Borodin Complete Songs and Romances

Delos presents the second volume in its unparalleled Russian Vocal Series – Complete Songs and Romances of Alexander Borodin

A chemist by profession, Borodin was nevertheless one of Russia’s most richly gifted composers. Vocal music was important throughout Borodin’s creative life and the diversity of his settings is astonishing, from miniature masterpieces such as My Songs Are Poisoned, to the epic Song of the Dark Forest. His scientific mind led him to constantly experiment with new sounds, to always search for the perfect form. Borodin was an amateur cellist and three of his early songs – The beauty loves me no more, Listen to my song, little friend, and The lovely fisherwoman – incorporate his instrument, resulting in unusual trios which he used to practice together with his friends. A brilliant linguist, Borodin wrote many of his own song texts, many of which have been regarded as allegorical. In The sleeping Princess, for example, the Princess allegedly represents Russia under the spell of tsarist autocracy. For other settings, Borodin turns to the poetic genius of Heine, Pushkin and Tolstoy. Delos’ Russian Vocal Series is compiled by Yuri Serov, pianist and professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Serov has hand-picked the singers on this CD, carefully matching their vocal qualities to the musical characteristics. The first release in Delos’ Russian Vocal Series was the first complete collection of Prokofiev’s Songs and Romances, in a 3-CD set (DE 3275).
BORODIN: The Pretty Girl No Longer Loves Me; Listen To My Song, Little Friend; The Lovely Fisherwoman; Why So Early, O Sunset?; The Sleeping Princess; My Songs Are Poisoned; The Sea Princess; The False Note; Song Of The Dark Forest; From My Tears; The Sea Pride; For The Shores Of Thy Far Native Land; Those Folk; The Magic Garden; Arabian Melody