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Rachmaninoff wrote no less than 85 songs for voice and piano. He composed them all before 1917 when he went into exile in the United State of America. All texts are in Russian (translations) and somehow to him the genre was linked to his home land. Once having left he never returned to song writing.
The songs deal with a variety of subjects, including some religious ones, and have texts by both more and less famous poets, including some of the avant-garde ones. Since Rachmaninoff wrote many of his songs for specific singers such as the famous bass Shalyapin and since he adapted his writing to their way of presentation one finds several styles among these songs.
The songs have their ‘Russian-ness’ in common. Most convincing performances by singers Joan Rodgers, Maria Popescu, Alexandre Naoumenko and Sergei Leiferkus. Accompaniments by Howard Shelley at the piano.
Track listing:
CD 1
1. At the gates of the holy cloister 3:04
2. Nothing shall I say to you 1:49
3. Again you are bestirred, my heart 2:09
4. April! A festive day in the spring 2:04
5. Dusk was falling 2:39
6. Song of the disenchanted 2:59
7. The flower died 3:19
8. Do you remember the evening? 2:31
9. O, no, I beg you, do not leave Op. 4, no. 1 1:45
10. Morning Op. 4, no. 2 1:49
11. In the silence of the secret night Op. 4, no. 6 2:43
12. Sing not, O lovely one Op. 4, no. 4 4:20
13. Oh, my field Op. 4, no. 5 4:03
14. It wasn't long ago, my friend Op. 4, no. 6 1:49
15. Water Lily Op. 8, no 1 1:17
16. My child, your beauty is that of a flower op 8, no. 3 1:39
17. Thoughts, refelction Op. 8, no. 3 3:01
18. I fell in love, to my sorrow Op. 8, no. 4 2:19
19. A dream Op. 8, no. 5 1:22
20. Prayer Op. 8, no. 6 3:14
21. I await you Op. 14, no 4 1:46
22. Small island Op. 14, no. 5 2:11
23. How fleeting is delight in love Op. 14, no. 3 1:32
24. I was with her Op. 14, no. 2 1:16
25. Summer Nights Op. 14, no. 6 1:36
26. You are so loved by all Op. 14, no. 7 2:05
27. Do not believe me, frined Op. 14, no. 7 1:35
28. Oh, do not grieve Op. 14, no. 5 2:56
29. She is as beautiful as midday Op. 14, no. 19 2:35
30. In my soul Op. 14, no. 10 2:34
31. Spring torrents Op. 14, no. 11 2:10
32. It is time Op. 14, no. 12 1:33
CD 2
1. Were you hiccoughing, Natasha? 1:33
2. Night 3:10
3. Fate Op. 21, no. 1 7:09
4. By a fresh grave Op. 21, no. 2 1:47
5. Twilight Op. 21, no. 2 2:04
6. They replied 1:45
7. Lilacs Op. 21, no. 4 1:59
8. Fragment from A. Musset Op. 21, no. 6 1:53
9. How peaceful Op. 21, no. 7 2:07
10. On the death of a siskin Op. 21, no. 8 2:29
11. Melody Op. 21, no. 9 3:00
12. Before the icon Op. 21, no. 10 3:20
13. I am not a prophet Op. 21, no. 11 1:29
14. How pained I am Op. 21, no. 12 1:45
15. There are many sounds Op. 26. no 1 2:28
16. All was taken from me Op. 26, no. 2 0:56
17. We shall rest Op. 26, no. 3 2:13
18. Two farewells Op. 26, no. 4 4:27
19. Let us leave, my sweet Op. 26, no. 5 2:18
20. Christ is risen 2:46
21. To my childeren Op. 26, no. 10 3:28
22. I beg for mercy Op. 26, no. 8 1:12
23. I am alone again Op. 26, no. 9 1:46
24. At my window Op. 26, no. 10 2:54
25. The fountain 1:22
26. Night is sorrowful Op. 26, no. 12 2:20
27. Yesterday we met Op. 26, no. 13 2:54
28. The Ring Op. 26, no. 14 2:32
29. All passes Op. 26, no. 15 2:32
CD 3
1. Letter to K.S. Stanislavsky 3:16
2. The muse Op. 34, no. 1 4:10
3. In the soul of each of us Op. 34, no. 2 2:15
4. The storm Op. 34, no. 3 3:36
5. A passing breeze Op. 34, no. 4 3:36
6. Arion 2:48
7. The raising of lazarus Op. 34, no. 6 2:14
8. It cannot be Op. 34, no. 7 1:35
9. Music Op. 34, no. 8 2:23
10. You knew hin Op. 34, no. 9 2:13
11. I remember this day Op. 34, no. 10 1:33
12. The herald Op. 34, no. 11 2:52
13. What is happiness Op. 34, no. 12 2:12
14. Dissonance Op. 34, no. 13 6:00
15. Vocalise Op. 34, no. 14 6:04
16. From the gospel of St. John 1:22
17. At the night in my garden Op. 38, no. 1 1:48
18. To her Op. 38, no. 2 2:50
19. Daisies Op. 38, no. 3 2:15
20. The pied piper Op. 38, no. 4 2:30
21. Sleep Op. 38, no. 5 3:20
22. 'Au "Op. 38, no. 6 2:21
23. A prayer 2:33
24. All glory to God 1:58
Joan Rodgers, soprano
Maria Popescu, mezzo-soprano
Alexandere Naoumenko, tenor
Sergei Leiferkus, bass
Howard Shelley, piano
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