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Home , Aram Khachaturian, Gayane (ballet), Spartacus (ballet)

St Petersburg Philharmonic St Petersburg Philharmonic Signumclassics Orchestra St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra KHACHATURIAN

PROKOFIEV Orchestral Suites from excerpts from Cinderella and Romeo & Juliet Yuri Temirkanov SIGCD229 RAVEL

SIGCD214 Daphnis et Chloé

SIGCD194

SIGCD184 Yuri Temirkanov www.signumrecords.com Available through record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 Khachaturian Spartacus Suite · Gayane Suite Khachaturian and Ravel – Suites Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

One of the most popular and highly War. Neither the poorest citizen-comrade (1903 – 1978) Spartacus Suite decorated composers of the , nor the highest ranking party officials 1 Suite 1, No.3: Variation of Aegina and Bacchanalia 5.13 Aram Ilyich Khachaturian, like his great could escape Stalin’s clunking fist as he 2 Suite 2, No.1: Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia 2.41 contemporary and colleague, Shostakovich, sought to consolidate power by ‘cleansing’ 3 Suite 1, No.4: Scene and Dance with Crotala 2.37 was given more than enough official the Communist Party, and the country at 4 Suite 1, No.5: Dance of the Gaditanae – Victory of Spartacus 2.32 praise and honours throughout his long large, of so-called dissidents, undesirable Gayane Suite and distinguished career, but was not anti-revolutionaries and other ‘enemies of 5 Ayesha's Dance 3.30 immune from the darker forces of the the people’. Many ethnic minorities were 6 Dance of the Rose Maidens 9.29 7 Lullaby 3.56 system. Despite exercising a stranglehold deported, peasants and professionals and 8 Dance of the Young 6.09 over its republics, the Soviet central party apparatchiks too far to the left or 9 Lezghinka 3.02 authority was keen to promote composers too far to the right were imprisoned on the bl 2.16 whose art came from and spoke to the flimsiest of evidence or the cruel expedient multifarious peoples who comprised the of the forced confession. Hundreds of Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937) bm Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No.2 17.04 USSR. Khachaturian came from Armenian thousands were killed and millions more stock and his music reflected the culture, consigned to labour camps. The arts were Total timings 58.32 folksong and traditions of his people fused under intense scrutiny for any perceived with Russian classical tradition, and this modernism and a good many writers, St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra was viewed positively by the authorities. artists and composers paid dearly in the But, nobody in the Soviet Union was process. One of the major buzzwords of Yuri Temirkanov conductor immune to Stalin’s Great Purge in the years the time was ‘formalism’, which was www.signumrecords.com www.saintpetersburgphilharmonic.com immediately preceding the Second World essentially a charge against a work that

3 was not considered to appeal directly to the which held that ‘The only conflict that is artistic manacles followed Stalin’s demise War, where the heroine Gayane and her masses. In 1936, with the arts now under possible in Soviet culture is the conflict and Khachaturian could even speak out family are picking cotton as models of centralized control under the All-Union between good and best’. This meant for greater artistic freedom, claiming that Soviet hard work and application to the Committee on Artistic Affairs, the tide sticking very closely to party diktats on all composition under Stalin’s stewardship task in hand. All except Gayane’s husband was turning against any composers with matters creative. In practical terms, this had tended towards the mediocre due to Giko, a good-for-nothing drunkard. Gayane ‘formalist’ tendencies. While Khachaturian 1948 denunciation meant having to repent restrictions from above. berates him for his lax attitude, and was beginning to experience his first great publicly for being off-message and the after being hurt in the ensuing quarrel, success with his Piano of 1936, cessation of performances for those works While Khachaturian’s Third Symphony, is saved from further injury by the heroic Shostakovich was adjudged to have failed labelled as being of a ‘formalist’ bent. composed in 1947, brought about the Kazhakov, commander of the Red Army his country and comrades by producing Family privileges were also withdrawn and temporary downturn in official favour, his frontier guard. Smugglers visit Giko and works lacking in Socialist Realism – a many were forced into a more or less hand- ballet Gayane, written during the early years a plan is hatched to split stolen collective serious breach of the party line. With Stalin to-mouth existence. Khachaturian appears of the Second World War, may have helped funds, torch the cotton store and abscond. gearing up for the first of the infamous not to have suffered too greatly from the to lessen more alarming privations, winning Gayane overhears the plot, but is locked up show trials later in the year, and Zhdanov purge as his music had generally the Stalin Prize in 1943 and dealing as it for her trouble. Eventually, the conspirators the Great Purge hot on their heels, everyone been deemed acceptable to the authorities, does with proper Soviet concerns in a time are brought to justice, but not before Giko had to watch their step. for its use of Armenian elements and of war: work, patriotism, love and the stabs Gayane after threatening to kill their its widespread popularity. Nevertheless, eventual righting of wrongs by the heroine child. Kazhakov arrives in time to bring Just over a decade after the first he was deeply affected for a time and and commander of the border control. Giko to justice and tend the ailing Gayane, condemnations, Khachaturian was in the retreated into composing film scores, Originally based on a libretto by Konstantin whereupon love enters the scene. The last firing line, charges of ‘formalism’ aimed conducting and teaching immediately Derzhavin, the work was completed in 1942 act stages a triple wedding celebration not only at him, but also at Prokofiev and following the denunciation. and staged in the same year by the Kirov where local dances take centre stage and Shostakovich, among others. Stalin’s Ballet in Perm, where the company had the world is set to rights. cultural spokesman led Fortunately for the artistic community, been evacuated. the latest purge which all but made them Zhdanov didn’t see out 1949 and Stalin Ayesha’s Dance is a gentle awakening ‘unpersons’ in the eyes of the authorities, himself died four years later (on the same The setting is a collective farm in Southern with enchanting writing for flute over an under the so-called day as Prokofiev). A relaxation of the , during the ongoing Second World increasingly lively orchestral underpinning,

