Sergey Ostrovsky, the violinist on this recording, plays a 1716 Giovanni Grancino violin, acquired with support from Mr. James Mayer and the Tzfonot Tarbut non-profit organization.
Performer Biography
Thomas Sanderling, the conductor, gave the German premieres of Dmitri Shostakovich's Thirteenth and Fourteenth Symphonies and made the world premiere recording of Shostakovich's last orchestral work, the Michelangelo Suite, at the composer's request.
Historical Context
The absence of significant Russian violin concertos before Tchaikovsky's in 1878 is attributed to its intended performer, Leopold Auer, who is considered the founder of the Russian violin tradition.
Composer Biography
Mieczysław Weinberg, a composer on this album, settled in Moscow after his First Symphony impressed Dmitri Shostakovich, a prominent Soviet composer.
Composer Biography
Julius Conus, a composer featured on this album, studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Sergey Taneyev and Anton Arensky, another composer on this album.
Critical Reception
Despite official honors, Mieczysław Weinberg's fortunes declined in his final two decades, and his death in 1996 was largely unnoticed, though his large output has since gained high regard.
Notable Performances
Julius Conus's Violin Concerto, which he premiered in 1898, was championed by violinists Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz, with Kreisler giving its London premiere in 1904.
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Concertos For Violin: Sibelius, Glazounov, Prokofiev, Kabalevsky, Tchaikovsky
