Search - Hvorostovsky, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff :: Russian Romances

The Essential Dmitri CD

08/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The repertoire for Dmitri's second solo album was chosen with great care. The title "romances" can be somewhat misleading, though. This is not a collection of "touchy-feely" love songs. The lieder-style songs by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov deal with anguish, suffering, reflective melancholy and the kind of love that leaves a heart scarred and bleeding forever. One exception - the bravura of Don Juan, sung with gusto and thirst for life. These songs are dear to every educated Russian. Much like Schubert, who composed the lieder to the poetry of Goethe and Shakespeare, the Russian composers selected works by Pushkin, Pleschcheyev, Fyet, and others to communicate the intense emotions or dreamy reflections. The incredible "Christ is Risen", is written by D. Myeryezhkovsky, a man far ahead of his time, lamenting the irony of hearing the happy church hymns and praises set against the background of our brutal age. Everyone who has ever experienced utter loneliness, despair, melancholy mixed with expectations of a way out will be touched by these songs, that cross the language barriers and speak to the heart with the help of today's greatest baritone. You don't have to be a native speaker like me to appreciate them. Dmitri's voice never fails to explore the very core of the human soul. It can expand thunderously or soften to the sensuous pppp with perfect control and clarity. The high notes are triumphant and soaring with none of the coarseness that so many baritones have. The lower notes impress with their basso-like quality. His passion and intelligence are reminiscent of such great singers as Boris Christoff and Nicolai Ghiaurov, yet the range of the baritone allows for new, unusual, and welcome interpretations. He receives warm, thoughtful, and lively support from pianist Oleg Boshniakovich. Philips provides great sound and a nice booklet amiss any Cyrillic texts (which is thankfully corrected in their latest releases) and, alas, with a few minor spelling mistakes. The cover features, quite appropriately, Dmitri singing, looking out into the morning mist. Great artist and great achievement!"

An Overlooked Treasure

Andrew West | Scotch Plains, NJ United States | 08/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even major fans of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff may be unfamiliar with these works, but I think this CD perfectly captures what these artists sought to convey musically. The songs are mostly "torch songs" with text by major Russian poets. The piano and voice work together very well to build to "the point" of every work. The deep male voice we hear is just right for the material. After reading the text along with the music a few times, the listener can most fully appreciate this artwork, even if one may not philosophically enjoy the explicit message of the words, the music clearly delivers an artistic expression of intense longing."

I've known him and his life and also mine that love Russian

H. Asada | Tokyo, JAPAN | 09/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a mezzo-soprano singer and love Italian opera and German Lieder. But I haven't known how beautiful Russian Romances are. Maybe because many male low voice singers have just good voices but beautiful legato phrasing with the hottest heart as Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings on this CD.

His amazing earthquaking low tone and heavenly elegant high tone are based on his deep breathing of his own. His sweet but excellent expressions moved me and my life. I recognized these Romances are his foundation of whole his musical life. I felt his deep love to Russia and his family, and it impressed me as a Lieder singer.

It is a huge contribution to many foreigners including me got to love Russian music who haven't liked them before."