Semistrunka

Works by Giovanni Kapsberger, Pietro Paolo Melli, Vincenzo Bernia, Michelangelo Galilei, Robert Ballard, Nicolas de la Grotte, Anonymous, Nicolas Vallet, Jacob van Eyck, Thomas Robinson, John Maynard, Robert Johnson (late-16th- and early-17th-century lute musicx)

Centaur Records (CRC-2409)

The first half of the 19th century witnessed the blossoming of the Russian seven-string guitar (tuned D G B d g b d'). During that time, an exquisite repertoire for the instrument was created, which departs significantly from the Western-European guitar tradition. This compact disc is the world's pioneer recording of selections from that repertoire on original instruments. The performance is historically informed and based on a careful study of Russian 19th century guitar techniques. The pieces included represent the individual styles of eleven composers - ranging from "giants" such as Sychra and Vysotsky to less prolific ones like Alferiev and Palevich, of whom we have only a handful of pieces. This recording displays the variety, elegance and wit of the Russian guitar tradition as well as its technical and musical specifity. It offers only a first taste of a hitherto neglected repertoire which holds hundreds of excellent compositions ripe for rediscovery.

Dorian Recordings (DOR-93170)

The wealth and versatility of the Russian guitar tradition is only now becoming accessible to the Western listener. From its beginnings in the 1790's, Russian guitar culture went its own way, centering around a seven string instrument tuned D G B d g b d'. Although the creators of this tradition were tangentially aware of the ideas and techniques of famous Western guitarists such as Sor and Giuliani, most of the surviving music is quite different in nature and style from its Western-European counterpart.

Dorian Recordings (DOR-93203)

Talisman: Oleg Timofeyev, Russian Seven-String Guitar, Artistic Director; Anne Harley, Soprano, Co-Director; Irina Rees, Harpsichord; Etienne Abelin, Baroque Violin.

The Western listener will hardly be aware of any Russian composers from this period, let alone of any women composers. In fact, these Russian women composers of the 18th century were also rather thoroughly forgotten in their home country. Only rarely do they make it onto the pages of music history textbooks. This is somewhat surprising, since some of these composers left music of extremely high quality that would decorate any recital of 18th-century music.

Dorian Recordings (DOR-93244)

Oleg Timofeyev, Russian Seven-String Guitar

Oleg Timofeyev’s latest CD features the compositions of Matvei Stepanovich Pavlov (artistic pseudonym: Azancheev; March 10, 1888–January 8, 1963). Pavlov was a professional cellist and symphony conductor as well as a composer for and a virtuoso on the Russian seven-string guitar. During a tour in the city of Sochi, Pavlov-Azancheev was slandered, falsely accused, and arrested on charges of Chapter 58.10, part two (“Anti-Soviet Propaganda”) and spent the years 1941–1951 in a labor camp. Throughout his imprisonment, guitar and guitar playing were particularly important in his life. He sent a number of his scores out of his labor camp, some just neatly copied, others newly composed.

Hänssler Records (098458000)

Profil 07072