This well-balanced,
often adventurous, yet appealing programme
is quite simply one of the best DVD
concerts to come my way. Every item
is a delight – every item is splendidly
performed, from the opening sparkling
Shostakovich Festive Overture
to the galvanising excitement of the
closing Rachmaninov Fanfare taken
from the composer’s First Symphony Older
listeners in the UK may remember this
same theme was used to introduce BBC
TV’s Panorama many, many years
ago. The often seemingly eccentric batonless
conducting of Temirkanov is a sight
to behold, but he gets results.
Probably the most adventurous
item on the programme is Ottorino Respighi’s
rarely performed, and rarely recorded
Adagio con variazioni imaginatively
and intelligently coupled in this programme
with the related Kol Nidrei of
Max Bruch. It will be remembered that
Respighi studied briefly with Bruch
in Berlin in 1902. Respighi first composed
his Adagio con variazioni in
B major for cello and piano (1903 -1910).
There is a deeply committed recording
of this version, by Luca Simoncini (cello)
and Marco Vincenza (piano), in a collection
of Respighi’s chamber works on Dynamic
CDS 404. The imposing and florid piano
writing of this early version clearly
anticipates the setting for cello and
orchestra (1921). The theme of the Adagio
is by the dedicatee, Antonio Certani,
a cellist from Bologna and a friend
of the composer. The structure of the
work, and the cello writing is reminiscent
of that of Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei
(1881) and it very much anticipates
Bloch’s Schelomo. All three works
are based on Jewish melodies of archaic
lyricism. Mischa Maisky, as one might
imagine, empathises strongly with such
material and delivers a heart-felt reading.
He is supported by a most sympathetic
accompaniment with a beautifully phrased
cor anglais solo in an impressionistic-like
variation with iridescent harp arpeggios.
The reading of Bruch’s Kol Nidrei
that follows on immediately in the programme
is no less committed and deeply felt.
I shall briefly touch
on the remaining items in the programme.
Readers might like to read Colin Clarke’s
equally complimentary review of this
DVD for further detail.
Promoted above all
her fellow artists, on the front cover
of this DVD, the strikingly beautiful
Anna Netrebko is equally ravishing of
voice. With a keen sense of drama, beautiful
tone and phrasing, nice control, strong
and sure projection of the highest notes,
she impresses strongly in both the Donizetti
and Puccini arias. Her partner, Dimitri
Hvorostovsky, in the Leoncavallo duet,
is big-voiced, virile and oaken-toned
in the Tchaikovsky. His Don Carlo
aria. beguiles, his lovely legato
line just floating effortlessly.
Viktor Tretyakov’s
and Elisso Virsaladze’s readings of
the Saint-Saëns showpiece and the
Ravel Concerto have plenty of verve
and attack, articulating and driving
forward the pronounced Spanish/Gypsy
rhythms common to these works. Both
compositions are conducted by the younger
Nikolai Alekseev who draws a very proud
and majestically dark introduction to
the Ravel Concerto. I shall make a mental
note of the name of soloist Elisso Virsaladze
who delivers a most convincing and powerful
reading of this magnificent concerto.
A most impressive Gala
concert, an adventurous programme -
especially the little known Respighi
work - delivered in quality performances.
Highly recommended.
Ian Lace
see also review
by Colin Clarke
aAnna Netrebko (soprano); bDmitri
Hvorostovsky (baritone); cViktor Tretyakov
(violin); dElisso Virsaladze (piano);
eMischa Maisky (cello); St. Petersburg
Philharmonic Orchestra/fYuri Temirkanov,
gNikolai Alekseev. 
TDK/EUROARTS
DV-COGSP [112’00] 
