Customer Reviews

Alla Pavlova: Sulamith (Ballet Suite): Monolog; Old New York Nostalgia (Suite)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I became familiar with the music of composer Alla Pavlova just this fall, by way of the naxos recordings of her work. I tell you her music is really great. I can say so far that she is one of the greatest Russian composers of the early 21st century. Her music is in the romantic vein.
The monolog for violin and orchestra opens very slow in a contemplative and nostalgic mood that is carried in the entire work. In the monolog Pavlova does displays something that Russians composers are very well know to do really good, since the days of Glinka, set the mood for a slow
nostalgic movement. Some of the greatest adagios and slow movements in the history of music are from Russia. Violinist Yaroslav Krasnikov does a wonderful job on this work as he does in "Old New York Nostalgia" like the Monolog, "Old New York Nostalgia" opens on a slow contemplative note on the violin that is later taken by the solo trumpet of Gregory Pleskatch. Unlike the monolog, "Old New York Nostalgia" is in six movements.The second movement is called "Lazy Morning" in which one can
hear a rhythm section in the orchestra, also a slow movement but like the first one very interesting. The third movement of the work is "The Old New York Nostalgia" which opens with a trumpet statement and is soon answered by saxophones. The Lullaby of the twins is the composer's tribute to the victims of 9/11. The Broadway's Song can explain itself.
"Ferry to my Dream" is also a slow movement. Also in this recording is the Ballet Suite Sulamith, after a story by Alexander Kuprin. This recording is a great intro to the work of Pavlova, as any other of the naxos recording would be. The Moscow Philharmonic under Rossen Milanov did a terrific job.