Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Festival - Franck: Symphony in D Minor (Live)
3/1/2019, 4 Tracks, 51:46
Featuring
Kirill Kondrashin
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
César Franck
Did you know?
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Critical Reception
César Franck's Symphony in D minor was initially not well-received by many contemporaries, facing criticism and even ridicule, with Hanns Eisler calling it 'profound bombast'.
Performer Biography
Kyrill Kondrashin, the conductor on this album, was a Moscow native who became one of the great conductors of his era, recognized on both sides of the 'Iron Curtain'.
Performer Biography
Kyrill Kondrashin's career was closely linked with prominent figures like Dmitry Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, David Oistrakh, and Sviatoslav Richter.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Conductor Kyrill Kondrashin believed that 'artistic will-power' and 'tenacity' were the most important qualities for a conductor.
Composition History
Both Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture and César Franck's D minor Symphony were composed in 1887/88 and premiered within months of each other in St. Petersburg and Paris, respectively.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, which uses Orthodox melodies, was intended as an homage to Russian national music history.
Composition History
Rimsky-Korsakov dedicated his Russian Easter Overture to the memory of Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander Borodin, who were members of 'The Mighty Five', a group of Slavic composers.
