Mariinsky Orchestra

Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Symphony No. 5 (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · April 2, 2024 · Comments off

Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev - Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Symphony No. 5 (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download

Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Symphony No. 5 (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:37 minutes | 1,22 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Mariinsky

The Mariinsky label presents Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 3 and Symphony No 5, two of the composer’s most popular works. Denis Matsuev features as soloist, in this his fourth recording on the label. Since winning the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998, Matsuev has established a reputation as one of Russia’s leading pianists, renowned for his interpretations of Russian music. His recordings of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 3 and Paganini Variations, Shostakovich’s Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 and Tchaikovsky’s first two piano concertos have all received widespread acclaim.

Written in 1944, at the height of World War II, the fifth symphony was intended as “a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit.” The symphony’s character was inevitably determined by the time and circumstances of its composition. It would be a patriotic work; big, heroic and ultimately optimistic, a symphony of mass appeal. ‘I thought of it as a work glorifying the human spirit,’ wrote the composer.

Prokofiev wrote five piano concertos, but it is his third that has garnered the most popularity and critical acclaim. It remains one of Prokofiev’s most popular pieces and the qualities of clarity and vitality that appealed to the work’s original audiences become apparent almost immediately as the work begins.
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Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, ‘Moscow’ Cantata, Marche Slave (2009) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · October 18, 2023 · Comments off

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.

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Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker & Symphony No. 4 (2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · October 16, 2023 · Comments off

On the 18th December, 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, The Nutcracker was first introduced to the world. Now, almost 125 years since that opening night and from the very same hall, the Mariinsky’s current Artistic Director, Valery Gergiev, reveals a perfectly judged interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s ballet masterpiece.

Tchaikovsky was a pioneer, his music a new style that combined developments of the Western European musical tradition while remaining distinctively Russian. From an early age he had relished stage works involving magic or fantasy such as Weber’s Der Freischütz and Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and after seeing Adolphe Adam’s Giselle he became a ballet devotee.

Based upon E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale of a young girl’s magical Christmas Eve, as a whole The Nutcracker was poorly received at first. But Tchaikovsky’s spellbinding score proved simply too good to lose and The Nutcracker has become an essential part of festive celebrations the world over. Adored for pieces like The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Waltz of the Flowers, it contains some of Tchaikovsky’s most popular work and is perhaps the most famous ballet music ever written.

Closing the album is Tchaikovsky’s powerfully emotional Fourth Symphony. As the composer wrote, it is ‘patterned after Beethoven’s Fifth’ and is well known for its theme of ‘fate’, announced by the ominous recurring fanfare that holds the unique symphonic form together.

Tempering the sweetness of The Nutcracker, this coupling displays two very different sides of Tchaikovsky’s music, illustrating him as a complex man who battled to balance inner turmoils as well as utmost joys. Perhaps summed up by the final line of his famous programme note: ‘Reproach yourself and do not say that all the world is sad. Simple but strong joys do exist. Rejoice in other’s rejoicing. To live is still bearable.’

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Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 (2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · October 14, 2023 · Comments off

Since winning the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998, Denis Matsuev has established a reputation as one of Russia’s leading pianists. His début release on the Mariinsky label featuring Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 3 and Paganini Variations, received widespread acclaim. His second Mariinsky release featured piano concerts by Shostakovich and Shchedrin, which was awarded Clef du Mois by ResMusica and ***** by Audiophile Audition. For his third release, Matsuev turns to the music of Tchaikovsky, with the two Piano Concertos. His first Piano Concerto is one of his most popular works: Tchaikovsky balances core motivic elements with a sense of lyrical spontaneity to create a technically challenging but instantly appealing work.

The Piano Concerto No.2 was dedicated to pianist Nikolai Rubinstein, with whom the composer had a close working relationship. Tchaikovsky wrote, “I want to dedicate it to N. G. Rubinstein in recognition of his magnificent playing of my First Concerto and of my Sonata, which left me in utter rapture after he performed it for me in Moscow.” After a tremendous piano cadenza in the first movement, Tchaikovsky allows other instruments to shine, with prominent solos for violin and cello in the second movement.

Other Tchaikovsky recordings on the Mariinsky label include a DVD/Bluray release of his last three symphonies, and 2011 Tchaikovsky Competition winner Daniil Trifonov’s interpretation of the first Piano Concerto on SACD.

In March and April Denis Matsuev joins the London Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev for a European tour, with concerts in London, Paris and Turin.

