Tchaikovsky-1812 Overture (White Nights - Romantic Russian Showpieces) [Import]

Alexander Borodin: Prince Igor (Artist), Mikhail Glinka: Russlan and Ludmilla (Artist), Aram Khachaturian: Gayanch / Spartacus (Artist), Anatol Lyadov: Baba-Yaga / Kikimora (Artist), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture (Artist), Conductor Valery Gergiev (Artist), St.Petersburg Kirov Orchestra (Artist), Royal Dutch Marine Band [members of] (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 11, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Philips Import
• ASIN: B00000418I
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,237 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Compilation of Russian Orchestral Showpieces, January 10, 2006

By 

Classicalfan "Classicalfan" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tchaikovsky-1812 Overture (White Nights - Romantic Russian Showpieces) (Audio CD)

This is an enjoyable compilation 19th and 20th century Russian and Soviet/Armenian (Khatchaturian) orchestral showpieces, with an interesting and informative essay in the CD insert. Two interesting selections, "Baba-Yaga" and "Kikimora", by Anatol Liadov (1855 - 1914), a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov, are based on witches from Russian folklore and are not that well-known outside of Russia. All of the selections are performed well by Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra.

I did have the impression is listening to this CD that some of the more powerful passages were played somewhat too forcefully. Perhaps this impression was due more to the sound engineering than the conductor and orchestra. For example, on Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, when the percussion imitates the boom of the cannon, it sounds almost a sonic boom coming across the speakers. With that reservation, I recommend this as a well-performed and entertaining selection of orchestral showpieces.