PROKOFIEV / RACHMANINOV

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2

Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances

Sergey Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, op. 63

1. Allegro moderato

2. Andante assai

3. Allegro, ben marcato

Sergey Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, op. 45

4. Non allegro

5. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse)

6. Lento assai – Allegro vivace – Lento assai. Come prima – Allegro vivace

Geneviève Laurenceau (violin),

Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse / Tugan Sokhiev

The CD includes two more great Russian masterpieces, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto. The latter features the orchestra’s new leader, the talented soloist Geneviève Laurenceau.

Tugan Sokhiev became music director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse in 2008, following three years as principal guest conductor and artistic adviser. During this collaboration he has conducted many critically acclaimed concerts across Europe and Asia, and their first two discs for Naïve received remarkable reviews. Tugan Sokhiev has just been named music director designate of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and will take up his role as music director from the 2012-13 season. He is a regular visitor to this country, conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Born in Strasbourg in 1977, Geneviève Laurenceau was awarded the Grand Prix of the Académie Maurice Ravel at Saint-Jean-de-Luz in September 2001, and later won the fifth ‘Violon de l’Adami’ award, She has performed as a soloist with the leading French and international orchestras under the direction of such conductors as Michel Plasson, Kees Bakels, Walter Weller and Tugan Sokhiev.

Both Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff left Russia following the Revolution of 1917, and both made careers abroad as composer-pianists. However, while Rachmaninov resolved never to return to Russia so long as it was under Soviet rule, Prokofiev took a more pragmatic approach and, though cautious in his dealings with Soviet authorities, remained on good terms with the Soviet authorities.

Naïve V5256