Dream: Western Poets in Russian Music, Vol. 1

On this CD:

1. Romance ("Kogda gljazhu tebe v glaza"), for voice & piano, Op. 4/3
Composed by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

2. Rondel, song for voice & piano, Op. 65/6
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

3. Déception, song for voice & piano, Op. 65/2
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

4. Poème dramatique, Op.51, No.1 "Widmung" for voice & piano, Op.51/1
Composed by Alexander Tikhonovich Grechaninov
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

5. Goethe-Lieder (9) Op.6, No.3 "Elfenliedchen" for voice & piano, Op.6/3
Composed by Nikolay Medtner
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

6. Songs (6) Op.76, No.1 "Waldeinsamkeit" for voice & piano, Op. 76/1
Composed by Anton Rubinstein
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

7. Goethe-Lieder (9) Op.6, No.2 "Mailied" for voice & piano, Op.6/2
Composed by Nikolay Medtner
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

8. Poems (3) of Heine, Op.12, No.2 "Lyrisches Intermezzo" for voice & piano, Op.12/2
Composed by Nikolay Medtner
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

9. Songe, for voice & piano, Op.11/2
Composed by Anatol Alexandrov
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

10. From My Tears (Iz slyoz moikh), song for voice & piano
Composed by Alexander Borodin
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

11. Jaloux du bel objet, for voice & piano
Composed by Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

12. Au bal, for voice & piano
Composed by Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

13. Songs (10) Op.83, No.9 "Gut' Nacht!" for voice & piano, Op. 83/9
Composed by Anton Rubinstein
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

14. Songs (10) Op.83, No.7 "La prima viola" for voice & piano, Op. 83/7
Composed by Anton Rubinstein
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

15. Goethe-Lieder (9) Op.6, No.4 "Im Vorübergehn" for voice & piano, Op.6/4
Composed by Nikolay Medtner
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

16. Goethe-Lieder (9) Op.6, No.9 "Gefunden" for voice & piano, Op.6/9
Composed by Nikolay Medtner
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

17. Mélodies (5), Op 54, No.1 "Tristesse des choses" for voice & piano, Op54/1
Composed by Cesar Cui
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

18. Songs (10) Op.83, No.5 "Tanto gentile e tanto onesta" for voice & piano, Op. 83/5
Composed by Anton Rubinstein
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

19. Gefunden, for voice & piano
Composed by Sergey Taneyev
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

20. Pur nel sonno, song for voice & piano, G. x52
Composed by Mikhail Glinka
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

21. Serénade, song for voice & piano, Op. 65/1
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

22. Songs (6) Op.76, No.3 "An den Frühling" for voice & piano, Op. 76/3
Composed by Anton Rubinstein
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

23. Dieu, qui sourit, for voice & piano
Composed by Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

24. Piangendo ancora rinascer suole, song for voice & piano, G. x61
Composed by Mikhail Glinka
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

25. Romance du beau Tirsis, for voice & piano
Composed by Dimitry Stepanovich Bortnyansky
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

26. C'était en avril, song for voice & piano, TN ii/52/1
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Eleonora Bekova

Editorial Reviews
(American Record Guide - USA 2000)
"This is the first of what I hope will be several volumes…the recording is well worth having… All are beautifully performed."(American Record Guide (USA), 2000)

(BBC Music Magazine - Great Britain, July 2000)
Bekova is imaginative and shares Larin's keen sense for all this music. His easy tone produces excellent loving performances. Roll on Volume 2.(BBC Music Magazine (Great Britain), July 2000)

Dream: Western Poets in Russian Music, Vol. 1

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful assortment of songs set on Western texts........2000-07-24

This is a wonderful assortment of songs set on Western poetic texts by a whole variety of Russian composers (13 in all), most of whom are familiar (or famous) while others are rather little known (like Alexandrov & Bortnyansky). Much of the songs on this CD, namely of Rubinstein, Taneyev, Glazunov, Grechaninov, & Medtner are set to Germanic poetry (naturally for Rubinstein & Medtner, since they had German ancestry). The song "Gefunden", after Goethe's "Ich ging im Walde" was set to music by Medtner & Taneyev & it's interesting to see their different treatment to it: Taneyev's with the delicacy & innocence, Medtner's the more serious & piquant yet dignified. Glazunov's Romance, after Goethe's "Dichterliebe" is beautiful & ultimately sentamental while Grechaninov's "Widmung" is sincere & somewhat mournful & agitated, especially in the latter part of the text "Oh, may all you sighs & tears, Fly away to her as songs." The selections of Rubinstein's ten songs to German, French, and Italian texts op. 83 (1868) as well as Waldeinsamkeit (from Six German Songs op. 76) are memorable although Glinka was more at home with Italian texts than Rubinstein.

The other songs are set to French text (though Borodin's "Fleurs d' amour" is a french translation to Heine's "Buch der Lieder") while Glinka's "Pur nel sonno" & "Piangendo ancora rinascer suole" are set to Italian. Glinka's songs are especially fresh & lively while Dargomyzhsky's songs are serene, especially "Dieu, qui sourit" & Romance du beau Tirsis (among my particular favorites). The songs of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Bortnyansky, Borodin, & Alexandrov are especially lighthearted & warm. Rachmaninov's "C'etait en avril" has the beauty & the nobleness to be found in his later scores while Tchaikovsky's Rondel has that Mozartian innocence & charm that's immediately compelling. His Deception is more serious & saddened, however, as one looks for his beloved (does this remind you of his Manfred Symphony?).

This is an excellent recital, sang by Sergei Larin (tenor) accompanied by pianist Eleonora Bekova. The warmth & joy of Larin's singing immediately captured by mind, and ultimately my heart as I continue to listen to this CD. Bekova's piano accompliment is wholly euphonious & humane throughout. I eagerly await Volume II.

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