Mikhail Simonyan, London Symphony Orchestra, Kristjan Järvi - Two Souls: Khachaturian & Barber Violin Concertos (2011)

Introducing a record that transcends both cultural and musical boundaries into a work of art that is simply breathtaking.

When Mikhail Simonyan arrived at the London Symphony Orchestra's home base, St. Luke's, on a beautiful spring day in2011, it marked both his first meeting with this orchestra and the start of his first concerto recording. With his friend Kristjan Järvi conducting, the young soloist, though working in great detail, seemed entirely happy and relaxed."I'm very excited about working with the LSO and such good friends in my recording debut," he enthused.

This program of music by Aram Khachaturian and Samuel Barber, entitled Two Souls, is tailor-made for this exciting virtuoso: one soul is Armenian, the other American.

Simonyan has commissioned a new cadenza for the Khachaturian Concerto from the Armenian composer Artur Avnesov."Khachaturian is an incredibly Armenian composer, but I didn't find pure Armenian music in his cadenza because it was essentially Oistrakh's, violinistic and virtuosic. I wanted one which sounds more authentically Armenian. This new cadenza has a strong feeling of Armenian church music. Armenia was the first Christian country and has been persecuted for religion all through its history. Part of what it means to be an Armenian today it rooted in our deep, ancient and unique church music tradition. This element in Avnesov's cadenza brings a whole new color to the concerto."