Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, ‘Moscow’ Cantata, Marche Slave (2009) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, ‘Moscow’ Cantata, Marche Slave (2009)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:04:17 minutes | 1,16 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Mariinsky

Unlike the majority of his Russian predecessors, Tchaikovsky’s fame meant he received regular commissions for new work—he was the first ‘professional’ Russian composer. A new generation followed in his footsteps including Stravinsky and Prokofiev; for them, commissions were the norm.

Many of the works for which Tchaikovsky was commissioned were required to celebrate great state and political events. The Danish Overture was written to mark the marriage of the future Tsar Alexander III to the Danish Princess Dagmar. He was later commissioned to to produce the rarely-heard Moscow Cantata and Coronation March as part of the celebrations to mark Alexander’s coronation.

Tchaikovsky is most evidently (and gloriously) Tchaikovsky in the Moscow Cantata. A vintage melody turns the first page of Russian history, illuminating it in that inimitable Tchaikovsky way. The baritone monologue in praise of Moscow culminates in a marvellously stirring idea and in the second mezzo-soprano arioso honouring the women of Russian we find a heroine worthy of any Tchaikovsky opera. No doubt about it, Tchaikovsky had a gift for personalising even his most official duties, The dutiful was not really in his vocabulary. –Gramophone

Tracklist:
01. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – 1812 Festival Overture, Op. 49 (14:36)
02. Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – I. Introduction and Chorus (05:09)
03. Lyubov Sokolova, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – II. Arioso (02:36)
04. Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – III. Chorus (01:43)
05. Alexei Markov, Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – IV. Monologue and Chorus (05:03)
06. Lyubov Sokolova, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – V. Arioso (03:34)
07. Lyubov Sokolova, Alexei Markov, Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev – ‘Moscow’ Cantata – VI. Finale (05:15)
08. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Slavonic March (Marche Slave), Op. 31 (10:12)
09. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Festival Coronation March (05:02)
10. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Festival Overture on the Danish National Anthem, Op. 15 (11:04)

Personnel:
Lyubov Sokolova mezzo-soprano
Alexey Markov baritone
Mariinsky Orchestra, Soloists & Chorus
Valery Gergiev conductor

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