Lydia Mordkovitch performs a personal selection of violin and viola works, chosen for their idiom which combines brilliant violin technique and strong expressivity and the theme of Russia. This album has been generously supported by the Royal Academy of Music and is the first time Lydia has recorded a viola performance for Chandos.
Amongst the collected works is the premiere recording of Volkonsky’s Sonata for Viola and Piano and the only available recordings of Khandoshkin’s Sonata for Solo Violin and Prokofiev’s Five Pieces from Cinderella. This programme will appeal to collectors looking for rarer Russian composers, along with repertoire for which Lydia is recognised.
Ms Mordkovitch performs a Stradivari, Cremona 1699 “Kustendyke” and Landolfi, Milan 1760 Viola. She is accompanied by Nicholas Walker who here makes his debut on Chandos.
“Here is a fascinating programme of out-of-the-way Russian repertoire. …Lydia Mordkovitch's… is a passionate advocate for everything she plays, her accompanists are excellent, and no collector of Russian/Soviet music would want to miss the chance to encounter Volkonsky's Viola Sonata, or to thank her and Chandos for the opportunity.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2009
