Rodion Shchedrin is one of the most important Russian composers to follow Chostakovitch; he earned initial international fame for his «Carmen Suite» (see below). Claves Records is pleased to celebrate his 70th birthday with a recording featuring this beautiful suite as well as two world premiere recordings.

Shchedrin wrote the «Carmen Suite» in 1967 as the music for a one-act ballet at the Bolshoi. It is an amazing document of the composer’s phenomenal mastery of orchestration. Without altering the musical material, Shchedrin transformed Bizet’s music by varying rhythms, colors and orchestration. The palette of sonorities that he created is astounding. The score and the ballet, however, received negative reactions not only from the political bureaucrats but even from some musicians.

As Shchedrin recalls, it was Chostakovitch who came to the rescue. He «went to the Ministry of Culture, called top officials, etc.» In fact, Chostakovitch did more than just make calls, he gave an interview. «I saw the Carmen Ballet Suite at the Bolshoi and was truly amazed at the brilliance of Shchedrin’s transcription of Bizet’s music. It is an independent work, I would even call it original music. It should be ranked with the best transcriptions by Liszt or Busoni. And how unpretentious!

None of Bizet’s melodies have been changed; the accents have been slightly shifted, strings and percussion are simply substituted for the soloists, chorus and orchestra!... To many, I know, Shchedrin’s experiment might first appear impudent if not blasphemous. But look at the result, a joyful celebration of ballet, and beyond that a major success in Soviet music... We could use more of such experiments!»

Also included on this recording are two world premiere recordings. «Russian Photographs» is a four-movement suite, snapshots of Russian life, composed in 1994. «Velicanie» (Glorification) for string orchestra was written in September 1995 on commission from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Composed in just eight days, it provides telling demonstration of the unconventional manner with which Shchedrin treats traditional genres and themes.

These Russian masterpieces are performed by one of Russia’s leading ensembles, the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, under the direction of Misha Rachlevsky.