Gnesin Academy Chorus (Chorus-master: Alexander Soloviev)
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Dmitry Yablonsky

Glazunov’s beautifully scored incidental music for Lermontov’s play Masquerade has only survived in manuscript.

With characteristic genius, he illustrates both the glittering atmosphere and dances of splendid St Petersburg balls and depicts the horrifying descent into madness of the play’s protagonist, Evgeny Arbenin, who jealously poisons his innocent wife.

The shorter works on this disc likewise show Glazunov’s amazing command of orchestral resources, whether evoking an exotic oriental vision, the vivacious spirit of Hungarian music, in the Pas de caractère, or painting a mood of gentle romantic lyricism.

“Yablonsky provides full-blooded orchestral support. The recorded sound is very fine, as are the notes. Naxos’s bargain price is just an added incentive to buy this well-filled disc.”
Fanfare