Alfred Schnittke: Symphony no.7, Cello Concerto no.1 (APE)

Performer: Alexander Ivashkin
Orchestra: Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Valery Polyansky
Composer: Alfred Schnittke
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Chandos
Size: 239 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# Symphony No. 7
Composed by Alfred Schnittke
Performed by Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Valery Polyansky

# Concerto for cello & orchestra No.1
Composed by Alfred Schnittke
Performed by Russian State Symphony Orchestra
with Alexander Ivashkin
Conducted by Valery Polyansky

01. Symphony No. 7: I. Andante
02. Symphony No. 7: II. Largo
03. Symphony No. 7: III. Allegro
04. Cello Concerto No. 1: I. Pesante
05. Cello Concerto No. 1: II. Largo
06. Cello Concerto No. 1: III. Allegro vivace
07. Cello Concerto No. 1: IV. Largo

Masterworks!

“…to me both these works seem not only intensely depressing but hysterically over-stated.
Michael Oliver
(From: Gramophone, September 2000)”
Well, Mr Oliver must be quite insensitive to qualify Schnittke first cello concerto “depressing”. The 4th movement passacaglia is one of the most poignant, resurrection and ultimately luminous piece of music written.
As for the Seventh symphony, the dramaturgy is brilliantly expressed by a minimalist use of the colors of orchestra, intellignetly conducted by Polyansky.
This is a must have recording! and Oliver should be ashamed..