Search - Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yegor Grechishnikov :: Georgy Dmitriev

The Russian Sound

Walter Fekula | New York, NY USA | 04/23/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I ordered this disc, I never heard of Georgy Dmitriev and frankly I have forgotten what led me to him. This is exciting music. A bit of background. Dmitriev was born in 1942 in Krasnodar in southern Russia near the Caucasus. On the recommendation of Dmitry Shostakovich, in 1961 he entered the composer' faculty of the Moscow State Consevatoire. He likely toed the line during the Soviet regime as in 1988 he was elected chairman of the Board of the Moscow branch of the Composer's Union. During his tenure he did organize several musical festivals which included concerts of previously forbidden Orthodox choral music. He is a prolific composer and the music is very "Russian", easy to listen to and a great way to try out ones stereo system. The music is a combination of Russian folk and liturgical, film score (he wrote music for some 30 motion pictures) with touches of Mussorsky and other Russian composers. You will not be bored. The Tchaikovsky Great Academic symphony orchestra is under the very capable leadership of Vladimir Fedoseyev. The disc is well recorded"