Arax Davtian, soprano
Vladimir Yurigin-Klevke, piano

“one of the most beautiful, honest and touching recordings of these Russian musical gems” Constantine Orbelian

Arax Davtian (1949-2010), People’s Artist of Armenia, was often called Armenia’s greatest soprano. She recorded this choice collection for Russian Disc in 1994, at the urging of Constantine Orbelian, who conducted many performances and tours featuring Arax with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Constantine writes in his memorial tribute to Arax that when he first heard her sing he was taken with “her crystal clear voice, pinpoint intonation, beautiful phrasing and line,” and goes on to say that “Arax was blessed with the rarest of all gifts: truth and sincerity in art.”

Arax began her musical life as a pianist, and rose to international prominence as a singer in 1984, when she won the Viotti Competition in Italy, and was invited to the Bolshoi to sing Violetta. She became an international sensation in her tours of Europe and the US with the Moscow Virtuosi under Vladimir Spivakov, and sang with an impressive array of prestigious conductors and orchestras of Europe.

Pianist/chamber musician/accompanist Vladimir Yurigin-Klevke is one of the leading pianistic figures in Moscow. His solo album of 20th Century Russian piano music (Gubaidulina, Part, Shostakovich, Shchedrin and Karayev, originally on Russian Disc) is also available on Delos (DRD 2008).

program

Glinka:
Alla Cetra (K Tsytre)
I Recall a Wonderful Moment (Ya Pomnyu Chudnaye Mgnavenye)
The Blue Waves Are Asleep (Usnuli Golubye)
How Sweet It Is To Be With You (Kak Slatko S Taboyu Mne Byt)
Tell Me Why (Skazhi, Zachem…)
The Fair Maiden Is Miserable (Gorko, Gorko Mnye, Krasnoi Devitse)

Dargomyzhskiy:
The Sierra-Nevada Is Covered With Fog (Adelas Tumanami Sierra-Nevada)
The Garden (Vertograt)
Sixteen Years (Shesnatsat Lyet)
The Clouds In The Sky (Tuchki Nebesnye)
The Youth And The Maiden (Yunoshu, Gorko Rydaya)

Tchaikovsky:
That Was In Early Spring (To Bylo Ranneyu Vesnoi) Op. 38, No. 2
Amidst the Bustling Party (Sred Shumnova Bala) Op. 38, No. 3
Not A Word, Oh My Friend (Ni Slova, O Druk Moi) Op. 6, No 2
In A Single Word (Khatel By V Yedinaye Slovo); Again Like Before (Snova, Kak Prezhde…)

Rachmaninoff:
Don’t Sing to Me, Fair Maiden (Ne Poi, Krasavitsa) Op. 4, No. 4
The Lilac (Siren) Op. 21, No. 5
An Excerpt From A. Musset (Atryvok Iz A. Musse) Op. 21, No. 6
Rat-Catcher (Krysalof) Op. 38, No. 4
Daisies (Margaritki) Op. 38, No. 3; Spring Waters (Vesenniye Vody) Op. 14, No. 11