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Naxos

Borodin: Prince Igor - Highlights / Kuchar, Et Al

$19.99

Details

Composer
BORODIN
Artist
SOLOISTS/NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF UKRAINE/KUCHAR
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Aug 16, 2005
Catalog #
8557456
UPC
747313245628

About

This disc offers about an hour's worth of choice bits from Borodin's Prince Igor. On one hand, we find the usual selections, including the ever-popular Polovtsian Dances, along with the Overture and Polovtsian March, familiar from various recordings (of which Tjeknavorian on RCA is among the best). But there also are a few numbers that will be unknown to listeners not experienced with the complete work, such as the blustery "I don't like boredom", sung with cocky swagger by bass Taras Shtonda.


The real catch here is the mezzo-soprano aria "Daylight is Fading", which contains one of Borodin's more bewitchingly beautiful melodies sung with heartfelt passion (and what sounds like authentic Arabian vocal styling) by Angelina Shvachka. Tenor Dmytro Popov sounds wonderfully ardent in the love song "Slowly the day was fading", while the poignant "There is neither sleep nor rest" makes fine use of Mykola Koval's rich, burnished baritone.


The Kiev Chamber Choir women make sweetly seductive captive maidens in the favorite Polovtsian Dance No. 2, just as the Polovtsian men sound suitably threatening proclaiming the glory of Khan. Theodore Kuchar leads an alternately gritty and graceful rendition with excellent playing from the Ukraine National Radio Symphony. The somewhat dry recording imparts a slightly hard-edged quality to the voices but otherwise projects substantial depth and dynamic range.
--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 9 tracks

  1. 1 Overture 10:18
    Track
    1
    Title
    Overture
    Duration
    10:18
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  2. 2 Act I: Greshno tait': ya skuki nye lyublyu (I don't like boredom) (Galitzky) 03:58
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Greshno tait': ya skuki nye lyublyu (I don't like boredom) (Galitzky)
    Duration
    03:58
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Performer
    Taras Shtonda
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  3. 3 Act II: Dance of the Polovtsian Maidens 02:19
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act II: Dance of the Polovtsian Maidens
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  4. 4 Act II: Merknyet svyet dnevnoy (Daylight is fading) (Konchakovna) 05:38
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II: Merknyet svyet dnevnoy (Daylight is fading) (Konchakovna)
    Duration
    05:38
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Performer
    Angelina Shvachka
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  5. 5 Act II: Myedlenno dyn' ugasal (Slowly the day was fading) (Vladimir) 05:07
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II: Myedlenno dyn' ugasal (Slowly the day was fading) (Vladimir)
    Duration
    05:07
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Performer
    Dmytro Popov
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  6. 6 Act II: Ni sna, ni ordikha (There is neither sleep, nor rest) (Prince Igor) 07:03
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: Ni sna, ni ordikha (There is neither sleep, nor rest) (Prince Igor)
    Duration
    07:03
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Performer
    Mykola Koval
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  7. 7 Act II: Polovtsian Dances - Ulyetay na kril'yahk vyetra (Fly away on the wings of the wind) (version for chorus) 10:43
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: Polovtsian Dances - Ulyetay na kril'yahk vyetra (Fly away on the wings of the wind) (version for chorus)
    Duration
    10:43
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Ensemble
    Kiev Chamber Choir, Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  8. 8 Act III: Polovtsian March 04:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act III: Polovtsian March
    Duration
    04:59
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar
  9. 9 In the Steppes of Central Asia 07:32
    Track
    9
    Title
    In the Steppes of Central Asia
    Duration
    07:32
    Composer
    Alexander Borodin
    Ensemble
    Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Theodore Kuchar