Search - USSR Symphony Orchestra, Svetlanov :: Dance Music from Russia: Waltzes & Polonaises

Dancing was a popular pursuit among the well-to-do of Imperial Russia, and not just as a participatory activity. Audiences flocked to the ballet, opera composers were well-advised to include dance numbers in their vocal scores, and pianists entertained guests in fashionable salons with lilting solos. This program offers selections from these three different genres, and although it focuses on just two dance forms ? the waltz and the polonaise ? there?s no lack of variety thanks to the unique gifts of each of the five composers here. Evgeni Svetlanov (1928-2002), a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, served as conductor of the Bolshoi Opera from 1955 until 1965, when he was named principal conductor of the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. Under his direction, this orchestra became a well-drilled virtuoso ensemble while maintaining its particularly Russian timbral character.