Originally posted by Cockney Sparrow
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I'm no expert, but also very much enjoyed rehearsing and performing the work this year. I was intrigued by the "Big Sound" Russian Choirs referred to, or perhaps more correctly I was aware there was a different sound - of course I was - I had bought a vinyl copy of a Russian choir in the pre-CD era when I was a teenager. ( I recall hearing Rodney Milnes referring with warmth to the sound of "boot lipped Russian contraltos" on a Record Review broadcast). Reading comments in the usual places it seems Sveshnikov's 1965 recording on Melodiya is the version held dear by many, and I have spent a lot of time trying to track down a copy of the Melodiya CD reissue, not currently in the catalogue. (That includes the Melodiya CD ordered from a marketplace seller in the US which turned out to be music by a completely different composer and performers - which is being returned). This appears to be the recording:
USSR Academic Russian Choir. Conductor: A. Sveshnikov (Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery)
Label and No.: Melodia MELCD1001365
With supreme irony, whilst writing this post I traced the version from my previous vinyl collection from the cover image and - it is the very recording I have been seeking on CD - the Sveshnikov!
http://https://www.discogs.com/Rachm...elease/3560085
I kept only about 100 vinyl discs, maximum for their covers, booklets, etc and they are stored and inaccessible. I can't recall if the Vespers record is likely to be amongst them. In any case I'm not about to set up a vinyl record deck anytime soon - I'm setting up our first smart flatscreen TV at the moment - the CRT TV finally failed - by way of contrast. Back to the Melodiya digital re-issue…….
There is a "Classical Masters" recording listed on the River people's site - 1 copy at £24 from Japan, and an mp3 available for less - however the sound on the mp3 sample is very, very poor and gives no encouragement to buy.
So, finally (and you might think, not before time) - finally to report - I found an mp3 download on the Musica Russica site - a US outfit (says founded 30 years or more ago) based in San Diego. I've downloaded it and on a quick sample the sound quality is much more acceptable, and is enough to be going on with - in fact I can't spend any more time on this quest at present. The timings on the download has the same 15 tracks as listed for the CD and the timings are within 15 seconds per track more on the download than the CD so that is consistent with Musica Russica's clear description that this is the Melodiya recording. It comes with a PDF - 8 pages of Russian text, one of English and the listing in both. (No Melodiya logo that I recognise, can't read the Russian Text on the CD case back inlay pdf).
I'll make periodic searches for the CD as a further re-issue or on Ebay, etc, but if anyone can point me to a source with stock, then I'd be interested to know.
And in relation to the previous post, I found 8 paragraphs of (English) text on HMV Japan's site (out of stock - like all the others) I take it to be from the Melodiya European re-issue - it has "(Melodiya)" at the end - but I might be wrong. It contains significant detail about the composer and composition, first performance and biographical detail as to Sveshnikov. including:
"The first performance …(was) by the Synodal Choir under conduction of the close friend of Rachmaninov’s Nicolai Danilin…
Alexander Sveshnikov (1890?1980)….one of the key figures in Russian choral singing of the 20th century…… His untiring work brought him to the creation and conducting of the State Academic Choir of Russian Song. Later it was renamed into the State Academic Russian Choir…… "
http://http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artis...r-USSR_2827838
The Musica Russica page for the recording includes this information:
(As to Sveshnikov) "he did graduate from the famed Moscow Synodal School, whose choir premiered the All-Night Vigil in 1915, when Sveshnikov (1890-1980) was 25 years old…….."(however) "much about this performance……………contradicts what is known about the subtlety and refinement of the Moscow Synodal style.
This recording, the first ever of this work, nevertheless, stands as a unique monument that exhibits, in the person of Alexander Sveshnikov, an organic link to the mighty Russian choral tradition within which Rachmaninoff created his remarkable choral masterpiece. The booklet contains a fine essay about the work and this recording (in Russian only) by Dr Marina Rakhmanova. Titles are given in Russian and English".
(I can supply the PDF booklet if any Russian reader would like to check the HMV Japan text against the PDF booklet).
Apart from the music web review, I also found a Fanfare review on the web, (postscript on EDIT : The Fanfare review is of a recording by a US group of performers, it makes a brief comparison with the Sveshnikov, and gives some information about the Vespers generally).
And finally - this is information I have garnered here and there, and to reiterate I have no expertise in this area……….
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