Search - Taneyev, Mordkovitch, Jarvi :: Taneyev: Suite de Concert; Rimsky-Korsakov: Fantasy on Russian Themes

This one will knock you over! (details)

Patrick W. Crabtree | Lucasville, OH USA | 02/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I sincerely wish we could get more of Taneyev (b. 1856, d. 1915 -- the cover notes have his birth date wrong, showing him to be born in 1889 which would make him only 26 years old at his death!). He was a student of Tchaikovsky and aligned himself with the conservative Moscow school of musical composition - thus his approach to Classical Music clearly contained the earlier German elements of overall ambiance but his music is still definitively Russian.



First, the Rimsky-Korsakov work on this CD (Fantasy on Russian Themes, op. 33) is very reminiscent of Scheherazade and parallels the wonderful ambiance of the period Russian Folk music. It runs for a total of 17:28 and pairs up quite aptly with the Taneyev suite.



Taneyev was associated with several notable Russian writers of his day including Ivan Turgenev, author of Fathers and Sons, and one can practically visualize these fascinating accounts of the Russian people emanating directly from Taneyev's music. Sergei Rachmaninoff also studied under the tutelage of the renowned teacher, Taneyev.



The Suite de Concert, op. 28 is masterful. The music is some of the most moving that I've ever heard. This composition is forty-seven minutes of pure Russian atmosphere. If you're looking for terrific background music for reading War and Peace, this is it. I can hardly find the words to express my delight in its sweeping essence. The occasional interplay between violin and oboe are extraordinary and particularly emotive.



Other than the minor obvious glitch with Taneyev's birth date, the liner notes of the CD are informative and well-written. The CD sound is marvelous and the performance of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, under the experienced and competent baton of Neeme Järvi, is second to none. The extensive violin work is equally outstanding, performed by Lydia Mordkovitch. This is a 2008 recording conducted at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, Scotland. I have only rarely been as pleased with a classical music recording as I am with this remarkable pairing of Russian works.



This CD is a grand slam for Chandos. Most highly recommended!

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