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Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra – Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15 (2009) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · September 6, 2023 · Comments off

Over 45 years separate the composition of Shostakovich’s first and final symphonies and yet both exude the same creativity and dark wit for which the great composer came to be known.
The First Symphony owes much to the influence of the composer’s Russian predecessors including Tchaikovsky and Scriabin. However, it also reflects contemporary artistic life and the optimism of the early years in the Soviet Union. By contrast the final symphony is a much more bitter work, which draws on many of the themes that recur throughout Shostakovich’s career, yet never resorts to melodrama.

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Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Mariinsky Chorus – Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 11 (2010) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · September 5, 2023 · Comments off

Shostakovich’s Second and Eleventh Symphonies are both inspired by Russian revolutions. The Eleventh Symphony, “The Year 1905”, marks the bloody revolution of its namesake year. It is an astonishingly atmospheric symphony, of cinematic breadth, especially the second movement which depicts the Bloody Sunday massacre in St Petersburg.

Symphony No 2 was written to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution. Though it is a much shorter work than the Eleventh, clocking in at less than 20 minutes, it is by no means any less dramatic. Although dismissed as an experiment by the composer later in his career, it remains an important step in the development of one of history’s greatest symphonists. Here Valery Gergiev, along with the Mariinsky Orchestra and Chorus, delivers definitive performances of both works.

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Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 ‘Leningrad’ (2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · September 3, 2023 · Comments off

Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 ‘Leningrad’ (2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:22:21 minutes | 1,36 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Mariinsky

Valery Gergiev continues his Shostakovich symphony cycle with an emotionally-charged performance of the Seventh Symphony. Shostakovich dedicated his Symphony No 7 to the defiance shown by the citizens of Leningrad in the face of Nazi totalitarianism. Despite the widespread reassessment that has since taken place regarding the inspirations for his symphonies, the ‘Leningrad’ symphony remains a highly-potent symbol for the residents of modern-day St Petersburg.

Previous releases in Gergiev’s Shostakovich cycle have included Symphonies Nos 1 & 15, 2 & 11 and 3 & 10. Between them they have received two Grammy Award nominations, as well as Chocs from Classica (France) and Editor’s Choices from Gramophone.

Gergiev will conduct Shostakovich symphonies with the Rotterdam Philharmonic in December, and complete the Brahms & Szymanowsky cycles with the LSO in London. In January the Mariinsky orchestra will perform a number of Shostakovich symphonies with Gergiev in France and in February they return to Russia for performances of Shchedrin’s ‘Dead Souls’ and Strauss’ ‘Elektra’.

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Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra – Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 10 (2011) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · September 2, 2023 · Comments off

The Third Symphony was first performed in January 1930, its final movement setting a text by Semyon Isaakovich Kirsanov praising May Day and the revolution. Shostakovich stated that the work “expresses the spirit of peaceful reconstruction” and yet much of the music is dark and sombre in tone.

The Tenth Symphony is one of his most popular and frequently heard works. It was first performed in December 1953 following Stalin’s death earlier that year, although Shostakovich had been working on much of the material incorporated in the symphony for many years. The great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya claimed that the symphony was “a composer’s testament of misery, forever damning a tyrant”.

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Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Shchedrin – Piano Concertos & Capriccio (2015) DSF DSD64

SACD / DSD By admin · August 25, 2023 · Comments off

Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Shchedrin – Piano Concertos & Capriccio (2015)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 01:06:19 minutes | 2,62 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: nativeDSDmusic | Digital Booklet | © LSO

Denis Matsuev showcases works for piano and orchestra by three of Russia’s greatest composers. Renowned for interpretations of music from his homeland, and affectionately known as ‘the Siberian Bear with the fastest paws in the Arctic’, Matsuev’s previous releases on the Mariinsky Label, including Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3 and Rhapsody on a Theme of Pagnini, have received widespread acclaim.

Piano Concerto No 1 was written whilst Rachmaninov was still a teenager and though relatively playful in comparison to his other piano concertos, its three movements are full of the showmanship, beautiful melodies and lush orchestral accompaniment that were to characterise his music in the years to come. A similarly playful tone can be found in the revised 1949 edition of Stravinsky’s Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra, which premiered in 1949 with the composer at the piano. Written as a virtuosic vehicle for Stravinsky himself, the piece is characterised by a dancing piano part, full of leaps and bounding with energy. Completing this release is Shchedrin’s Piano Concerto No 2, recorded in the presence of the composer, which influenced by twelve-tone techniques and jazz. Virtuosic writing is a feature throughout, and the final movement sees the surprise introduction of a jazz ensemble, including vibraphone and drum kit.

