Search - Aram Khachaturian, Andrey Anikhanov, Dmitry Yablonsky :: Khachaturian: Spartacus Suite No. 4; Maquerade; Circus; Dance Suite

A very fine Khachaturin disc

Joshua Kaufman | Cincinnati, OH | 02/20/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains some familiar, and some not-so-familiar Khachaturian music. To start off is Spartacus Suite #4. Obviously not the most well known peices from the ballet, especially as most discs have at most suites 1-3. The pieces here are ok, but nothing major. And they are done better in the full length recording on Capriccio.

Next is the Masquerade suite, by far the most well known music here. The recording here is not bad, maybe a bit sluggish, but the music itself is so great, especially the waltz, that it outweights the recording faults. The next piece, Music From The Ballet: Circus, is the reason a Khachaturian lover should get this disc. It's the only recording -- and it's a great little bit of music. It lives up to its name -- happy, fast, virtuostic, etc. Well worth listening to.

The final piece, the Dance Suite, is given a good run here. This piece is great, as it contains the "other" lezghinka that Khachaturian wrote (he actually prefered this one). The recording on this one is pretty good. And overall, the sound quality is fine, basically what one would expect from Mid-90s Naxos. So I can recommend this to anyone who likes Khachaturian music, but if you're looking only for the Masqerade Suite, there are better choices -- however this is not a bad one."

KHACHATURIAN WALTZ MESMERIZES

Joshua Kaufman | 01/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The whole CD is fabulous. My favorite part is Masquerade. It lifts you up into a world of opulence and frivolity. You can feel yourself whirling around the dance floor with great abandon. What a way to leave the daily routine behind."

Pleasing but not the best

Peter Chordas | Portland, OR USA | 04/05/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I grew up listening to the "masquerade suite" and was glad to own this recording for years as a substitute to the one I heard in my youth. But guess what? It's now reissued and out on CD! The one I'm talking about is conducted by Kiril Kondrashin and it is superior to this one. The tempi are more appropriately matched. The "nocturne" and "romance" will enthrall you and you'll keep playing it over and over again."