Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite

Aram Khachaturian (Composer), Neeme Järvi (Conductor), Scottish National Orchestra (Orchestra), Constantine Orbelian (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Constantine Orbelian
• Orchestra: Scottish National Orchestra
• Conductor: Neeme Järvi
• Composer: Aram Khachaturian
• Audio CD (September 30, 1992)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B000000AFY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,442 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful!, February 5, 2003

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite (Audio CD)

Many do not know Aram Khachaturian's moving, romantic music, but they would likely recognised the Sabre Dance, used everywhere commercials and cartoons or the Adagio used by Stanley Kubrick in 2001: A Space Odyssey. That frantic, almost comical Sabre Dance comes from the oh so romantic Gayne Ballet Suite along with the Adagio made famous when Kubrick chose it for his film.

But it's his Masquerade Suite I love the most. Khachaturian's music has a feel as if it should come from a contemporary of Saint Saens, instead of one living and composing in the 20th century (he died in 1978). I danced to this as a ballet dancer, and I don't know any music quite so filled my heart and soul.
Few composure can imbue their music with so much passion. The Masquerade Suites' Waltz, Romance and Nocturne are just breathtaking.

I had to hunt and hunt to find this on a record, so I so delighted to see it on CD!!

Just is nothing as beautiful! To think this same composure also gave us the Gayne Ballet and Spartacus is simply amazing.

So discover the beauty of Khachaturian!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best modern recording available, May 13, 2009

By 

Bloomzilla "theZoo" (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite (Audio CD)

The Orbelian/Jarvi is the best modern recording of the piano concerto bar none. Majestic and breath taking. Full of emotion and changing moods. Fair warning: Obelian playes heavy and Jarvi pulls all the stops. The result, however, is pure magic. Brilliant. If you want a lighter reading, try Serviarian-Kuhn. However, I find Serviarian's flat and lacking any emotion at all. I recommend Orbelian but music is a matter of personal preference so I encourage you to get both. You will find one of them to be a desert island CD!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Khachaturian Rules !!!, February 12, 2011

By 

Steven M. Beresford (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite (Audio CD)

The Khachaturian Piano Concerto is a blast. One of the finest pieces of 20th century music ever written and brilliantly performed by Orbelian. I loved this concerto the first time I heard it and it remains one of my favorites. This is Soviet-era music at its best. Khachaturian loved powerful rhythms and many sections are evocative of locomotives and heavy machinery. Although there is some mild dissonance in the music, it is pleasing and does not detract from the beauty in any way. The concerto is an emotionally charged work with a distinctive Armenian flavor and the second movement is pure poetry.

In the Gayaneh Ballet and Masquerade Suite, the Scottish National Orchestra pulls out all the stops and is obviously having a rollicking good time playing these terrific pieces. In addition to his love of rhythm, Khachaturian had a remarkable harmonic sense and these pieces are replete with beautiful melodies and lush orchestration. Highly recommended.