“I have spoken Russian all my life. I think in Russian, my way of expressing myself is Russian. Perhaps this is not immediately apparent in my music, but it is latent there, a part of its hidden nature.” —Igor Stravinsky, Russian born, naturalized French, and then American, spoke these words in a emotionalvisit to his
homeland after an almost fifty-year absence. 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Lenin’s return to Russia, arriving at the Finland Station in St. Petersburg, and changing the course of history. For the next two weeks, we will follow the lives of some of our favorite Russian musicians, and how the revolution changed them and their music. Starting a decade before the Revolution, we will then spend a little time on the period 1918 to 1924, Lenin’s reign, featuring all sorts of avant-garde composers and poets and playwrights, and then plunge on into the era of Stalin, with the music of Shostakovich and many others. We will pay attention to Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, which featured Rimsky-Korakov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninov among others. The latter three remained in the West after the revolution, and Prokofiev
returned to the USSR in the Thirties. Hop on this train!
To the Finland Station, Part I
Playlist
Episode 1
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Aleko
Introduction; Intermezzo; Men’s Dance
USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov, conductor
Melodiya 10-00144
11:14
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30
1. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Rachmaninoff, piano
Recorded in 1939
RCA 61658
13:57
Sergei Rachmaninoff: The Bells (Kolokola) Op.35
I. Allegro ma non tanto (‘The Silver Sleigh Bells’)
III. Presto (‘The Loud Alarum Bells’)
Rundfunkchor Berlin, Berlin Philharmonic/Sir Simon Rattle
Warner 84519
14:10
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Vespers, Op. 37:
I. Come, let us worship; XV. O queen victorious
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir/Paul Hillier conductor
HMU 907384
4:23
Rachmaninoff: Etudes-Tableaux Op. 39, No. 3, F# minor
Allegro Molto
Alexander Romanovsky, piano
London 4763334
2:51
Episode 2
Igor Stravinsky: Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat, Op. 1
II. Scherzo. Allegretto
London Symphony Orchestra/Dorati, conductor
London 414456
1:00 (Excerpt)
Stravinsky: Fireworks, Op. 4
Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Stravinsky, conductor
CBS 42432
3:38
Stravinsky: Firebird
“Infernal Dance of King Kashchei,” “Berceuse,” “Finale”
Minnesota Orchestra/Eiji Oue, conductor
RR 70
11:02
Stravinsky: Petrouchka
IV. Fourth Tableau: The Shrovetide Fair
Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky, conductor
CBS 42433
13:04
Stravinsky: Le Sacre Du Printemps – Part 1
“The Adoration Of The Earth,” “Introduction,” “Dances of the Young Girls,”
“Mock Abduction,” “Round Dance”
Cleveland Orchestra/Pierre Boulez, conductor
DG 435769
11:26
Stravinsky: Le Sacre Du Printemps – Part 2
“The Sacrifice,” “Summoning Of The Ancients,”
“Le Ritual of The Ancients,” “Sacrificial Dance”
Cleveland Orchestra/Pierre Boulez, conductor
DG 435769
7:15
Episode 3
Prokofiev: Juvenilia
II. Allegretto In A Minor
Frederic Chiu, piano
Prokofiev: Complete Works For Solo Piano
HMU 907169
1:22
Prokofiev: 4 Pieces For Piano, Op. 4
“Suggestion Diabolique”
Frederic Chiu, piano
HMU 907169
2:31
Prokofiev: Toccata in D Minor, Op. 11
Frederic Chiu, piano
HMU 907169
4:09
Sergey Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Flat, Op.10:
I. Allegro brioso, III. Allegro scherzando
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal/Charles Dutoit, conductor
Martha Argerich, piano
EMI 56654
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20 –
“Night,” “The Adoration Of Veless & Ala,”
“The Enemy God,” “Dance of The Spirits of Darkness”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Abaddo, conductor
DG 447 419
15:00
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No.1
I. Allegro; II. Larghetto
III. Non Troppo Allegro; IV. Allegro Molto Vivace
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Hugh Wolff, conductor
Teldec 77309
13:22
Episode 4
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35
IV. “Festival At Baghdad,” “The Sea,” “Shipwreck”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Fritz Reiner, conductor
RCA 68168
11:45
Anatoly Liadov: The Enchanted Lake, Op. 62
Russian National Orchestra/Mikhail Pletnev, conductor
DG 447084
7:04
Anatoly Liadov: Baba-Yaga, Op. 56
Russian National Orchestra/Mikhail Pletnev, conductor
DG 447084
3:35
Alexander Scriabin: Etude, Op. 65/3
Sviatoslav Richter, piano
Recorded in 1951
Melodiya 74312 29470
1:31
Alexander Scriabin: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 29
IV. Tempestoso; V. Maestoso
London Symphony Orchestra/Valery Gergiev , conductor
LSO 00770
13:23
Alexander Glazunov: Concerto for Violin, Op.82, in A moll
I.Moderato; IV. Allegro
London Philharmonic Orchestra/John Barbirolli
Jascha Heifetz, violin
RCA 61733-2
10:06
C. Taylor/J. Ragovoy: Romance of a Young Gypsy
Nicolai Gedda, tenor
Melodiya 244
1:42
Episode 5
Pierre De Geyter/Eugène Pottier: Internationale
USSR Radio Choir and Orchestra, State Academic Russian Choir
Itunes
00:43 (excerpt)
Mosolov: Iron Foundry
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly, conductor
London 436640
3:35
Alexander Mosolov: Turkmenian Nights
III. Allegro
Olga Andryushchenko, piano
Grand Piano (Barnes and Noble)
2:18
Theremin: playing his own composition
Leon Theremin
Youtube
1:33
Shostakovich: “Odna” (Alone), Op.26 –
Music from the film – Storm Scene: Storm Breaks
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Riccardo Chailly, conductor
London 460792
1:00
Miklós Rózsa: Spellbound
“Gambling Dream”
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Allan Wilson, conductor
Intrada Excalibur Collection
2:39
Samuil Feinberg: Piano Sonata No. 12, Op. 48
III. Epilogue. Tempo
Christophe Sirodeau, piano
Bis 1414
2:44
Arseny Avraamov: The Workers’ Funeral March
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra/N. Malko
Itunes
4:17
Dimitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1
1. Allegretto; 2. Allegro; 3. Lento, Largo
Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra/Valery Gergiev
MARO502
22:03
Vincent Youmans/Shostakovich: “Tahiti Trot” (Tea For Two)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly
London 433702
2:46