Unknown Shostakovich Songs from Motion Pictures:
Satires
Anti-Formalistic Raree Show

Victoria Evtodieva, soprano
Liudmila Shkirtil, mezzo-soprano
Mikhail Lukonin, baritone
Fyodor Kuznetsov, bass
Yuri Serov, piano
St. Petersburg Youth Chamber Choir
Yulia Khutoretskaya, artistic director & conductor

This is the fourth volume of the complete edition of Shostakovich Songs: The Unknown Shostakovich, which includes songs from motion pictures, Satires to Words by Sasha Chorny and the soloist-with-chorus work Anti-Formalistic Raree Show. As with the previous series offerings, Volume Four: The Unknown Shostakovich features impressive and impassioned performances by Victoria Evtodieva, Fyodor Kuznetsov, Liudmila Shkirtil and the piano and direction of Yuri Serov. Volume Four is made up of pieces that are quite varied. The remarkable and evocative song cycle Satires To Words By Sasha Chorny mixes ironic lyrics with folk themes, dances and musical theater. ‘Spring, Spring’ allows the listener to explore the lyric beauty of Pushkin’s lyrics just as the single-act satiric opera/cantata Anti-Formalistic Raree Show (Shostakovich’s creative response to the repressive Resolutions passed by the Communist Party Central Committee in 1948) illustrates and comments satirically on the political and artistic worlds that Shostakovich had to balance.

The music of Shostakovich cannot be viewed apart from the times in which he lived. This significant point continues to intrigue his listeners and promotes timely reflections on the current turbulent world climate. Critics and consumers alike have always been drawn to the genius and relevance of Shostakovich’s music and that is why this release belongs in every serious classical collection.

1. The Counter-Plan Song (1932) (words by B. Kornilov) from the motion picture “The Counter-Plan” (2:09) Mikhail Lukonin, baritone
2. Tender Girl Song (1956) (words by S. Vasiliev) from the motion picture “The First Train” (2:37) Victoria Evtodieva, soprano – Liudmila Shkirtil, mezzo-soprano
3. The Dawn is Rising (1948) (words by E. Dolmatovsky) from the motion picture “Meeting at the Elbe” (1:40) Mikhail Lukonin, baritone
4. The Song of Peace (1949) (words by E. Dolmatovsky) from the motion picture “The Fall of Berlin” (3:05) Victoria Evtodieva, soprano – Mikhail Lukonin, baritone Two Songs to words by M. Svetlov (1945)
5. Lullaby (2:53)
6. The Little Lantern Song (2:11) Victoria Evtodieva, soprano
7. We Had Kisses (words by E. Dolmatovsky) (2:23) Mikhail Lukonin, baritone
8. Spring, Spring… (words by A. Pushkin). Op. 128 (1967) (2:25) Fyodor Kuznetsov, bass Satires (Pictures of the Past) to words by Sasha Chorny, Op. 109 (1960)
9. To a Critic (1:28)
10. The Awakening of Spring (2:48)
11. Descendants (2:12)
12. Confusion (5:11)
13. Kreutzer Sonata (4:14) Victoria Evtodieva, soprano
14. Anti-Formalistic Raree Show (“Anti-Formalistic Rayok”), words by D. Shostakovich, for bass, mixed choir and piano (1948-1968) (19:52) Fyodor Kuznetsov, bass St. Petersburg Youth Chamber Choir (artistic director & conductor Yulia Khutoretskaya) Yuri Serov, piano