Nostalghia, Etc: Bashmet(Va)/ Moscow Soloists +林光, Tan Dun

MOSCOW SOLOISTS
YURI BASHMET violin, viola
WU MAN pipa　　　　

TAN DUN (1957-)
Pipa Concerto*
1 Andante molto　　　　　　 　　3.55
2. Allegro　　　　　　　　6.36
3. Adagio　　　　　　　　4.44
4. Allegro vivace　　　　　　　　5.07

TÔRU TAKEMITSU (1930-1996)
5 Nostalghia (violin & strings) 16.13

Three Film Scores for Strings
6.Training and Rest (José Torres)　　　　4.40
7 Funeral Music (Black Rain) 　　　　4.09
8 Waltz (Face of Another)　　　　2.18

HIKARU HAYASHI (1931-)
Viola Concerto “Elegia”　　　　　　　　
9 I　　　　　　　　　　17.35
10 II　　　　　　　　　　12.44

Total timing　　　　　　　　78.04

Wu Man pipa (1-4)
Yuri Bashmet violin (5), viola (9,10)
Directed by: Yuri Bashmet,
Roman Balashov (5, 9,10)

*world première recording


·　　New CD from the Moscow Soloists and their charismatic director Yuri Bashmet. Previous ONYX releases (Symphonies by Shostakovich, Sviridov and Vainberg 4007- and Stravinsky Apollo/Prokofiev Visions Fugitives 4017) have both won US Grammy nominations!

·　　This disc is their most enterprising so far, and features Bashmet as violist and violinist as well as director : a Pilgrimage from Russia to the Far East an enterprising mix of cultures and flavours in works from China and Japan. Tan Dun is of course well-known in the West for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and is now based in New York. This world premiere recording is for pipa, a 4-stringed ancient Chinese lute-like instrument. Wu Man is its foremost exponent and a prominent soloist as well as leading member of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road project.

·　　Takemitsu is of course Japan’s best-known composer. Nostalghia was written in memory of Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky (and featuring Bashmet on violin!), plus three short film scores , Takemitsu’s favourite genre. Finally, a substantial addition to the viola concerto repertoire – Hayashi’s Concerto “Elegia” (1995), a highly approachable and yearning score with hints of Janacek and Bartok as well as a distinctive Japanese flavour.

·　　Moscow Soloists/Bashmet dates: Tour of Japan and Korea February 2008.

Recording: 09/2007