Russian Music

“Honoured Artist of Russia”, first prize winner at every international competition she participated in, Ludmila Berlinskaya played on the most prestigious stages in the world, including the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore, Barbican and Royal Albert Halls in London, la Fenice in Venice, the Royal Academy of Brussels, the National Auditorium in Madrid, the City Hall of Hong Kong, St. Petersburg Philharmony and all major halls of Moscow, where she grew up. She is regularly invited to prestigious festivals such as La Roque d’Anthéron, Colmar, Auvers sur Oise, Aix en Provence, Evian, Kuhmo, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, Orlando, Stavanger, Portogruaro Festivals etc.

A worthy premiere of one of Russia's most neglected composers Vladimir Rebikov, often called 'the inventor of the whole-tone scale', is now almost completely forgotten, save his Silhouettes (a set of interesting children's pieces), and his Valse op.21, a popular encore piece. Due to most of his pieces being miniatures, with definite musical phrases and simple forms (far from Satie), not many people paid attention to him. To the disengaged, Rebikov seems like one of the many salon composers, with nothing of note. This album does very well to dispel this notion.

Leslie De'Ath has taken up the banner for the music of Cyril Scott, which many feel is long overdue for unfurling again, with a series on Dutton of his piano music. It is easy to hear in the pieces on this first volume why Scott was called "The English Debussy." The extremely colorful, translucent harmonies he uses make his music entrancing, sometimes mystical.

Russian Piano Music by The Might Handful played by Margaret Fingerhut (1986)
Classical (Russian Nationalist) | 1CD | MP3 320Kbps CBR | 71 MB
Label: Chandos

The Might Handful consisted of five Russian composers following in the tradition of Glinka and Dargomijsky. Balakirev, Cui, Mussorgsky, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov sought to bring Russian music to the level art of music prevailing in Western Europe. This disc is a collection of piano works by each of the five composers. Such works as Balakirev's Islamey and Mussorgsky's Pictures from an Exhibition are not represented here much to benefit of including lesser known works.

Vladimir Sofronitsky was among the greatest Russian pianists of the twentieth century, and, while he had become a somewhat less prominent figure following his death, he must be still considered in the company of Richter, Gilels, and Yudina. In his time, Sofronitsky became widely recognized as the leading interpreter of and authority on the music of Scriabin in Eastern Europe. He was also highly praised for his interpretations of the piano works of Robert Schumann and he was a highly respected teacher.

In 1989 the young pianist Sam Haywood was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Julius Isserlis Scholarship. Years later, having become friends with Julius’s grandson Steven, Sam came across some of Julius’s piano compositions in a drawer at the house of George, Julius’s son. The editions were unclear and full of printing errors; so, struck by the beauty of the music, Sam decided to make his own edition, the fruits of which are to be heard on this recording.

Sviridov - Five Choruses to Lyrics by Russian poets, poem in Memory of Sergei Esenin (1991)
EAC Rip | FLAC (img + cue), LOG | TT 67:11 | Covers (jpg 300 dpi) | RAR 294.53 MB (3% Recovery)
Melodiya | USSR | SUCD 10-00215 | 1991

"Five Choruses to Lyrics by Russian Poets" are five small poems. "Poem in Memory of Sergei Esenin" is one of the 20th-century's major musical compositions. The "Poem" is a highly original composition both in its concept and its artistic embodiment, with a lot of new discoveries. G. Sviridov interpreted anew one of the greatest Russian poetic works of the 20th century. He was able not only to see in Esenin a fine lyricist but a truly national poet, who shared his country's lot during the fateful years of its history. Addressing himself to Esenin. Sviridov was the first to speak seriously in music of the fate of Russian people during the revolution.

For a musician, encountering a composer's work or a certain part of the repertoire may come at a time more or less favourable to the understanding of the music in question. It really doesn't matter: "You have to start them early", said Pablo Casals of the mighty works that impudent youths tackled with gusto. A work absorbed in this way, continues its underground route over the years before emerging at the appropriate time, and obviously and ingenuously declaring: "I'm here! Have you been expecting me?"