Customer Reviews

Borodin: Symphonies Nos. 1 - 3 / Overture & Polovtsian Dances / In the Steppes of Central Asia

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This CD has all of the great Borodin works, and unless you're really into Borodin, this should be the only CD you should have to buy. The Polovtsian dances was done how it should be. Of course then again would the New York Philharmoninc disappoint you? Steppes in Central Asia was so peacful and lovely, done ow it should be too. The Third Symphony, which I had never heard before, was surprisingly good! The First Symphony obviously wasn't completely Borodin's own; and after reading the booklet, I found this was true. Second Symphony was typical. I liked it and thought it was also a good recording. What's more...the CD is cheap...I mean 2 CDs! What's there not to like! Like most CDs, it's not perfect but it's pretty darn close.

Of the all the great Russian musicians, Alexander Borodin is probably one of the least well known. Composing at the end of the 19th century, his name is not as well known as Tchaikovsky, Rubenstein, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, and Glazunov; maybe due to his lack of ballets or not having been the head of a major music school. Yet his music is every bit as melodic and beautiful. This multi-CD set contains possibly the best music composed by this genuis. COntaining all three of his symphonies, along with his Steppes in Central Asia and several other works, the music is very melodic, dramatic, evocative and rhythmic. Following in the footsteps of the great Russian Romanticism, this is some of the best classical music out there. The orchestration on these CD's are also wonderful, and the sound quality is flawless. I highly recommend this set to any classical music fan.