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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Elisabeth Söderström: The Russian Songbook
Grechaninov: | The Lane – Five Children’s Songs, Op. 89 | Mussorgsky: | The Nursery | Prokofiev: | The Ugly Duckling, Op. 18 | Tchaikovsky: | The Cuckoo, Op. 54 No. 8 Evening, Op. 27, No. 4 The Nightingale Op. 60 No. 4 Last Night Op. 60 No. 1 None but the lonely heart, Op. 6 No. 6 Lullaby, Op. 16 No. 1 Otchevo? (Why?), Op. 6 No. 5 Strashnaya minuta (The Fearful Moment), Op. 28 No. 6 Den' li tsarit? (Does the day reign?), Op. 47 No. 6 Spring, Op 54 No. 9 Simple Words, Op. 60, No. 5 Mezza notte Sérénade, Op. 65 No. 1 Déception, Op. 65 No. 2 Qu'importe que l'hiver, Op. 65 No. 4 Les Larmes, Op. 65 No. 5 Zakatilos solntse (The sun has set), Op. 73 No. 4 Kak nad goratcheïou zoloï, Op. 25 No. 2 Moy geni, moy angel, moy drug (My genius, my angel, my friend) Pesn' Zemfiri (Zemfira's song) Do not believe, my friend Op. 6 No. 1 Zabït tak skoro (So soon forgotten) Oh! Chante Encore!, Op.16 No.4 Spirit my heart away Why did I dream of you?, Op. 28 No. 3 To bilo ranneyu vesnoy (It happened in the early spring), Op. 38 No. 2 Sred' shumnogo bala (Amid the din of the ball), Op. 38 No. 3 If only I had known, Op.47, No.1 Was I not a blade of grass?, Op. 47 No. 7 My little garden, Op. 54 No. 4 Do not ask, Op. 57 No. 3 This, our first reunion, Op. 63 No. 4 O ditya, pod okoshkom tvoim (Serenade), Op. 63 No. 6 Rondel, Op. 65 No. 6 We sat with you, Op. 73 No. 1 Behind the window, Op 60 No. 10 |
Elisabeth Söderström was a born storyteller. She told stories not just in music, but also peppered her recitals on stage with tales and anecdotes. It made her a perfect interpreter for the collection of children’s songs by Mussorgsky, Prokofiev and Gretchaninov she recorded with Vladimir Ashkenazy in 1977–78 which appear on CD2 of this set, the first (LP) issue greeted with enthusiasm by Gramophone reviewer W.S.M. with the words ‘the best record of song to appear in 1979’. It later went on to win the 1979 Gramophone’s Solo Vocal Award. But there was more: a selection of Tchaikovsky songs over two LPs; a substantial survey of the Rachmaninov songs (‘one of the gramophone’s crown jewels’ wrote John Steane in Gramophone) as well as the complete Sibelius songs. Born in Stockholm on 7 May 1927 to a Russian mother and Swedish father, Söderström she was a talented recitalist, as much in demand in the concert hall as she was in the opera theatre. From 1991–96 she also directed the Drottingholm Festival Opera with much success. The two LPs of Tchaikovsky songs were issued in part by Decca on CD and this is their first complete release in this format. Overshadowed by his orchestral works, they are nonetheless absolute gems, with their piano parts of almost orchestral scope. Ashkenazy’s is, too, the disembodied voice that speaks a few of Pushkin’s lines in the early setting of Zemfira's song. ‘Söderström came to be known internationally in the late 1950s,’ wrote John Steane, ‘and over the next three decades, on until her retirement from singing in the early 1990s she never “blotted her copybook”. She neither sought nor won cheap success.’ Söderström passed away in Stockholm on 20 November 2009, aged 82, from complications from a stroke. This release marks the launch of an Eloquence series of notable recitals of songs and opera arias by some of the great voices of Decca and Deutsche Grammophon. “The Maikov Lullaby is enchantingly done, especially with the gentle wash of piano tone in the background from Ashkenazy … a delightful, excellently recorded recital of some songs which we know too little … Tchaikovsky wrote some exquisite songs; and it is splendid to have them being explored so skilfully, intelligently and sensitively” Gramophone Magazine (Tchaikovsky Songs) “brilliant … endearing … musicianly” Gramophone Magazine (Songs for Children) | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Russian Songs & Romances
