach’s death that work became a turning point in her career as she offered the judges the opportunity to call for her to play whichever they asked for on the spot; on the jury that awarded her first prize was none other than Dmitry Shostakovich! At the festival’s closing concert when Bach’s concerto for three pianos was to be performed Maria Yudina (1899-1970), who was to have been at the second piano, had injured a finger and couldn’t play so her place was taken by Shostakovich, himself an outstanding pianist, and from that moment on Nikolayeva’s acquaintance with the composer developed into a friendship that would last right up until Shostakovich’s death in 1975. It is a measure of Shostakovich’s respect and admiration for Tatiana Nikolayeva that he not only dedicated his cycle of 24 preludes and fugues to her but consulted with her over them, including many of her suggestions and observations in the work and, of course, it was she that gave its première in Leningrad in December 1952.

It was fascinating to read in the booklet that she had such a phenomenal memory that she never took any sheet music with her on tours, relying instead on that memory for her performances. The digital mastering from the original tapes by Jan Lži?a? has done wonders with the inevitable clicks and pops one might expect from these recordings, some of which were made over 65 years ago, though obviously the solo works come off best as the orchestral sound betrays its age more readily. That said her playing in the Rachmaninov piano concerto is as convincing as any I have ever heard despite the (to my ears) rather sluggish orchestral accompaniment. Her playing comes over as completely natural, without the least suggestion of artifice. The first of the solo works is Prokofiev’s 3rd piano sonata ‘From old notebooks’ and despite the rather brittle sound caused, I think, by a little too much treble, it is a solid performance that demonstrates her capacity for bringing out the contrast between the stormy and the subtle. Next come three pieces by Nikolayeva herself revealing a less well-known or appreciated side of her, that of composer. Her Three concert etudes, op13 show a real talent; how much music she wrote I must confess I don’t know but on the evidence here what she did compose is clearly worth exploring. It shows the influence of Prokofiev with complex rhythms and dense textures as opposed to the lighter and more romantic touch of Rachmaninov.

Opening disc 2, we are treated to three of the Shostakovich 24 Preludes and fugues which, as mentioned above, were dedicated to her and for which she was closely consulted. You would expect Shostakovich to know what he was doing with his dedication and consultations and her performance shows how well-founded his opinion was as she plays the pieces as naturally as if they were her own. In an interview she characterised the 15th prelude and fugue in D flat major as “...so fierce and lively, like a whirlpool. And in that quiet forest, (in Ruza outside Moscow at an artists’ retreat) when I heard that stormy whirlpool I went into wild rapture”. That certainly comes over in her playing. Conductor Kurt Sanderling told Tatiana that in his opinion the preludes and fugues were Shostakovich’s intimate diary and when she objected “Why not his string quartets and symphonies”, he replied no, this work for it is “an intimate diary of Shostakovich, kept for himself, that brings happiness to all of us”. How true Sanderling’s observation was and how wonderful to listen to these works with that thought in mind.

She then turns to Bach, her great love and for which playing she is rightly renowned. First up is the Fantasia in C minor, BWV 816 and her luminous playing is revealed to its highest degree, and shines through despite the sound appearing to be a little distant. Even better is her earlier recording of Bach’s French Suite no.5 in G major, BWV 816. This is a remarkable recording in terms of playing and sound which belies its age of 66 years. She plays these again as if she owned them; just listen to the Courante and its following Sarabande and marvel at the contrast she creates, injecting excitement and refinement in equal degrees and after the gentleness of the Sarabande the Gavotte and Bourrée revert to the thrill of a headlong race as notes tumble out in a great rush; utterly thrilling. Altogether a fabulous 15 ½ minutes of pianistic brilliance finishing with a breathtakingly fast Gigue.

Closing the two-disc set is another marvellous example of Nikolayeva’s technical skills, which were coupled with an innate sensitivity: her 1952 recording of Bach’s Chromatic fantasia & fugue in D minor, BWV 903 which, along with the Prokofiev, her own concert etudes, the Shostakovich and the Bach fantasia, is the first time the recording has appeared on CD. It is further proof that she was one of the greatest ever interpreters of Bach’s keyboard works. It is not enough simply to love them since all pianists who include them in their repertoire surely do, rather it is a total understanding of how they work and an ability to reveal their intrinsic humanity which she had and which is rare in my listening experience. This set is a must-have for all lovers of solo piano music and admirers of the consummate art of Tatiana Nikolayeva, a true original.

– MusicWeb International (Steve Arloff)

Classical Music

This disc contains both DDD and ADD recordings.

