Search - Alexander Borodin, André Cluytens, Constantin Silvestri :: Borodin: Orchestral Works

Quite a good Borodin only CD

Virditas | Tokyo | 03/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are few Borodin-only CDs that contain these pieces. In fact, the only other one I know of, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is only avaliable in Japan, and the recording has some severe defects (popping sounds in the 2nd symphony). This CD is therefore quite a treat if you don't want Borodin and Mussorgsky, or Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov - just Borodin. The Recording are all made before 1975, and most before 1965, so the quality may not be digital, but it is still pretty good, especially if you've got a good sound system - bad systems will ingratiate a small background hiss.I love this CD and I hope that the... label won't keep you from buying it, these peices are not badly preformed by anomyunous orchestras and conductors, but by world-class ones."

A good introduction to Borodin's orchestral works

Jill Malter | jillmalter@aol.com | 09/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alexander Borodin was, of course, a chemist. And he only had a chance to compose in his spare time. Still, he was a fine symphonist. Others may remind us that Borodin was one of "The Five" great Russian nineteenth-century composers (Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Balakirev, and Cui). I prefer to think of Borodin as member of a more exalted group, namely the ten great nineteenth-century European symphonists (Beethoven, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Berlioz, Borodin, and Berwald).



This CD has a fine selection of Borodin's works: his impressive second symphony, the well-known "In the Steppes of Central Asia," and orchestral excerpts from "Prince Igor," including the famous Polovtsian Dances. The works are very well performed, and I certainly recommend this disc.

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