"I wish to unite popular Russian song and good old Western fugue in holy matrimony" – Mikhaïl Ivanovitch Glinka
Russia's musical vitality during the 19th century is mainly due to the work of Mikhail Glinka, the first Russian composer of international fame. His influence quickly extends to the Group of Five, made up of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Modest Mussorgsky, Mili Balakirev, César Cui and Alexandre Borodin. In spite of a predilection for ballet music and piano, the Russian repertoire also offers milestones of symphonic and operatic music, as the work of Tchaikovsky demonstrates.
During the 20th century, the appearance of composers like Scriabin, Prokofiev and Shostakovich boosts the reputation of Russian music as an art of avant-garde. Their scores are performed by a generation of virtuoso musicians, including Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Guilels and David Oïstrakh, followed by Valery Gergiev, Daniil Trifonov, Tugan Sokhiev, Anna Netrebko, Nikolai Lugansky and Vladimir Jurowski.
Philippe Calvario, Tugan Sokhiev
Renée Fleming with Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the Palaces of the Czars
Svetlana Zakharova (Nikiya), Vladislav Lantratov (Solor), Maria Alexandrova (Gamzatti) – Corps de Ballet of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia
Daniel Barenboim (conductor) – Staatsoper Berlin
Alexander Vedernikov, Dmitri Tcherniakov
Agnès Letestu (Odette), José Martinez (Siegfried) – Corps de Ballet de l'Opéra national de Paris
Mariss Jansons, Martin Kušej – Eva-Maria Westbroek (Katerina Lvovna Ismailova), Ludovít Ludha (Zinovy Borisovich Ismailov), Christopher Ventris (Sergey) – ...
Corps de Ballet of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia
Alina Cojocaru (Princess Aurora), Federico Bonelli (Prince Florimund), Christopher Saunders (King Florestan XXIV) – The Royal Ballet
2003 St. Petersburg Gala, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the city
Verbier Festival 2011
Classic Archive
Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra. The complete Tchaikovsky symphonies
Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater – The complete Prokofiev symphonies. Moscow Easter Festival
Recital at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre et Choeurs de l'ORTF
Berliner Philharmoniker
Michael Boder, Stein Winge – Graham Clark (The Clerk, A Scrivener), Robert Brubaker (Prince Vasili Golitzin) – Gran Teatre del Liceu
Agnès Letestu (Cinderella), José Martinez (The movie star) – Corps de Ballet de l'Opéra national de Paris
BBC Proms, 1981
St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Waldbühne 2009: Russian Rhythms – Berliner Philharmoniker
Verbier Festival 2011
Vladimir Horowitz's legendary recital in Moscow, 1986
Graham Vick (stage director), Sir Andrew Davis (conductor) – With Nancy Gustafson (Lisa), Yuri Marusin (Herman), Felicity Palmer (The Countess)...
Berliner Philharmoniker
Verbier Festival 2009