Alexander Vedernikov, The Bolshoi Theatre - Highlights from Russian Operas, Vol. 2 (2009) [DSD]

Traditionally, since the middle of the 18th century, Russian opera had been influenced by the Italians, just as the music world as a whole had been strongly oriented towards that country during the empire of the czars. For Russian composers, this meant that they have to battle incessantly for the recognition of their musical identity, which was not surprising in a country where many prominent families felt more at home speaking French than Russian. In his operas A Life for the Czar (1836), and Ruslan and Lyudmila (1841), Michael Glinka laid a foundation for the national opera culture, and Alexander Dargomishky followed his example. However, their music was still strongly influenced by foreign works; the torch was then taken over by Alexander Borodin and a few others, who grouped together under the name Moguchaya Kuchka (the ‘mighty handful’). Their main objective was to develop an authentic idiom, based on Russian folklore music. In addition, they strove to create a high degree of realism in the music drama. They were successful at this, even though at times hindered in the realization of their intentions by a lack of professional training of various members.

Tracks:

Modest Mussorgsky(1839-1881)
From “Khovanschina” (Rimsky-Korsakov version)
1 Prelude Act 1 (Dawn over the Moscow River) 5. 59
2 Act 2: Sily potajnye (Mysterious forces) 5. 42
Elena Manistina (Marfa) – mezzo-soprano
Mikhail Gubsky (Golitsyn) – tenor
3 Act 3: Batya, batya, vyijdi k nam ! (Chief-our-father, come to us!) 6. 27
Vladimir Krasov (Kuzhka)– baritone; Vladimir Matorin (Ivan Khovansky)– bass; Chorus

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)
From “Legend of the invisible city of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya”
4 Prelude: A hymn to nature 5. 26
5 The battle near the Kerzhenets River 4.30
From “Sadko” Act 2: Songs of the Foreign Merchant Traders
6 Song of the Varangian (Viking) Guest 2. 50
Vadim Lynkovsky – bass
7 Song of the Indian Guest 3. 27
Maksim Paster – tenor
8 Song of the Venetian Guest 4. 34
Anton Grigoriev – baritone; Chorus

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
From “Eugene Onegin”
9 Act 3: Polonaise 4. 50
10 Act 2: Kuda, kuda vyi udalilis? (Where, oh where have you gone?) 6. 05
Andrey Dunaev – tenor

Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)
From “Boris Godunov” (Rimsky-Korsakov version)
11 Prologue: Coronation Scene 9. 31
Maksim Paster (Shuisky) – tenor; Mikhail Kazakov (Boris Godunov) – bass; Chorus

Personnel:

Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow
Alexander Vedernikov, conductor