RACHMANINOV, S.: Romances (Hvorostovsky, Ilja)

For his first release under his new recording agreement with Ondine, baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky has chosen art song repertoire of great intensity and emotion from his Russian home country. The selection of 26 Romances by Sergei Rachmaninov includes such popular songs as Spring waters, Op.14/11 and In the silence of the mysterious night, Op.4/3.

Together with his longstanding duo partner, Estonian pianist Ivari Ilja, they have frequently performed many of these songs to great critical acclaim ("Mr Hvorostovsky used the infinite shadings of his luxuriously dark and dusky voice to illuminate the yearning nuances of bitterness and regret... his admirable range of expressive and dynamic shadings [was] aptly mirrored by Ivari Ilja, an exemplary accompanist..." - The New York Times -5 April 2008)

Dmitri Hvorostovsky is recognized as one of the leading and most charismatic baritones of our time, performing internationally at such opera houses as the New York Met, and partnering regularly with singers Renée Fleming and Jonas Kaufmann. Dmitri Hvorostovsky has released numerous highly successful CD and DVD recordings on such labels as Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and Delos.

"Ilja matches Hvorostovsky’s heart-and-soul singing with his playing."

Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times - 5 February 2012

"... the overall effect of the recital is overwhelming."

Rupert Christiansen - The Daily Telegraph - 25 February 2012

"This recording should come with the warning "too hot to handle", such is the combustible combination of Dmitri Hvorostovky’s heroic baritone with the flaming passion of intensely romantic Russian poetry."

Stephen Pritchard - The Observer - 5 February 2012

"...The arching vocal lines present in many of the songs suit Hvorostovsky’s instrument and his delivery is fervent."

Mark Pullinger - International Record Review - March 2012

"These are songs that have formed the bedrock of the singer’s acclaimed recital career internationally, performed with his longstanding duo partner, Estonian pianist Ivari Ilja. All the hallmarks of vintage Hvorostovsky are here: the Russian propensity to dwell on longing and loss; an expressive yearning that cuts through the vocal bravura; and a virile charm that leavens the heavy, head-on intensity of these superb songs. This is a fine debut to Hvorostovsky’s new partnership with Ondine."

Mark Glanville - Opera Now - March 2012

"...but for all his famously silky tones and deep-brown vocal shading Hvorostovsky does shape the lines meaningfully, and his delivery suits these songs admirably, from the most austere to the nostalgic, the passionate, and even, in It is time!, the grimly rousing."

Michael Scott Rohan - BBC Music Magazine - April 2012

"...This is Hvorostovsky’s first recording on the Finnish Ondine label, with whom he has signed a long-term contract. Although he has recorded some of these songs before, his voice is now perfectly weighted and his artistry honed by long experience sufficient to give them his finest interpretation. It helps to have a native speaker intone texts by some of Russia’s greatest 19th century Romantic poets.The recording is perfect; there is a lovely balance between the singing tone of the piano and the singer’s sonorous baritone. Estonian pianist Ivari Ilja is Hvorostovsky’s regular accompanist and plays wonderfully, with agogic freedom, shaded nuance and great variety of colour.

Ralph Moore - MusicWeb-International.com - 10 May 2012

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RACHMANINOV, S.: Romances (Hvorostovsky, Ilja)

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Ivari Ilja

Great Hall, Moscow State Conservatory

Vocal & Song

RACHMANINOV, S.: Romances (Hvorostovsky, Ilja)

ANTON CHEKHOV

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by A. Chekhov)

ALEXEI TOLSTOY

Ti pomnish' li vecher (Do you remember the evening)

SERGEI RACHMANINOV

6 Songs, Op. 4 (text by D. Merezhkovsky)

M YANOV

6 Songs, Op. 4 (text by M. Yanov)

AFANASY FET

6 Songs, Op. 4 (text A. Fet)

SERGEI RACHMANINOV

6 Songs, Op. 4 (text by A. Tolstoy)

6 Songs, Op. 8 (text by H. Heine)

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by A.V. Koltsov)

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by M. Davidova)

LEO TOLSTOY

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by L. Tolstoy)

NIKOLAI MINSKY

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by N. Minsky)

FYODOR IVANOVICH TYUTCHEV

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by F.I. Tyutchev)

NIKOLAI MINSKY

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by N. Minsky)

SEMYON YAKOVLEVICH NADSON

12 Songs, Op. 14 (text by S.Y. Nadson)

VICTOR HUGO

12 Songs, Op. 21 (text by V. Hugo)

SERGEI RACHMANINOV

12 Songs, Op. 21 (text by A.N. Apukhtin)

12 Songs, Op. 21 (text by G. Galina)

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by F.I. Tyutchev)

YAKOV PETROVICH POLONSKY

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by Y.P. Polonsky)

SERGEI RACHMANINOV

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by D. Rathaus)

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by I.A. Bunin)

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by T. Shevchenko)

U vrat obiteli svyatoy (At the Gates of the Holy Abode)

DMITRY SERGEYEVICH MEREZHKOVSKY

15 Songs, Op. 26 (text by D.S. Merezhkovsky)