Selections recorded March 7-10, 1991.

TOSCANINI COLLECTION VOL 15 -

GREAT HITS: VIVALDI

OFRA HARNOY COLLECTION VOL 6 -

Classical Music

The Toccata Classics 2014 release of Mieczys?aw Weinberg’s Symphony No. 21, Op. 152 Kaddish and Polish Tunes, Op. 47, No. 2 was remarkable and created considerable interest. Now Toccata present a second Weinberg volume comprising two world première recordings. Once again Toccata use the admirable Siberian Symphony Orchestra under Dmitry Vasilyev.

Thanks to a burgeoning interest in Weinberg there is now an increasing number of recordings of this Polish-born Soviet composer. The Bregenz Festival in 2011 headlined a Weinberg Retrospective and gave the stage première of Weinberg’s Holocaust opera The Passenger directed by David Pountney the festival’s music director (review ~ review). As the Bregenz festival’s featured composer a number of other Weinberg scores were performed including his Gogol opera The Portrait directed by John Fulljames. David Fanning’s recent book Mieczyslaw Weinberg: In Search of Freedom has undoubtedly increased awareness and further widened the knowledge of this talented and fascinating composer. It would only take a renowned conductor - maybe one born in Russia - such as Kirill Petrenko, Vasily Petrenko or Kirill Karabits to make recordings of Weinberg’s symphonic works to command international attention.

From 1958 The White Chrysanthemum ballet in three acts after A. Rumnev and J. Romanovich has a scenario based on a girl who is blinded at Hiroshima but later has her sight restored by Soviet doctors. The ballet was never staged probably due to difficult political relations with Japan around that time. No score has been found and it is even possible that Weinberg left the ballet unorchestrated. It was Weinberg himself who extracted the Six Ballet Scenes and orchestrated them as the Choreographic Symphony and dated the manuscript July 1973. This is a memorable score, full of delicious contrasts, often percussion laden in a similar way to late Shostakovich. In the energetic and restless opening Allegro the forceful percussion seem to be jousting with the strings and the following Adagio is infused with an exotic middle-eastern flavor. Appealing is the playful and dance-like Allegretto and the dark mystery of the Adagio-Moderato is heavy with foreboding. Especially engaging, the penultimate movement an Adagio contains some gloriously melodic writing that could have easily come from the pen of Rachmaninov. Ending the work the Presto just bristles with raw energy. Towards the beginning of the movement the music contains a definite klezmer feel but overall has all the vivacious force of Prokofiev.

Illness delayed Weinberg’s writing of his Symphony No. 22 and it was left unfinished at his death in 1996. Dedicated to Olya his wife the unfinished manuscript was completed in piano version only. Weinberg’s widow suggested to Kirill Umansky that he might orchestrate the score. Immersing himself in Weinberg’s symphonic music Umansky completed the orchestration and the first performance was given by the Belgorod State Philharmonic Orchestra in 2003. The symphony steeped in melancholy is notable for its bleak rather severe character and sense of foreboding. I found little in the way of contrast throughout the three movements and although it’s not a work I especially enjoyed its intensity and severe emotions are certainly hard to ignore. At just under 25 minutes the opening movement is over double the length of the next longest. Titled Fantasia the writing contains a feeling of intense sadness and a searching quality combined with a near constant icy chill. Relatively short at just over 5 minutes the second movement an Intermezzo contains that now familiar bleakness although it’s not quite as harsh. Titled Reminiscences the Finale eschews originality returning to the austere character of the opening movement.

Under the assured baton of Dmitry Vasilyev the Siberian Symphony Orchestra excel with compelling playing of unyielding vitality in the Six Ballet Scenes and vigor matched with sheer concentration in the Symphony. Recorded at Philharmonic Concert Hall, Omsk in Siberia the sound quality is full and clear. The release also has the benefit of a helpful essay in the booklet from leading Weinberg authority David Fanning.

For those unaccustomed to Weinberg this admirably played release is not the place to start however the Six Ballet Scenes was a satisfying surprise and is worth obtaining for that alone.

– MusicWeb International (Michael Cookson)

CLASSICS AT MOVIES

TOSCANINI COLLECTION VOL 18 -

ROSSINI, SUPPE: OVERTURES BER

Classical Music

Clarity and truth were the words I used to describe the original Chandos sound, and here it strikes me as even more vivid. I particularly enjoyed the wide range of dynamics and colour emanating from the keyboard without a trace of clanginess in the treble or boxiness in the bass. The playing of this huband-and-wife duo cannot be overpraised throughout the whole programme, which is all to the good since according to the current catalogues none of the three works is now otherwise generally available in the UK. The journey starts darkly: Shostakovich's late sonata plainly did not come from a happy mind. But Schnittke's piquant Shostakovich-influenced Violin Sonata No. 1 progressively lightens the gloom, before his whooly winning retreat into the musical past. Pastiche this last work may be, but the product of a very knowing craftsman all the same.