4 5 harmonically simple and utterly charming real shit”. The sure-fire hit of the subject The Variation of Aegina and Bacchanalia is occupied Ravel between 1909, when first in effect. The sprightly Dance of the Rose matter was initially only a modest success a wonderful wine-propelled revel, while the commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev for his Maidens, is likewise full of eastern promise for the ballet Spartacus when first produced elongated lines of the Adagio of Spartacus company, the Russes, until the and quirky humour, while the Lullaby casts at the Kirov Theatre, Leningrad, in 1956. and Phrygia sweep minor passion aside in middle of 1912. As a measure of Ravel’s its sleepy magic spell, but not without However, subsequent revisions to the a spectacular revelation of lovers re-united. obsessive attention to detail, in the same the middle section telling a darker tale. choreography and production eventually The Scene and Dance with Crotala absorbs time period, Diaghilev commissioned The Dance of the Young Kurds begins in a caught-up with Khachaturian’s score, the thematic material from the Adagio and and produced two Stravinsky ballets, The surprisingly light, sprightly mood but soon notably in the definitive Bolshoi staging of brings it to a thrilling climax. The Dance Firebird and Petrushka, with the young builds to a resonant climax before dying 1968, ten years after the composer received of the Gaditanae & Victory of Spartacus Russian composer already at work on a away with grace. The Lezghinka is dervish- the Lenin Prize for his contribution. initially gently rocks the Adagio theme third, the infamous Rite of Spring. like with its whirling accelerations, and the before building into a raucous dance which concluding, ultra-famous Sabre Dance cuts The well-known slave rebellion led by exceeds the excesses of even Hollywood’s The incorrigible, indefatigable supremo of and thrusts in breath-taking fashion. Spartacus against Roman domination finest film composers. the ballet world in the early 20th century, has been documented and referenced by Sergei Diaghilev had little problem bending A decade after Gayane, Khachaturian the likes of not only Appian, but Plutarch, Maurice Ravel, much like Khachaturian, Ravel to his will. He likewise charmed embarked on another full-length ballet and Monty Python. The was drawn to the pictorial and theatrical or coerced Stravinsky, Debussy, Satie, score, this time based on a historical Thracian hero Spartacus, a shepherd-cum- possibilities of music. But while Richard Strauss, Prokofiev and a good subject, and again with particular robber is sold as a gladiator, but around Khachaturian managed to produce dozens handful of the early 20th century’s greatest resonance to the USSR and particularly 73BC effects a rebellion which causes of film scores and incidental music for talents to compose for his company. the struggle of the proletariat. Writing to havoc in Rome and throughout Italy. Love theatre productions, the meticulous Diaghilev’s firm, guiding hand and his Friedrich Engels in 1861, Karl Marx relates and loss, friendship and betrayal ensue Ravel was often painstakingly slow in steady stream of exceptional dancers, that on reading Appian’s Civil Wars of Rome: until the hero dies in battle and many of his completing his orchestral compositions. choreographers, set designers and artists “Spartacus emerges as the most capital followers are crucified. Looking on the bright The results, however, were well worth which formed his ground-breaking Ballets fellow in the whole history of antiquity. A side, the bravery of Spartacus’s battles the wait – producing some of the finest, Russes company, would have been a great general … a ‘real representative’ of improves the socio-economic situation of most intricately orchestrated jewels of the great temptation for the theatre-loving the proletariat of ancient times. Pompey a his downtrodden class. repertoire. The ballet, Daphnis et Chloé Ravel. The luxury casting of the premiere

