Artyomov: Star Wind and other works

Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. His music is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Scriabin, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.

The Divine Art Artyomov Retrospective (which to date has received wonderful reviews internationally) is a mix of new recordings and former Melodiya releases. This is the ninth instalment, which comprises six works for varying chamber ensembles, and while embodying the composer’s overall wide ranging compositional style, spirituality and mysticism, these pieces express this in a more intimate, lyrical style than his massive symphonic works. ‘Scenes’ was originally written as a ballet score for a film, but as the movie was banned by the Soviet authorities and never shown, the work now stands in its own right as a balletic suite.

Some of Russia’s finest soloists and chamber players contributed to this album: Star Wind: Mikhail Tsinman, violin; Alexander Rudin, cello; Konstantin Yefimov, flute; Andrei Kuznetsov, French horn; Anatoly Sheludiakov, piano; Alexander Suvorov, glockenspiel; Murad Annamamedov, conductor Variations: Nestling Antsali: Alexander Korneyev, flute; Vyacheslav Artyomov, piano Moonlight Dreams: Nelly Lee, soprano; Alexander Golyshev, alto flute; Vladimir Tonkha, cello; Dmitri Alexeyev, piano Romantic Capriccio: Igor Makarov, French horn; Yuri Smirnov, piano; Alikhanova String Quartet (Yevgenia Alikhanova & Valentina Alykova violins, Tatiana Kokhanovskaya, viola, Olga Agranovich, cello) Mattinate: Iana Besiadinskaya, soprano; Zarius Shikhmurzayeva, violin; Vladimir Pakulichev, flute; Nikolai Komolyatov, guitar Scenes: Mikhail Tsinman, violin; Igor Abramov, clarinet; Nikolai Gorbunov, bass; Anatoly Sheludiakov, piano; Valeriy Polivanov & Alexander Suvorov, percussion; Murad Annamamedov, conductor