What Child Fantasy réunit deux mélodies traditionnelles de Noël : l'air anglais What Child is This? (Greensleeves) et la mélodie Russian Bell Song. Ces deux airs présentent une particularité commune : ils sont tous deux écrits dans un mode mineur, élément assez inhabituel pour un événement aussi réjouissant.Le Quintette de Cuivres Rekkenze Brass a été fondé par des membres de l'Orchestre Symphoniq…

This album for mixed choir and piano contains a selection of richly varied choruses from Italian, French, German, English and Russian operas from the 17th to 19th centuries, illuminating the great diversity of the genre. Included are opera choruses from the following works: · Claudio Monteverdi: L'Orfeo · George Frideric Handel: Acis and Galatea HWV 49b · Christoph Willibald Gluck: Alceste (Vienna…

Continuing in the tradition of previous publications in the Classics series: Classic Solos and Classic Duets, Mary Karen Clardy has selected 24 of the most significant standard études from Carl Joachim Andersen's op. 21, 30, 33, 37 and 41, Antoine Benoit Tranquille Berbiguier's Studies and Ernesto Köhler's Romantic Études op. 66. Performance notes, composers' biographies and a glossary of terms ar…

Par KAPUSTIN NIKOLAI. This short duet by contemporary Russian composer Nikolai Kapustin has a driving syncopated rhythm and edgy harmonic palette. Kapustin makes good use of both the cello?s rich sonority and its more hard-edged character to underpin the flute?s almost incessant virtuosic outpourings. There is tense rhythmic interplay between the instruments, making it a hugely enjoyable piece for…

Three Russian Dances. Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. Cette suite colorée et variée contient des cheminements surprenants dans un paysage sonore caractéristique de l’âme musicale russe. L’introduction est suivie d’une danse rapide qui s’apparente au Trepak ; les thèmes sont accrocheurs. Le second mouvement, Garovot, est lent dans l’ensemble et quelque peu mélancolique. Pourtant, la passion renaît dans un p…

Par IGUDESMAN ALEKSEY. Aleksey Igudesman might reasonably be described as a modern day Victor Borge. With his cabaret partner, Hyung-ki Joo, he has toured concert halls all over the world, wringing all that is humorous out of classical music with just the basic tools of violin and piano. The “Happy Birthday Variations” for violin and piano are dedicated to his good friend, the late Sir Roger Moore…

Farewell to St. Petersburg. Par BRYARS GAVIN. This concerto has the unusual addition of an optional male voice choir. Many Russian elements influenced Bryars when he was writing the piece, not least the text for the bass voices which is taken from Glinka’s song cycle Farewell to St Petersburg. Bryars writes ‘The orchestration is quite light throughout, so that the singing quality of the double bas…

Originally composed for piano solo, Rubinstein's 'Melody' Op. 3/1 is the best-known work written by the Russian composer. Thanks to the simple, yet tender melody and its expressive harmony, the name of the composer will be remembered forever. The piece makes an excellent encore to a concert.

Par PROKOFIEV SERGEI. The Russian ballet director Sergei Diaghilev commissioned many composers to write music for the theatre. This was what caused Serge Prokofiev to compose the four part Scytische Suite (also known as Ala and Lolli) in 1916, from which The Enemy God and the Dance of the Spirits can be heard on this CD. This suite is one of Prokofiev's first works, and received negative criticism…