6 7 of Daphnis et Chloé is astonishing: the in an antique, Greek pastoral setting, superstar dancers of the age, Nijinsky telling of the vicissitudes of love St Petersburg PhilharmonicOrchestra and Karsavina took the title roles, designs between these innocents. The Suite No. were by Léon Bakst, the choreographer 2 opens with Lever du jour, in which the The St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, of concerts ‘Orchestral Collections of New was Mikhail Fokhine, and the conductor daybreak reunites the lovers in the most ’s oldest symphonic ensemble, Music’ saw the first Russian performances Pierre Monteux. The orchestral forces astonishing, shimmering effect from the was founded in 1882. In that year, by of Richard Strauss’ symphonic poems Ein were enormous, including 15 types of orchestra, evoking shafts of the sun’s Order of Alexander III, the Court Musical Heldenleben and Also sprach Zarathustra, percussion and a wordless chorus both early light, replete with birdcalls and Choir was established – the prototype of Mahler’s First Symphony, Bruckner’s Ninth on and off stage. Ravel characterised waterfalls from the woodwind. Pantomime today’s Honoured Collective of the Russian Symphony and Skryabin’s Poem of Ecstasy. Daphnis et Chloé as a symphonie has the lovers dancing in praise of the Federation. Thus, in 2007, the orchestra There was a ‘historical series’, concerts chorégraphique though on hearing it, the god, Pan. Naturally the pan-pipes are in celebrated its 125th anniversary. The featuring the works of a single composer ever critical Diaghilev thought it more attendance in the form of a remarkable Musicians’ Choir was founded to perform in and a series of subscription concerts, symphonique than chorégraphique. Ravel dance passage for piccolo, flutes and alto the ‘imperial presence’ – at receptions and some of which were accompanied by a may have ultimately agreed, as tensions flute. The final number, Danse générale official ceremonies and at the balls, plays lecture or an introductory address. Among between the collaborators ensured that the proved problematic in the original ballet and concerts at the Imperial Court. the conductors were world-renowned work was not a success on its premiere at setting, having five beats in the bar, in musicians such as Richard Strauss, the Théâtre du Châtelet on the 8th of June, order to propel the music ever forward – The pinnacle of this type of activity was Arthur Nikisch, Alexander Glazunov and 1912. Undeterred, the composer extracted tricky for the dancers of the time. Here, the participation of the choir in 1896 in the Serge Koussevitsky. In 1917 the Orchestra two orchestral suites from the material. the orchestral colour is nothing short of coronation ceremony of Nicholas II. In 1897 became the State Orchestra and following While the complete ballet has found a spectacular and the vast resources are the Court Choir became the Court Orchestra, the Decree of 1921 it was incorporated into treasured niche in the concert hall and in employed to exhilarating effect, depicting its musicians having been transferred the newly founded Petrograd Philharmonic, recordings, it is the suites which are most the Dionysian revelries. The lovers are re- from the military and given the same the first of its kind in the country. Shortly commonly performed. united and all and sundry dance in the rights as other actors of royal theatres. afterwards an unprecedented number of light of love’s spring. In the early 20th century the orchestra great Western conductors began to come The story concerns the two orphans was permitted to perform at commercial to conduct the orchestra. Their names Daphnis and Chloé, raised by shepherds © M Ross concerts for the general public. The series enjoy unquestioned authority in today’s

8 9 of von Karajan and Walter and the Royal unique in world music panorama … Concertgebouw Orchestra as the best Amazing musicians, everyone is a interpreters of Mozart during the Viennese soloist, but in perfect ensemble and festival dedicated to Mozart’s 200th confluence with others”. Highlights anniversary. Unique in the musical world was of the last years include: performing also the creative alliance of Mravinsky and Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony in the Shostakovich. Many of the symphonies were U.N.O. at a concert dedicated to the 60th premiered by Mravinsky and they became anniversary of the WWII Victory; opening the centerpieces of the repertoire, both at the Carnegie Hall season (the first among home and abroad on tour. We may imagine soviet ), participation in the how deeply Shostakovich appreciated this 2nd Moscow World Orchestras Festival musical world: Otto Klemperer (who also Nikolay Malko conducted Shostakovich’s collaboration when he dedicated the Eighth and opening of the Rostropovich Week conducted the subscription concerts), First Symphony in the Great Hall of the Symphony to Mravinsky. The orchestra also Moscow Festival; participation in Enescu Bruno Walter, Felix Weingartner and many Philharmonia. In 1934 the orchestra was performed in this period and beyond with Festival (Rumania) and in MiTo (Italy). more. Soloists Vladimir Horowitz and Sergey the first in the country to receive the title other famous conductors including Leopold Traditionally, busy tour schedule: concerts Prokofiev (the latter performing his piano of the Honoured Orchestra of the Republic. Stokowski, Igor Markevich, Kurt Sanderling, in Le Théâtre des Champs Elysées (Paris), ) appeared with the orchestra. Four years later Evgeny Mravinsky, the First Arvid Jansons, Mariss Jansons, Gennady Musikverein (Vienna), La Scala (Milan), On the initiative of foreign conductors, the Prize winner of the National Conductors Rozhdestvensky and Evgeny Svetlanov. Carnegie Hall (NY). The repertoire of orchestra began to play modern repertoire Competition, joined the orchestra and for the orchestra was enriched by Russian – Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Berg, Hindemith, the next 50 years he gradually transformed it In 1988 on the initiative of the orchestra, premiers: Il canto sospese by Nono, The Honegger, Poulenc and continued to into one of the best orchestras in the world. Yuri Temirkanov became its principal Third and the Last Testament by Obukhov, premiere the music of contemporary Russian conductor. Recently Milanese Corriere Fifth Symphony by Grechaninov, Polish composers. Back in 1918, directed by the For the performance of Tchaikovsky and della sera eloquently indicated the result Requiem by Penderecki (under the author’s composer, the orchestra had premiered the Shostakovich symphonies, the orchestra of the more than twenty-year collaboration: baton); and world premieres: …al niente Classical Symphony of Prokofiev, and in rapidly became ‘the model’. The orchestra’s “Yuri Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg by Kancheli, Symphonies by Segerstam, 1926 Shostakovich made his debut when virtuosity put it on a par with the orchestras Philharmonic Orchestra are something Slonimsky and Tishchenko.

