USSR State Symphony Orchestra – Alto CD

Daniil Shafran: More Cello Masterworks

amuletts — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:09:29 +0000

Parnassus presents legendary recordings of cello masterworks from one of the greatest cellists of the early 20th Century, Daniil Borisovich Shafran. It was a quirk of fate that the Soviet Union should have produced, within the space of four years, two of the greatest cellists of the age, Mstislav Rostropovich and Daniil Borisovich Shafran. It was a particular misfortune for Shafran that Rostropovich should have been so visible a musician, culturally and politically, as Shafran was largely overlooked. These recordings look to shine a spotlight on this great artist in full remasterings by Paul Arden-Taylor.

Shafran was born on 13 January 1923 in St Petersburg, then Petrograd/Leningrad, where his father, Boris, was principal cellist in the Leningrad Philharmonic. Studies with his father were followed by lessons with Aleksander Shtrimer (who had also taught Shafran’s father), first at the Special Music School, and then at the conservatoire two years later. Shafran made his concerto debut with the Philharmonic at the age of eleven, performing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Rococo’ Variations conducted by Albert Coates and three years later, in 1937, the same year that he won the All-Union Competition, he recorded the work with Alexander Gauk. His competition prize was a 1630 Amati cello (reputedly), slightly on the small side, that he used for the rest of his life. After his death, it turned out that it was, in fact, probably eighteenth-century German or Bohemian.

(Stephen Isserlis): “Sebastian Comberti had the best description …like finding the last member of a lost tribe of cellists. His playing takes you right back to a different era.”

“Comparisons in the Prokofiev are especially telling, Rostropovich is earnest but suave, Shafran more colourful but unremittingly intense. Rozhdestvensky’s mastery of the score is a bonus: this was the period when he made his greatest Prokofiev recordings” (Tsindzadze):

“every bar holds its own brand of magic.” (Gramophone)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Variations on a Rococo Theme (18:41)

David Popper
Spanish Dances, Op. 54

No. 5, Vito (3:58)

Concert Etudes, Op. 55

No. 2, Jagdstück (2:20)

Camille Saint-Saëns

Carnival of the Animals: The Swan (2:47)

Sergei Prokofiev
Symphony-Concerto in E Minor, Op. 125

I. Andante (9:39)
II. Allegro giusto (16:26)
III. Andante con moto (9:12)

Gavriil Nikolayevich Popov (1904-72) Symphonies Nos.2 ‘Motherland’ & No.5

amuletts — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:02:00 +0000

“Then came a Second Symphony, simpler in mood and written with deep patriotism in the middle of the war. It is also excellently composed, and genuinely symphonic despite its fashioning from film music … so much passion and conviction in this performance, by a conductor who has clearly taken great trouble to convey his belief in it.” (Gramophone) “Shostakovich admired his music which is finely paced, expertly constructed and brilliantly scored” (Penguin Guide)

Symphony No.2 ‘Motherland’, Op.39 [35:06]

[1] I. Andante con moto e molto espressivo 7:39

[2] II. Presto giocoso 7:12

[3] III. Largo 13:13

[4] IV. Presto 7:01

USSR Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Gennady Provotarov

Sound Engineer – D. Gaklin Recorded Moscow, May 1961

Symphony No.5 ‘Pastoral’, Op.77 [44:21]

[5] I. Pastorale – II. Storm 17:30

[6] III. Struggle – IV. Hopes – V. Pastorale 26:50

USSR State Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Gurgen Karapetyan

Sound Engineer –Severin Pazukhin

Recorded in Moscow 1963

Shostakovich Violin Concertos 1, 2 Suite from ‘Alone’

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:42 +0000

“Similar feelings (soaring spontaneity and deeply perceptive intelligence) attend his readings of the Shostakovich concertos – added to which is my growing certainty that this version of No.I (accompanied by the great Mravinsky) is his finest. … It was with Mravinsky and the Leningrad that Oistrakh (as dedicatee) gave the first performance … Oistrakh plays as impeccably as ever, and the Leningrad Philharmonic gives admirably vital support” (Op.126) “taken as a whole, this is a most rewarding work and gets a most eloquence performance from Oistrakh who plays with his familiar virtuosity and sweetness of tone.” (Gramophone)

Violin Concerto in A minor Op.99 [36:29]
[1] Nocturne: Moderato 11:52
[2] Scherzo: Allegro 6:18
[3] Passacaglia: Andante – Cadenza (attacca) – 13:30
[4] Burlesque: Allegro con brio – Presto 4:46
Violin Concerto No. 2 in C sharp minor Op.129 (1967) [29:45]
[5] Moderato 12:43
[6] Adagio 8:52
[7] Adagio-allegro 8:10
Suite from the Film “Alone” Op.26 [12:33]
[8] March 4:17
[9] Largo 2:14
[10] Allegretto 6:02

BALAKIREV Symphony 1; Symphonic Poems: Tamara, Russia

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:20 +0000

“These performances have passion and urgency … a natural feeling for idiomatic phrasing and rhythm … rarely if ever on disc has there been such a radiant account on disc of the lovely slow movement” (Penguin Guide) “….his masterpiece Tamara: this is a very good Tamara and every bit as colourful and mysterious” (Gramophone)

Symphony No.1 in C major
[1] Largo – Allegro vivo 11:42
[2] Scherzo: Vivo 6:53
[3] Andante 13:00
[4] Finale: Allegro moderato 8:32
Symphonic Poems:
[5] Russia 13:38
[6] Tamara 21:06