-- Joan Chissell, Gramophone [4/1985]

Recorded in: Orchestra Hall, Detroit 1-2 October 1995 Producer(s) Charles Greenwell Ralph Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Dan Dene Robert Shafer (Assistant)

MOZART: Piano Concertos Nos. 9 and 19 (1952 / 1956)

SYMPHONY NO.3

Personnel includes: Jerry Hadley (vocals); Jay Berliner (guitar, mandolin); John Moses (clarinet); Dominic Cortese (accordion); John Beal (bass); Barry Mitterhoff (mandolin).

Recording information: Clinton Recording Studios, Studio A, New York, NY (05/24/1995-09/27/1995); Soundtrack Recording Studios, Studio A, New York, NY (05/24/1995-09/27/1995).

FIDELIO (2 CD) (CARTON CT: 12)

Schoenberg, Adorno and Stravinsky - three great composers of the 20th century meet on this project of violin works. In the hands of Liana Issakadze these works take on the quality of a wild circus act and shine with splendor and technical authority. Issakadze plays like the violinist with six fingers that Schoenberg prophesied.

The entire 'Bill' Schuman story in a nutshell—and Slatkin tells it like a true believer. He begins with a cheer. It was Leonard Bernstein who described conducting the American Festival Overture as like ''leading a cheer''. Let's just say that Slatkin's St Louis orchestra are some cheer-leaders. Not that Schuman needs much encouragement in this department: his brand of collective festivity is fired-up and there for the taking—shrill, excitable woodwind hoorahs, brassy fanfare-derived syncopations packed in with heavyweight percussion.

To sum up this music, you'd have to say that it exudes determination in every bolt and rivet: creativity equals energy—the American way. Schuman's is both music of the land—gritty, pioneering, open—and of the first cityscapes: iron and steel, always reaching outwards and upwards. It's always good to be reminded of the New England Triptych, of a bygone America where William Billings wrote hymns and hymn tunes became marching songs. Slatkin absolutely delivers the goods here, tough and buoyant but never muscle-bound in the celebratory outer movements, quick to respond to the old-world charm, too—as when the tumult of ''Be glad then, America'' momentarily subsides to leave flute and piccolo piping away like a distant view of the marching band. His solo oboe is an eloquent preacher in the second panel ''When Jesus wept'', the congregation of strings show great refinement.

Schuman's Tenth, and last, Symphony (here receiving its world premiere recording) quickly reveals that not much about its composer's philosophy and musical vocabulary had changed over a long and vigorous career. A survivor's resolve and strength of purpose is still at the centre of things, an overriding spirit of optimism still rules—energy still equals creativity (hence the subtitle ''American Muse''—a conscious act of homage to all those other 'creative pioneers'). But once beyond the declamatory contortions of the first movement (an abstract, but not so distant cousin of the first movement of the New England Triptych, its superstructure riveted with metallic percussion, jagged brass syncopations generating untold energy) we are into another of those protracted Schuman meditations where strings look east in heart-easing glissandos, a lone flute searches for something, and trumpets, as ever, suggest the close proximity of the city. This may be the spiritual heart of the American nation as Schuman understood it, but for all his outward optimism, it's still a very long, restless haul here to the moment of resolution: a radiant G major triad. No time to wallow, though: Schuman's finale is up and running, aspiring string legatos stabilizing inimitable rhythmic counterpoints in the wind. The pay-off—even by Schuman's standards, an uncommonly explosive tattoo of percussion—is raw energy. RCA have contained it in a spacious, vivid, punchy recording. The St Louis orchestra are again virtuosic.

Finally, it was a nice idea on Slatkin's part to throw in the Variations on ''America'', Schuman's affectionate wink to his gritty, visionary predecessor, Charles Ives. It's so deliciously irreverent, this bandstand burlesque: rarely was a tune so deserving of ridicule. The po-faced procession of muted brass and con legno strings punctuated with ludicrous baton-twirling trills of glockenspiel always makes me laugh; I love the wicked harmonic displacements, the operatic woodwinds and trumpet, the silliness of the xylophone, the mad Spanish pastiche—each and every variant, a well-turned raspberry.'

Edward Seckerson, Gramophone