Notes and Editorial Reviews
Rachmaninov's songs have attracted many singers over the years, from Lily Pons to Martti Talvela, plus many Russians; few, however, went beyond the half-dozen perennial favorites. Jennie Tourel and Nicolai Gedda gave us substantial selections on records, and Elisabeth Söderström recorded eighty-six songs with Vladimir Ashkenazy; their five LPs have been reissued on three CDs in England. The widest selection on compact disc on these shores has been by Ana Pusar (Fanfare 18:1); baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and mezzo Zara Dolukhanova have also been heard from.
As in his recent Mussorgsky song recital (19:1), Sergei Leiferkus's dark voice and dramatic vocalism are reminiscent of Boris Christoff; there is no higher
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praise from this corner. This time Leiferkus is aided by a superior pianist; like Ashkenazy, Howard Shelley is one of the leading exponents of Raehmaninov's piano music, and he contributes much sensitive playing. Recognizing the dual accomplishment, Chandos allows the piano to be heard even at the singer's most impassioned climaxes. Although Leiferkus is unparalleled in the dramatic songs, there are others in which a woman's voice and softer approach are more appropriate. Söderström is a skilled, imaginative artist, and Tourel's haunting voice comes through a half-century-old recording which deserves reissue; Pusar sings in a stentorian manner closer to Leiferkus than to the other ladies.
These thirty-two songs include some from each of Rachmaninov's six published sets, plus seven others published posthumously. The booklet includes reasonable notes and four-language song texts. This is the first disc of a projected complete cycle of Rachmaninov songs which should make a worthy companion to Söderström's set.
-- James H. North, FANFARE [1/1996]
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Works on This Recording
1.
At the gate of the holy monastery by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1890; Russia
Language: Russian
2.
I shall tell you nothing by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1890; Russia
3.
Song of the disillusioned by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Russia
4.
Do you remember the evening? by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Russia
5.
Were you hiccoughing by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1899; Russia
6.
Songs (6), Op. 4: no 1, Oh no, I beg you, forsake me not by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
7.
Songs (6), Op. 4: no 2, Morning by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
8.
Songs (6), Op. 4: no 3, In the silence of the night by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1890; Russia
9.
Songs (6), Op. 4: no 4, Sing not to me, beautiful maiden by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
10.
Songs (6), Op. 8: no 2, Child, thou art as beautiful by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Russia
11.
Songs (6), Op. 8: no 3, Brooding by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Russia
12.
Songs (12), Op. 14: no 4, I was with her by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
13.
Songs (12), Op. 14: no 6, How everyone loves thee by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
14.
Songs (12), Op. 14: no 9, She is as lovely as the noon by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
15.
Songs (12), Op. 14: no 11, Spring waters by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
16.
Songs (12), Op. 14: no 12, 'Tis time by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
17.
Songs (12), Op. 21: no 1, Fate by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1900; Russia
18.
Songs (12), Op. 21: no 2, By the fresh grave by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; Russia
19.
Songs (12), Op. 21: no 5, Lilacs by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; Russia
20.
Songs (12), Op. 21: no 10, Before the icon by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; Russia
21.
Songs (15), Op. 26: no 2, He took all from me by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; Russia
22.
Songs (15), Op. 26: no 3, Let us rest by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; Russia
23.
Songs (15), Op. 26: no 6, Christ is risen by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; Russia
24.
Songs (15), Op. 26: no 13, When yesterday we met by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; Russia
25.
Songs (15), Op. 26: no 15, All things pass by by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; Russia
26.
Letter to K.S. Stanislavsky by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1908; Russia
27.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 2, In the soul of each of us by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1910-1912; Russia
28.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 6, The raising of Lazarus by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1910-1912; Russia
29.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 9, You knew him by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1910-1912; Russia
30.
Songs (14), Op. 34: no 11, The peasant by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1912; Russia
31.
From the Gospel of St John by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Howard Shelley (Piano),
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1915; Russia
32.
Songs (12), Op. 21: no 11, No prophet I by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Sergei Leiferkus (Baritone),
Howard Shelley (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; Russia
Sound Samples
U vrat obiteli svyatoy (At the Gates of the Holy Abode)
Ya tebe nichego ne skazhu (I Shall Tell You Nothing)
Pesnya razocharovannogo (Song of the Disillusioned)
Ti pomnish' li vecher (Do you remember the evening)
Ikalos' li tebe (Were you hiccoughing): Ikalos' li tebe (Were You Hiccoughing)
6 Songs, Op. 4: No. 1. O net, molyu, ne ukhodi (Oh no, I beg you, forsake me not)
6 Songs, Op. 4: No. 2. Utro (Morning)
6 Songs, Op. 4: No. 3. V molchan'i nochi taynoy (In the Silence of the Secret Night)
6 Songs, Op. 4: No. 4. Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne (Sing not to me, beautiful maiden)
6 Songs, Op. 8: No. 2. Ditya kak tsvetok ti prekrasna (Child, thou art as Beautiful as a Flower)
6 Songs, Op. 8: No. 3. Duma (Brooding)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 4. Ya bil u ney (I was with Her)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 6. Tebya tak lyubyat vse (How Everyone Loves Thee)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 9. Ona, kak polden', khorosha (She is as Lovely as the Noon)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 11. Vesenniye vodi (Spring Waters)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 12. Pora ('Tis time)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 1. Sud'ba (Fate)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 2. Nad svezhey mogiloy (By the Fresh Grave)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 5. Siren' (Lilacs)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 10. Pred ikonoy (Before the Icon)
12 Songs, Op. 14: No. 11. Ya ne prorok (I Am No Prophet)
15 Songs, Op. 26: No. 2. Vsyo otnyal u menya (He Took All from Me)
15 Songs, Op. 26: No. 3. Mi otdokhnyom (Let Us Rest)
15 Songs, Op. 26: No. 6. Khristos voskres (Christ is Risen)
15 Songs, Op. 26: No. 13. Vchera mi vstretilis' (When Yesterday we Met)
15 Songs, Op. 26: No. 15. Prokhodit vsyo (All Things Pass By)
Letter to K. S. Stanislavsky
14 Songs, Op. 34: No. 2. V dushe u kazhdogo iz nas (In the Soul of Each of Us)
14 Songs, Op. 34: No. 6. Voskresheniye Lazarya (The Raising of Lazarus)
14 Songs, Op. 34: No. 9. Ti znal yego (You Knew Him)
14 Songs, Op. 34: No. 11. Obrochnik (The Peasant)
Iz evangeliya ot Ioanna (From the Gospel of St John)
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