Speaking about this release, Denis Matsuev says ‘ we wanted to show Great Russian composers from different periods.’ Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto is one of my favourites. It was written whilst he studied at the Moscow Conservatory and despite his young age he managed to reveal himself as a great artist. Capriccio is a brilliant work with a wonderful sense of humour. It is also very cinematic; one can envisage this music whilst listening to it and we tried to communicate all of these features to the audience. Shchedrin is a very special composer in the Russian tradition. He takes an active part in rehearsals; we have an opportunity to talk to him, to exchange ideas and listen to his advice. It is a priceless experience.’

This release is dedicated to the memory of Maya Plisetskaya (1925–2015), wife of Rodion Shchedrin and dedicatee of his Piano Concerto No 2, who passed away shortly after the making of this recording.

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Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Massenet: Don Quichotte (2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · June 26, 2023 · Comments off

Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is one of the most sought-after interpreters of French, Italian and Russian repertoire. Here he joins Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky orchestra for a sumptuous recording of Massenet’s final great opera. Gergiev is no stranger to conducting Massenet, having recorded an outstanding performance of ‘Hérodiade’ in 1995 with Renée Fleming and Placido Domingo.

‘Don Quichotte’, Massenet’s comédie-héroïque, is a tale of heroism, adventure and unrequited love. The plot relates only indirectly to the great novel by Miguel de Cervantes and more likely refers to the play Le chevalier de la longue figure, by the poet Jacques Le Lorrain. Massenet, nearing the end of his career, probably identified with the character of Don Quichotte, and fell in love with the mezzo-soprano Lucy Arbell, who played Dulcinée in the first performance of the work.

Praised for his vast range, thundering vocal power, and exceptional acting ability, Ferruccio Furlanetto has performed at the world’s leading opera houses, including La Scala, the Royal Opera House, the New York Metropolitan Opera and the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. His 2011-12 season is dominated by performances of ‘Boris Godunov’ with the Chicago Lyric Opera, Vienna Staatsoper and the Teatro Massimo (Palermo). Furlanetto will also sing Méphistophélès in Gounod’s ‘Faust’, Don Basilio in ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ and Silva in ‘Ernani’ at the Met.

Mezzo-soprano Anna Kiknadze is a principal soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. Highlights of her early career include being a finalist at the 2001 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, 2002 Placido Domingo Operalia Competition in Paris and the International Rimsky-Korsakov Competition in St. Petersburg.

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Mariinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev – Russian Classics Vol. 2 (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · June 21, 2023 · Comments off

The second volume in a series of compilations exploring the jewels of Russian classical music as performed by the country’s greatest musical institution. Russian Classics Vol. 2 includes some of the most recognisable and well-loved pieces that Russian music has to offer, including Tchaikovsky’s delicate Waltz of the Flowers, the brooding opening to Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony and the Great Gate of Kiev from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

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Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Massenet: Don Quichotte (2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · February 15, 2023 · Comments off

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Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 3 & Symphony No 5 (2014) MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

SACD / DSD By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev – Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 3 & Symphony No 5 (2014)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 70:38 minutes | Front + Digital Booklet | 3,92 GB
or DSD64 2.0 Stereo (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front + Digital Booklet | 2,78 GB
or FLAC Stereo (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96kHz | Front + Digital Booklet | 1,42 GB
Features Stereo and Multichannel Surround Sound | Label: Mariinsky # MAR0549

The Mariinsky label presents the recording of two of Sergei Prokofiev’s most popular works, Piano Concerto No 3 and Symphony No 5. Denis Matsuev features as soloist, in this his fourth recording on the Mariinsky label. Since winning the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998 Matsuev has established a reputation as one of Russia’s leading pianists and is renowned for his interpretations of Russian music.

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Denis Matsuev, Valery Gergiev & Mariinsky Orchestra – Shostakovich & Shchedrin: Piano Concertos (2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

The Mariinsky label was launched in May 2009 with a ground-breaking recording of Shostakovich’s early opera The Nose, which received much praise and many awards. Gergiev continues to work his way through the Shostakovich oeuvre with the Mariinsky and here adds the two piano concertos, plus the fifth piano concerto by the popular Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin.

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Valery Gergiev & Mariinsky Orchestra – Richard Wagner: Die Walkure (2013) MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

SACD / DSD By admin · October 6, 2022 · Comments off

The highly anticipated first release from the most finely crafted Ring cycle of modern times, Die Walküre features a sensational cast of Anja Kampe, Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape, Nina Stemme, Mikhail Petrenko and Ekaterina Gubanova.

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