Customer Reviews

Borodin: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 3

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

 

 

These are performances wich I treasure since they were released as a 3 lp-box in the 70's. Tjeknavorian plays the music in a very sympathetic straightforward "classic" manner without the disturbing idiosyncraticies conductors like Gergiev (with Rotterdam Philharmonic) or Svetlanov (with USSR Symphony Orch.) like to bring in Borodin's music. The playing of the NPO is powerful and very disciplined. The recordings are of demonstration quality. It is a pity it is released as a single cd with just the symphonies. The original lp-release consisted also of the Polovetsian Dances, the Petit Suite, In the Steppes of Central Asia etc.
Still not to be missed!

Borodin was of the "Russian 5," and although he was a physician by profession, wrote some of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard. Rimsky-Korsakov was his dear friend, and contributed his expertise to these scores, since Borodin was primarily a pianist. This is one of the very few recordings available, and, fortunately, the performances are incredibly marvelous. Borodin passed away before he completed the Symphony No. 3, which is the reason that there are only 2 movements. If you're familiar with Prince Igor or the standard, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," this recording is a "must have." Turn up the volume and be mesmerized!

There is not a lot to be said about this CD accept that it is about time RCA put all three symphonies on a single CD.
These performances are taken from the deluxe three-record set that included all of Borodin's orchestral output. It was an excellent set at the time. Though, why RCA chose an unknown conductor conducting a studio/recording symphony orchestra for such a project is beyond me. Since they did, and since all that other music is out there, they could have packaged this as a budget two-CD set and include the rest (or most) of the performances that were on that three-record set.
As stated above, the interpretations are straight-forward presentations. Nothing particularly individual about them like one gets from Svetlanov. Fine, no-nonsense, performances. Just nothing that really jumps out and says buy me; other than the fact that you do get all three of Borodin's symphonies on one CD. That alone makes it a good value.