Search - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Evgeny Svetlanov, Nina Isakova :: Rimsky-Korsakov: Sinfonietta; Russian Easter Overture

Evgeni Svetlanov (1928-2002) served as conductor of the Bolshoi Opera from 1955 until 1965, when he was named principal conductor of the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. Svetlanov recorded widely, and his interpretations are prized for their color and vitality. This highly desirable disc combines the familiar and beloved Russian Easter Festival Overture with three lesser-known works of Rimsky-Korsakov that will delight any fan of this composer. The Sinfonietta on Russian Themes, originally a string quartet, includes a theme that Stravinsky later borrowed for use in the Firebird ballet. The Overture on Russian Themes includes tunes that are familiar both from Mussorgsky?s Boris Godunov and Tchaikovsky?s 1812 Overture. Rarest of all is the "Prelude-Cantata" Iz Gomera ("From Homer"), a setting of lines from Homer?s Odyssey that was originally intended for an opera, never completed. These are studio recordings from 1971 and 1985.