Vainberg: Concerto For Trumpet And Orchestra Op. 94: Allegro molto
Vainberg: Concerto For Trumpet And Orchestra Op. 94: Andante
Vainberg: Concerto For Trumpet And Orchestra Op. 94: Andante
Gliere: Concerto For Horn And Orchestra, Op. 91: Allegro
Gliere: Concerto For Horn And Orchestra, Op. 91: Andante
Gliere: Concerto For Horn And Orchestra, Op. 91: Moderato-Allegro vivace
Shostakovitch's influence shadows much of this disc, most obviously in the Trumpet Concerto of his friend Moissei Vainberg. It's a serious work, despite its plethora of virtuosic opportunities for the soloist. There's an e... more »motionally charged slow movement and perky outer ones. While it's a tough workout for any trumpet virtuoso, Nakariakov, at 23, is one of the world's elite players, so this work holds no terrors for him. He sails through it with firm, lovely tonal variety, making the most of the lyrical first movement, the darker second, and the quote-filled finale. Artunian's jazzy concerto is a light appetizer to the Vainberg, and the harmless Gliere Concerto, arranged for flugelhorn, gives us an opportunity to hear that mellifluous instrument. The Vainberg is the main event and it's worth knowing, while Nakariakov's splendid playing will entrance. --Dan Davis« less
Shostakovitch's influence shadows much of this disc, most obviously in the Trumpet Concerto of his friend Moissei Vainberg. It's a serious work, despite its plethora of virtuosic opportunities for the soloist. There's an emotionally charged slow movement and perky outer ones. While it's a tough workout for any trumpet virtuoso, Nakariakov, at 23, is one of the world's elite players, so this work holds no terrors for him. He sails through it with firm, lovely tonal variety, making the most of the lyrical first movement, the darker second, and the quote-filled finale. Artunian's jazzy concerto is a light appetizer to the Vainberg, and the harmless Gliere Concerto, arranged for flugelhorn, gives us an opportunity to hear that mellifluous instrument. The Vainberg is the main event and it's worth knowing, while Nakariakov's splendid playing will entrance. --Dan Davis
CD Reviews
A great CD
S. Mills | vancouver Wa | 01/06/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sergei's Artunian is one of the best ive ever heard. His interpritation of that piece is perfect. Being a young trumpet player myself, it is an inspiration to listen to such a great musician. Both the other pieces on this cd are exellent. The Vainberg concerto is amazing, you can also hear quotes from some of the most well known trumpet exerpts, including petrouchka and mahlers 5th. The Horn Concerto is played beautifully on the flugel horn. His phrasing and expression are perfect.
A great album, well worth the buy!
Adam"
More of the best
D. Jack Elliot | 03/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another Nakariakov recording; for those of us who don't get to hear this young man perform live, this is THE next best thing! Sergei is a phenomenon!!"
Rarely Heard Works for Trumpet and Orchestra Courtesy of Na
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/16/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Now and then a CD happens along that is so tasty that it becomes a surprise favorite. This beautifully performed recording features the fine trumpeter Sergei Nakariakov with Andrey Boreyko conducting the Jenaer Philharmonie.
The works are varied, from the delightful but not so challenging Gliere Concerto for horn & orchestra in B flat (here adapted for flugelhorn) to the brilliant Mieczyslaw Vainberg Concerto for trumpet & orchestra in B flat, Op 94. This latter is a work of dynamic, dramatic contrasts, from the lyrical beauty of the opening movement to the deeply moving slow movement to the challenging and high-flying finale. Nakariakov is a true virtuoso and his facility with his instrument and intense commitment to the score make this a joy to hear. The CD opens with a bit of pastiche in the delightful Concerto for trumpet and orchestra by Alexander Arutiunian, an apropos introduction for this fine recital.
Andrey Boreyko provides superb collaboration with his sensitive conducting. These two young men are important rising stars in the field and welcome additions from Russia to the stages of the world. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05
"
One of the best classical trumpet albums ever recorded
D. Jack Elliot | Omaha, Nebraska | 10/26/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"While the music recorded here does not deserve mention alongside the trumpet concerti of Haydn and Hummel and the second Brandenburg concerto of Bach, nevertheless these are very good compositions, and not often heard. They'll add a good deal of depth to your collection, even if your interest is in classical orchestral music generally and not trumpet music specifically.
Nakariakov is an able virtuoso and he serves these pieces well. In my opinion, he elsewhere has devoted far too much of his efforts to impressive but superficial showpieces and transcriptions; this is one of the few of his albums of full length concert works from the trumpet repertoire. So while it is perhaps not as effective as other of his albums in terms of trumpet virtuosity for its own sake, in my estimation this is nevertheless his most sophisticated and aesthetically meaningful album and the greatest accomplishment of his career.
The Arutiunian concerto is a shorter, pleasingly tuneful work that strikes me as two parts Saint-Saëns, one part Russian modality. For as familiar as the piece is to trumpeters, it is unfortunately not often heard outside of their teaching studios. So while there is in fact not a great deal of competition, this is certainly the best recorded performance of the piece I've heard; and it would be hard to image a superior reading by any of the world's great trumpet virtuosi, for here we have a passionate, technically formidable performance, and by a Russian player to boot.
Many reviewers write of the Veinberg concerto as representative of the style of Shostakovich, but I think that comparison could only stand up in consideration of Shostakovich's most abstract, dissonant, experimental works: the Fourth Symphony, for example. To my mind this piece has far more in common with Bartók and Hindemith than with the large majority of Shostakovich. It's sparsely orchestrated and very dry, the full ensemble sounding only occasionally; and even then the writing is very lean, never approaching any sort of rich, sumptuous, Brahmsian sonority. The thematic material is highly absract (and this is rare for a trumpet concerto... the only other pieces I would consider assigning to the same category of expression would be those by Henri Thomasi).
In the Glière, a horn concerto played here on the flugelhorn, it's really surprising just how much Nakariakov sounds like a trombone player. It's a gorgeous and unique sound that he makes, lyrical and captivating. The piece comes out of the language of early Romanticism, recalling Schubert and Mendelssohn (as Glière had no intention of risking his life and career by adopting the dissonant, experimental language that got Shostakovich into so much trouble with the Soviets), but again with notes of a very Russian character, as with the other pieces on this album.
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1