SVIATOSLAV KNUSHEVITSKY

 

Edition

 

Historical Russian Archives

 

CD1

Khachaturian: Cello Concerto

Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1

Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations

 

CD2

Haydn: Four London Trios

Popper: Cello Concerto in C (attrib. Haydn)

 

CD3

Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata

Hummel: Septet Op. 74

 

CD4

Borodin: String Sextet

Glazunov: String Quintet Op. 39

Myaskovsky: Cello Sonata No. 1

Grieg: Cello Sonata – Andante

Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 1 – Allegretto quasi menuetto

 

CD5

Schumann: Piano Trio No. 2 Op. 80

Babadzhanian: Piano Trio

 

Sviatoslav Knushevitsky - cello

David Oistrakh - violin

Rudolf Barshai - viola

Alexander Goldenweiser - piano

Arno Babadzhanian - piano

Lev Oborin - piano

 

Moscow Symphony Orchestra / Alexander Gauk

 

Extensive booklet essay by Ates Orga

 

Born in 1908, Knushevitsky studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Semyon Kozolupov. He was senior to Rostropovitch and Shafran, and he graduated with a gold medal the same year as Emil Gilels took the piano honours. Joining the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra in 1929, he remained their principal cello until 1943. In 1940 he co-founded one of the most famous piano trios of all time with David Oistrakh and Lev Oborin. Knushevitsky’s jet-setting life style eventually (along with his alcohol dependency) to its toll, and he suffered a heart attack, which killed him, aged 55 in 1963. Gliere, Khachaturian and Miaskovsky all wrote concertos for him, and his repertoire embraced not only the mainstream, but contemporary and rarer works such as the Strauss sonata and the Reger Suites, plus an extensive array of crowd pleasing encores such as Chopin’s Op. 25 C sharp minor etude ‘left hand’, transcribed by Glazunov. His style of playing was lyrical, and had great emotional depth. Had he not succumbed to drink he would have challenged Rostropovich as the pre-eminent Russian cellist of the 20th century. As it is his reputation is considerable, and this 5CD collection allows the listener to experience his remarkable music-making.

 

Brilliant Classics 5cds 8924