10 11 YURI TEMIRKANOV

Since 1988 Yuri Temirkanov has been the and the United States with legendary Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of violinist and the Moscow the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra. with whom he regularly undertakes major international tours and recordings. Yuri Temirkanov made his debut with the Other positions he holds include Music St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra Director of the Teatro Regio di Parma, and (formerly the Leningrad Philharmonic) in Music Director Emeritus of the Baltimore early 1967 and was then invited to join Symphony Orchestra. the orchestra as Assistant Conductor to Yevgeny Mravinsky. In 1968, he was Born in the city of Nal’chik, Yuri appointed Principal Conductor of the Temirkanov began his musical studies Leningrad Symphony Orchestra where he at the age of nine. When he was 13, he remained until his appointment as Music attended the Leningrad School for Talented Director of the Kirov Opera and Ballet Children where he continued his studies (now the ) in 1976. He in violin and viola. Upon graduation, he remained in this position until 1988 and his attended the Leningrad Conservatory productions of Eugene Onegin and Queen where he completed his studies in viola of Spades have become legendary in the and later returned to study conducting, theatre’s history. graduating in 1965. After winning the prestigious All-Soviet National Conducting Maestro Temirkanov is a frequent guest Competition in 1966, Mr. Temirkanov was conductor of major orchestras in Europe, invited by Kiril Kondrashin to tour Europe Asia and the United States. He holds the © Sasha Gusov 12 13 distinction of being the first Russian artist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra permitted to perform in the United States from 2000 till 2006, and Principal Guest St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra after cultural relations were resumed with the Conductor of the until 2009. Soviet Union at the end of war in Afghanistan Yuri Temirkanov conductor in 1988. He has appeared with leading His numerous recordings include European orchestras including the Berlin collaborations with the St Petersburg Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic Staatskapelle, London Philharmonic, London and Danish National Radio Symphony Recorded at the Great Philharmonic Hall, St Petersburg Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Orchestras, and the Royal Philharmonic Spartacus & Gayane - December 2005 Concertgebouw Orchestra, Accademia di Orchestra with whom he recorded Daphnis et Chloé - December 2010 Santa Cecilia, Rome and La Scala, Milan. the complete Stravinsky ballets and Tchaikovsky symphonies. For ten days over Engineer - Neil Hutchinson After making his London debut with the the Christmas holiday, Maestro Temirkanov Editor - Ilya Petrov and Alexander Gerutsky Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1977, he hosts the annual International Winter Producer - Anna Barry was appointed Principal Guest Conductor, Festival Arts Square in St Petersburg, and then in 1992 named Principal Russia, to which he invites many of the Cover image - Shutterstock Conductor, a position he held until 1998. world’s leading soloists. Design - Andrew Giles From 1992 to 1997 he was also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden He has received many distinguished awards www.signumrecords.com www.saintpetersburgphilharmonic.com Philharmonic Orchestra and from 1998 in Russia. In 2003, President Vladimir to 2008 Principal Guest Conductor of the Putin bestowed the President’s Medal on

Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Temirkanov. In 2002, he received 2012 The copyright in this recording is owned by St Petersburg Philharmonic © 2012 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd.

A regular visitor to the USA, he conducts the the Abbiati Prize for Best Conductor, and Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. major orchestras of New York, Philadelphia, in 2003 was named Conductor of the Year Licenses for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco in Italy. Recently, he was made an Honorary SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] and Los Angeles. He was the Music Director Accademician of Santa Cecilia.

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