Rimsky Korsakov: Snow Maiden Suite

“Kees Bakels… secures phenomenally crisp ensemble from this orchestra of international players than he founded as recently as 1998. It is good to be reminded of the extraordinary brilliance of Rimsky's orchestrating, here wonderfully clarified thanks to the playing; it's never studied or lacking in thrust.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2006

“The Tsar Saltan suite shows Ansermet and the Decca engineers in glittering form... The Christmas Eve suite is played with much affection and that mixture of spontaneity and remarkably graphic orchestral palette which made Ansermet's performances special... The sound [in The Snow Maiden] is remarkably warm and richly coloured” Penguin Guide

“the orchestral suites that Rimsky-Korsakov often extracted from his stage works often convey their textures and particular dramatic flavours very vividly...all the performances, including those of the less well-known extracts...have real energy and a touch of the necessary theatricality too.” The Guardian, 15th December 2011 ***

“The Seattle players are excellent, with a confident horn section that has plenty to rejoice in...the excerpts [from The Golden Cockerel] are more substantial, and are not only vividly presented but well-shaped. The pieces are enjoyable as lollipops; perhaps they will also encourage listeners to explore Rimsky-Korsakov's operatic legacy more fully.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2012

“it's not so much the marine atmosphere [in Sadko] or, indeed, the mood-conscious introductions to the three other works which are impressive but the way the conductor gets his Seattle players to dance...The Seattle woodwind burst with character, and there's some hair-raising trombone playing as the surreal drama of Rimsky-Korsakov's slightly scary swansong builds up a head of steam.” BBC Music Magazine, February 2012 ****

“This is exquisitely crafted, Fabergé-egg music, and Schwarz’s Seattle players revel in the exotic harmonies and orchestration.” Sunday Times, 29th January 2012

“[the disc] gives the impression of a conductor who is fully in sympathy with the music and who brings out the best, both in the works performed, and from this really rather good orchestra...Clowns is taken at a sensible tempo - not ‘hyped up’ to make it sensationalist as is so often the case. It nevertheless retains a wonderful sense of exuberance and energy.” MusicWeb International, August 2012

“...richly played and caught with a vividness arresting even for SACD...Pletnev gives [the Mlada excerpt] immense scale” BBC Music Magazine, July 2010 *****

“Pletnev and his virtuoso orchestra make a charming sound picture of the Dance of the Birds, woodwind all a-twitter, and leap with plenty of vigour into the single most popular item, the Dance of the Clowns, or Skomorokhi...the death and transfiguration of the Princess Fevronia...is evocatively played.” Gramophone Magazine, August 2010

“Neeme Jarvi draws the most seductive response from the SNO; he consistently creates orchestral textures which are diaphanously sinuous. Yet the robust moments…are caught just as strikingly and the listener is assured that here is music which survives repetition uncommonly well.”(Penguin Complete Guide)

“Donald Johanos.... revels in all this.” CD Review