PROKOFIEV, TCHAIKOVSKYSymphony No. 5 / Romeo and Juliet – Fantasia-OvertureNovosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling

Marek Koszur — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 19:53:44 +0000

The Russian cultural scene, although largely unnoticed in the West, offers an almost inexhaustible potential in terms of first-class musicians and valuable interpretations. On the present SACD audite presents for the second time the Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra (NASO), an orchestra more or less unknown in the West but nonetheless highly renowned: Could it be due to this region’s geographic remoteness and exoticness, or to the negative connotation of Siberia, that Russian musical culture ends with the Ural Mountains as far as the culturally interested West is concerned? Despite numerous concert tours and major successes in the West, this Siberian orchestra has remained largely unknown up until the present day. This is completely unjustified, for the NASO need not fear comparison with the best-known European orchestras.

Founded as long ago as 1956 in Novosibirsk as the result of a government decision to enliven Siberian cultural life, the Orchestra is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Arnold Kats was then appointed Music Director and has occupied this position uninterruptedly ever since. At first, alongside Novosibirsk, its concert activities were limited to cities in the eastern provinces of the former Soviet Union. Later on, concert organisers in the western Russian provinces discovered the Orchestra as well. Following successful performances in Moscow and Leningrad, the Orchestra undertook its first concert tour in the allied country of Bulgaria. Already in 1978, the Orchestra was permitted to undertake its first concert tour in the West – in Italy. Since then, numerous tours have regularly taken the orchestra to the great concert halls of the West European capitals and to Japan. Since 2002 Thomas Sanderling is the Permanent Guest Conductor of the orchestra.

Following the production of the Symphony No. 2 and the Caprice bohèmien by Sergei Rachmaninov with the NASO under Arnold Kats audite now releases a second SACD with this unique orchestra under Thomas Sanderling. Once again the orchestra is presented with a truly Russian repertoire: The beloved Fantasia-Ouverture “Romeo and Juliette” by Peter Tchaikovsky takes the listener to the world of the Shakespear-drama about love and hatred; the Symphony No. 5 by Sergei Prokofiev gives us an impression of the “new simplicity”, an idea promoted by the composer himself: rich melodic invention and rhythmic vitality with a colouration at once objectively hard and romantic are united to form a heroic monumental style.

In honour of the Orchestra’s 50th anniversary, audite presents a second production which attains the highest standards in interpretative and sound quality, motivating listeners to make further discoveries in the Russian musical scene.

Artykuł PROKOFIEV, TCHAIKOVSKY
Symphony No. 5 / Romeo and Juliet – Fantasia-Overture
Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15 Helene Grimaud Staatskapelle Berlin Kurt Sanderling

Marek Koszur — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 19:32:08 +0000

„The recording is very fine. The piano is powerfully ‚there‘ without being in any way blatant. The orchestral sound builds from the bottom up, the bass line finely caught; there are well-placed horns and distinct solo woodwinds…After several hearings, I am still marvelling at the sound and substance of a pianist capable of meeting Sanderling on his own ground where Brahms is concerned, I am also marvelling afresh at the work – which is usually a good sign.“ -RO, Gramophone

Hélène Grimaud, piano
Staatskapelle Berlin
Conducted by Kurt Sanderling

Artykuł BRAHMS
Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15
Helene Grimaud
Staatskapelle Berlin
Kurt Sanderling pochodzi z serwisu Cleartone.

Kurt Sanderling - Cleartone

PROKOFIEV, TCHAIKOVSKYSymphony No. 5 / Romeo and Juliet – Fantasia-OvertureNovosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling

BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15 Helene Grimaud Staatskapelle Berlin Kurt Sanderling