Notes and Editorial Reviews
"The main works of interest are those conducted by Khachaturian himself – the Spartacus and Gayaneh excerpts, and the violin concerto. Directing the London Philharmonic in 1977, the composer gives a fairly straight account of the famous bits from his two ballets. Lush, tuneful and ‘exotic’ in the acceptable Soviet style, they are still irresistibly attractive, but hardly great music.
The big surprise, however, is Khachaturian conducting the Philharmonia in his violin concerto, with David Oistrakh as soloist. Recorded in the Kingsway Hall in 1954, it really is a revelation, placing the concerto on a much higher shelf of fine violin concertos than subsequent interpretations have managed. Written in 1940 with Oistrakh’s
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advice, the concerto won the Stalin Prize of that year and is accordingly conservative in structure and content. Nevertheless, its lyricism and folk colouring make for captivating listening, and in Khachaturian’s and Oistrakh’s hands the orchestral richness and technical complexity of the solo writing are fully revealed. Despite its age, the re-mastered recording (produced by Walter Legge) also sounds clear and sonorous, with excellent balance between solo and orchestral passages."
-- John-Pierre Joyce, MusicWeb International
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Works on This Recording
1.
Spartacus: Variation of Aegina by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Written: 1954 rev 1968
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 8 Minutes 7 Secs.
2.
Spartacus: Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: Modern
Written: 1955
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 9 Minutes 49 Secs.
3.
Spartacus: The Entrance of Harmodius - Adagio of Aegina and Harmodius by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: Modern
Written: 1950-1954
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 7 Minutes 29 Secs.
4.
Spartacus: Dance of the Gaditanae - The Rebels' Approach by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: Modern
Written: 1950-1954
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 6 Minutes 55 Secs.
5.
Concerto for Piano in D flat major by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Mindru Katz (Piano)
Conductor:
Sir Adrian Boult
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1936; USSR
Venue: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London
Length: 36 Minutes 21 Secs.
6.
Pictures of Childhood: 1. Birthday Party by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Cristina Ortiz (Piano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1947
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 1 Minutes 24 Secs.
7.
Pictures of Childhood: 2. Legend by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Cristina Ortiz (Piano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1947
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 1 Minutes 27 Secs.
8.
Pictures of Childhood: 3. The Little Horse by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Cristina Ortiz (Piano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1947
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 1 Minutes 2 Secs.
9.
Pictures of Childhood: 4. In Folk Dance Mood (Gallopade) by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Cristina Ortiz (Piano)
Period: Modern
Written: 1947
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 1 Minutes 44 Secs.
10.
Gayaneh: Adagio by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
Cristina Ortiz (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 3 Minutes 39 Secs.
11.
Gayaneh: Lezghinka by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 2 Minutes 40 Secs.
12.
Gayaneh: Lullaby by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 5 Minutes 28 Secs.
13.
Gayaneh: Storm by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 4 Minutes 59 Secs.
14.
Gayaneh: Sabre Dance by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 2 Minutes 33 Secs.
15.
Gayaneh: Mountaineers by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: Modern
Written: 1941-1942
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 2 Minutes 4 Secs.
16.
Gayaneh: Invention by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1942/1957; USSR
Venue: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Length: 4 Minutes 46 Secs.
17.
Concerto for Violin in D minor by Aram Khachaturian
Performer:
David Oistrakh (Violin)
Conductor:
Aram Khachaturian
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1940; USSR
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 35 Minutes 39 Secs.
18.
Masquerade: Suite by Aram Khachaturian
Conductor:
Alfred Newman
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1941; USSR
Venue: Stage Seven, Samuel Goldwyn Studios
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