RACHMANINOV: SYMPHONY NO.1; ISLE OF THE DEAD - SVETLANOV, USSR SYMPHONY

Rachmaninov Symphony No.1; Isle of the Dead

Evgeni Svetlanov
USSR Symphony

“Svetlanov’s volcanic 1966 recording … heartbreakingly intense yet grippingly coherent conception, brimful of insight and flair … shoots off like a rocket … finale enshrines as adrenalin-fuelled a ride to the abyss as you will ever hear … the pathos of the symphony’s Largo has to be heard to be believed (decibel levels defeated plucky Soviet engineers) … “if forced to take just one version down from the shelves, I’d plump for the great Evgeni Svetlanov’s unforgettably visceral first recording, warts and all” (Gramophone, 2006)

Symphony No. 1
[1] Grave. Allegro ma non troppo 14.21
[2] Allegro animato 8:20
[3] Larghetto 12:16
[4] Allegro con fuoco 12:41
Isle of the Dead

[5] Symphonic poem inspired by Boecklin’s painting 20:30