Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2 I grew up playing band arrangements of Shostakovich’s symphonic music. They were some of the more challenging works we took on as students, and Shostakovich wrote interesting horn parts. So I developed an early interest in his music. I still … Read more
Pavel Chesnokov: Spaseniye Sodelal If you’re looking for Russian choral music, there are lots of places you might go before checking out boys choirs in Atlanta. I went to all those other places (well, many of them). But I settled on this performance by the … Read more
Smithsonian Journeys: Waterways of Russia Resources for Further Study The most wonderful source of Russian Orthodox music (CDs and music itself) is here, in the US. It was created by a scholar named Dr. Vladimir Morosan who, even as a graduate student, was determined to … Read more
Igor Stravinsky’s fairy-tale ballet The Firebird is filled with magical themes, opulent color, and provocative special effects. This program tells the story of Firebird and the Ballets russes, the brilliant theatrical company headed by Sergei Diaghilev that created and staged the work in Paris in 1910. The … Read more
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What’s this program about? Russian music has tremendous audience appeal. Its sources are the very cornerstones of Old Russian Culture: the Orthodox Church, Russian history, Russian fairy tales and folklore, and Russia’s position between West and East.Liturgical chants and bells reverberate in the music of … Read more
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What’s this program about? Tchaikovsky’s music holds a sacred place in Russian culture. Dmitri Shostakovich said, “Without Tchaikovsky we could not endure our sorrows.” Professor Carol examines his Fifth Symphony and considers his life, his personal struggles, and his professional successes. Works Discussed: Tchaikovsky Symphony … Read more
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