Historical Russian Archives – Alexander Gauk Edition (10 CD box set, APE)

Conductor: Alexander Gauk
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 10 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Brilliant Classics
Size: 2.17 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
D.Shostakovich
Symphony №5 (d-moll) op.47
1.Moderato
2.Allegretto
3.Largo
4.Allegro non troppo

S.Rachmaninoff
3 Russian Folk Songs, for Chorus & Orchestra op.41
5.Across the River
6.O Vanya, you bold fellow
7.Powder and Paint
8.Spring – cantata for Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra op.20

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Chorus
Evgeny Kibkalo – baritone

CD 02
D. Shostakovich
Symphony №11 (g-moll) op.103, “The Year 1905”
1. Adagio, “The Palace Square”
2. Allegro, “January”
3. Adagio, “In Memoriam”
4. Allegro non troppo, “Tocsin”

N. Rimsky-Korsakov
5. “The Song of Oleg the Wise” op.58
for 2 male voices, men’s chorus & Orchestra

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Chorus
Small Symphony Orchestra & Male Chorus of the All Union State Radio
Dmitri Tarkhov – tenor
Konstantin Polyaev – bass

CD 03
A. Khachaturian
Spartacus – suite
1.Introduction and Dance of the Nyphs
2.Introduction,Adagio of Aegina and Harmodius
3.Variations of Aegina and Bacchanalia
4.Scena and Dance with Crotala
5.Sword Dance of the Young Thracians
6.Spartacus proclaimed Leader
7.Death of the Gladiator
8.The uprising of the slaves
9.Via Appia and Dance of the Shepherd and Shepherdesses
10.Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
11.Dance of the Gaditanian Maidenes and Victory of Spartacus

M.Glinka
12.Premiere Polka, in B-dur
13.Kamarinskaya

Alexander Gauk – conductor
Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
Grand Symphony Orchestra (12)
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra

CD 04
A.Khachaturian
Symphony №1 (e-moll)
1.Andante-maestoso con passione-allegro ma non troppo
2.Adagio sostenuto
3.Allegro risoluto

M.Glinka
4.”Memory of Friendship” – Theme & Variations on Nocturne in F-dur of Johann Nepomuk Hummel
5.Patriotic song

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra
Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
USSR State Symphony Orchestra

CD 05
N.Myaskovsky
Symphony №17 (gis-moll) op.41
1.Lento-allegro molto agitato
2.Lento assai-andantino ma non troppo
3.Allegro poco vivace
4.Andante-allegro molto animato

S.Prokofiev
5.Flourish, Mighty Homeland op.114, cantata for chorus & orchestra
6.Russian Overture op.72

N. Ivanov-Radkevich
7.Russian Overture

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State TV & Radio Symphony Orchestra
Grand Symphony Orchestra
Grand Symphony Chorus
State Symphony Orchestra

CD 06
P.I.Tchaikovsky
The Seasons, 10 excerpts op.37
1. “January, At the Fireplace”
2. “Fabruary, Carnival”
3. “December, Christmas”
4. “September, Hunting Songs”
5. “March, Song of the Lark”
6. “June, Barcarolle”
7. “July, Song of the Reapers”
8. “October, Autumn song
9. “November, Troika”
10. “April, Snowdrop”

M. Balakirev
11. “Islamey” (orhestration Alfredo Casella)

A. Glazunov
12. “Spring” – musical picture in D-dur op.34
13. Waltz in D-dur op.42 №3

A.Arensky
14. March, in memory of Suvorov
15. In the Fields, from: Characteristic Pieces for Piano op.36 №24
16. Waltz in F-dur,from:6 Children’s Pieces op.34

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State Symphony Orchestra
USSR State Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra

CD 07
P.I.Tchaikovsky
Hamlet – incidental music for soprano, baritone & orchestra op.67a
1.Overture
2.Moderato assai
3.Allegro vivo
4.Moderato assai
5.Allegro giusto ed agitato
6.Allegro semplice
7.Fanfare
8.Andante quasi allgretto
9.Andante non troppo
10.Andantino”Elsinore”, Mad Scene
11.Andantino
12.Marcia, moderaro assai
13.Allegro giusto
14.Allegro resoluto ma non troppo
15. Fatum, Tone-Poem for orchestra op.Posth.77

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra
Grand Symphony Orchestra

CD 08
P.I.Tchaikovsky
Snegourochka,Snow Maiden, incidental music to the Ostrovsky Play, op.12
1.Introduction
2.Bird’s Choir & Dance
3.Monologue of Frost
4.Shrovetide Procession Chorus
5.Melodrama
6.1st Act Entr’acte
7.2nd Act Entr’acte
8.Choir of the Blind Gusli-players
9.Melodrama
10.Chorus of People & Courtiers
11.Girl’s Round Danse
12.Dance of the Tumblers
13.Brusillo’s song
14.Appearance of the Forest Spirit and Apparition of the false Snow Maiden
15.3nd Act Entr’acte
16.Declamation of the Fairy of Spring
17.Tsar Berendey’s March and Choir
18.Finale

Alexander Gauk – conductor
Moscow Radio Chorus
USSR State Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Orfenov – tenor
Zara Dolukhanova – alto

CD 09
F.Liszt
Eine Faust-Symphonie/Faust Symphony, version without chorus
1.Faust
2.Gretchen
3.Mephistopheles

P.Dukas
4.L’apprenti sorcier (The Socrecerer’s Apprentice)

Alexander Gauk – conductor
Grand Symphony Orchestra
USSR State Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra

CD 10
L.v.Beethoven
1.Coriolan – Overture

F.Mendelssohn
2.Ruy Blas – overture

G.Bizet
3.Patrie – overture op.19

A.Casella
4.Italia – Rapsodia per orchestra

G.Enescu
5.Romanian Rapsody №1

D.Milhaud
Suite Provencale
6.Anime
7.Tres modere
8.Modere
9.Vif
10.Modere
11.Vif
12.Lent
13.Vif

Alexander Gauk – conductor
USSR State Symphony Orchestra
USSR State Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra

Dumbounding

I have been collecting CDs for many years, pariticularly those from Soviet Russia. This Box set, along with vol.1, are the single greatest addition to my collection I’ve ever made. It is so remarkable that such a forgotten yet important Soviet Conductor (regarded as having founded the Soviet School of conducting as well as having taught both Mravinsky and Svetlanov) has 2 10cd box sets of his recordings released. You will not find any of these recordings anywhere else, and you will struggle to even find any other recording of many of these pieces. The Shostakovich and Myaskovsky symphony recordings are arguably definative, as well as many other pieces recorded here (most notably the Ravel Introduction and Allegro, which I know very well and can honestly say that Guak’s recording here is defnitive). Gauk belongs to a different era of music making, and his conducting is all about excitement and depth, even when there are serious technical risks at hand (which sometimes comes out a bit, but does not at all spoil the music, and, in fact, makes it interessting and funny). You would probably be expelled from music college if you tried conducting like this, but same goes for if you tried to play like Sviatoslav Richter, Samuil Feinberg, Danil Shafran etc. etc. to make a fair comparison. This conducting is pure madness and passion. You will not here anything like it anywhere else. I would have paid 10 times the price that they are selling for. Its cheap, so even if you have doubts, get it anyway knowing that there is no risk involved and I can promise you won’t regret it.