Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra & Sakari Oramo – Russian Masquerade (2019) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Composed in Russia between 1884 and 1917, the four works appearing on this disc all do so in some kind of disguise. Prokofiev and Scriabin both conceived their respective collections for the piano, and it is later arrangers that have adapted them for string orchestra. Rudolf Barshai took on Prokofiev’s Visions Fugitives in 1962, selecting 15 of the 20 brief pieces and arranging them for his own ensemble, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Scriabin’s Preludes received a similar treatment in 1999 when the Finnish composer Jouni Kaipainen chose 13 from the original 24, rearranging the order they appear in and transposing them in some cases. As for Anton Arensky (1861—1909), he composed his set of variations as the third movement of a string quartet, taking the theme from a song by Tchaikovsky and letting it undergo a series of transformations. Cheered by the success of the piece, he made his own arrangement for larger forces, a version which remains one of his best-known works. Tchaikovsky’s Elegy, finally, is actually heard here as it was composed, in 1884, but the piece saw the light of day as ‘A Thankful Greeting’ and was renamed ‘Elegy’ only at the time of publication, before making a final reappearance, as part of the composer’s music to Hamlet. The four works are performed by the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, one of Finland’s finest ensembles, conducted by its artistic director Sakari Oramo.

Tracklist:
1 I. Lentamente 01:09
2 II. Andante 01:18
3 III. Allegretto 58
4 IV. Animato 01:00
5 V. Molto giocoso 25
6 VI. Con eleganza 34
7 VIII. Comodo 01:18
8 IX. Allegretto tranquillo 01:12
9 X. Ridicolosamente 01:05
10 XI. Con vivacità 01:05
11 XII. Assai moderato 01:09
12 XIII. Allegretto 46
13 XIV. Feroce 01:09
14 XV. Inquieto 56
15 XVI. Dolente 02:59
16 No. 13 in G-Flat Major 01:59
17 No. 14 in E-Flat Minor 01:17
18 No. 9 in E Major 02:09
19 No. 2 in A Minor 02:17
20 No. 7 in A Major 01:01
21 No. 8 in F-Sharp Minor 01:32
22 No. 15 in D-Flat Major 02:15
23 No. 16 in B-Flat Minor 01:31
24 No. 17 in A-Flat Major 44
25 No. 18 in F Minor 47
26 No. 23 in F Major 58
27 No. 6 in B Minor 58
28 No. 5 in D Major 02:30
29 Theme. Moderato 01:08
30 Var. 1, Un poco più mosso 01:27
31 Var. 2, Allegro non troppo 01:08
32 Var. 3, Andantino tranquillo 01:29
33 Var. 4, Vivace 01:29
34 Var. 5, Andante 02:24
35 Var. 6, Allegro con spirito 01:20
36 Var. 7, Andante con moto 01:23
37 Coda. Moderato 01:55
38 Elegy for String Orchestra, TH 51 08:23