Borodin: | Chto ti rano, zoren'ka (Why Art Thou So Early, Dawn?) Spyashchaya knyazhna (The Sleeping Princess) Pesnya tyomnogo lesa (Song of the Dark Forest) Morskaya tsaryevna (The Princess Of the Sea) Dlya beregov otchizni dal'noy (For the Shores of thy Far Native Land) | Dargomïzhsky: | The Sierra Nevada was Swathed in Mists The Night Zephyr Prayer What is My Name to You? Heavenly Clouds Yunosha I deva (A girl and a boy) You did not come true! In the Expanse of the Heavens I am sad ... | Glinka: | Adel’ Cradle Song Finskiy zaliv (The Gulf of Finland) Tyashka pechal'i grusten svet (Meine Ruh' ist hin; Marguerite's song from Faust) Barcarolle Tell me Why Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne (Do not sing to me, fair maiden) I am here, Inezilla | Mussorgsky: | Kalistratushka Videniye (The Vision) Forgotten Softly the spirit flew up to heaven Chto vam slova lyubvi? Po gribï | Tchaikovsky: | Noch' (Night), Op. 60 No. 9 Skazhi, o chom v teni vetvey (Tell me, what in the shade of the branches), Op. 57 No. 1 Lullaby in a storm, Op. 54 No. 10 None but the lonely heart, Op. 6 No. 6 Zabït tak skoro (So soon forgotten) He loved me so, Op. 28, No. 4 Ni slova, o drug moy (Not a word, O my friend), Op. 6 No. 2 Nochy bezumnïye, Op. 60 No. 6 Zakatilos solntse (The sun has set), Op. 73 No. 4 Primiren'ye (Reconciliation), Op. 25 No. 1 Sérénade, Op. 65 No. 1 Do not ask, Op. 57 No. 3 Sred' shumnogo bala (Amid the din of the ball), Op. 38 No. 3 Den' li tsarit? (Does the day reign?), Op. 47 No. 6 |
“A marvellously rich programme recorded by Russian music's exiled royal couple. Vishnevskaya's voice is still forceful but often squally in this 1991 recording; but their intense feeling for these classic 19th-century songs is unique and moving.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2009 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: Romances
Tchaikovsky: | Sred' shumnogo bala (Amid the din of the ball), Op. 38 No. 3 The mild stars shone for us, Op. 60 No. 12 Merknet slaby svet svechi, Op. 73 No. 2 My mischief, Op. 27, No. 6 Strashnaya minuta (The Fearful Moment), Op. 28 No. 6 Serenada Don-Zhuana (Don Juan's Serenade), Op. 38 No. 1 Les Larmes, Op. 65 No. 5 Wait, Op. 16 No. 2 None but the lonely heart, Op. 6 No. 6 Had my mother borne me, Op. 27, No. 5 Déception, Op. 65 No. 2 Podvig (The Heroic Deed), Op. 60 No. 11 Zakatilos solntse (The sun has set), Op. 73 No. 4 Lullaby in a storm, Op. 54 No. 10 Sérénade, Op. 65 No. 1 The Nightingale Op. 60 No. 4 The gypsy song, Op. 60, No. 7 Skazhi, o chom v teni vetvey (Tell me, what in the shade of the branches), Op. 57 No. 1 We sat with you, Op. 73 No. 1 To bilo ranneyu vesnoy (It happened in the early spring), Op. 38 No. 2 Blagoslavlyayu vas, lesa (I Bless you, Forests), Op. 47 No. 5 Charmer, Op. 65 No. 6 Na nivi zhyoltiye (On the golden cornfields), Op. 57 No.2 So bald vergessen, Op. 28, No. 4 The lights were being dimmed, Op. 63, No. 5 Rastvoril ya okno (I opened the window), Op. 63 No. 2 Sred mrachnïkh dnei, Op. 73, No. 5 Zabït tak skoro (So soon forgotten) Sleep, my poor friend, Op.47, No. 4 Qu'importe que l'hiver, Op. 65 No. 4 Solitude ('Again, as before, alone'), Op. 73 No. 6 Was I not a blade of grass?, Op. 47 No. 7 A tear trembles, Op. 6 No. 4 Khotel bi v edinoye slovo (I should like in a single word) Sérénade: J'aime dans le rayon de la limpide aurore, Op. 65 No. 3 Why did I dream of you?, Op. 28 No. 3 Primiren'ye (Reconciliation), Op. 25 No. 1 Hear at least once, Op. 16, No. 3 Den' li tsarit? (Does the day reign?), Op. 47 No. 6 |
Tchaikovsky wrote over 100 romances, settings of short poems, which are touching and sincere. The melodies are diverse and original and the accompaniment is rich and often very independent. These compositions are performed here by some outstanding Russian vocalists. As well as those listed above, the recording includes performances by the tenor Lemshev. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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