Description
The great Russian conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov was born in Moscow in 1928 and studied with Alexander Gauk at the Moscow Conservatory.
From 1955 he conducted at the Bolshoi Theatre, becoming principal conductor (1962-1964). From 1965 he was principal conductor of the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (now the Russian State Symphony Orchestra).
In 1979 he was appointed principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Residentie Orchestra (The Hague 1992–2000) and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1997-1999).
He frequently visited the UK, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, USA, and other countries. Svetlanov was a leading interpreter of Russian composers including Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, Miaskovsky and Scriabin, but also a large number of non-Russian composers ranging from Debussy to Elgar.
He died in Moscow in 2002, aged 73.
· These recordings originate from the Edinburgh Festival performances which Svetlanov gave in 1968 and 1978. The performance of Scheherazade recorded here with the LSO in August 1978 followed on from his Royal Festival Hall concert of the same work, again with the LSO in February 1978
· The Edinburgh performance of Scheherazade, notably in the last movement, is exceptionally colourful, fast and exciting. Glinka’s Symphony on Two Russian Themes with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra is another rarity originating from Svetlanov’s appearance at the 1968 Edinburgh Festival. It first appeared on a BBC Legends release in 2004 but has been completely remastered
· Jon Tolansky’s booklet notes contain many anecdotes and insights about Svetlanov from the LSO players. For example, Gerald Newson is quoted on Svetlanov’s sometimes unorthodox interpretations: “He had such a commanding and driving presence on the podium that you had to go along with him, whatever he wanted to do. It was always very dramatic and exciting, it was often very fast in the livelier up-tempo passages, and it was usually very extreme
in dynamics”
· Superb remastering from Paul Baily, all broadcasts being ‘live’ and in stereo
