Taneyev's Chamber Masterpiece
Alasdair Brooks | Melbourne Australia | 09/28/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is simply a must have for any fan of Russian classical music. Taneyev was Tchaikovsky's student and friend, and the teacher of both Scriabin and Rachmaninov, but composed in a distinct (albeit obviously Russian) style of his own. His rigid obsession with counterpoint - often obvious in the Quintet - has led to accusations that Taneyev was too intellectual for his own good, but personally I don't really see this as a sin. The third movement of the Quintet in particular - built around nothing more than a repeated descending scale - demonstrates how theoretical proficiency can still produce music of rare interest. And the other movements are full of gorgeous melodies. The CD is a little short by recent standards, but I still heartily recommend it."