“Borodin’s well known Polovtsian dances from Prince Igor need no introduction. Those jollifications of the fearsome steppe warriors and their molls make up the CD’s longest single track and the whole thing emerges as an enjoyable romp that’s well suited to arrangement for Russian guitars. Once again, the familiarity of the original music makes it easier for a general listener to appreciate Mr Timofeyev’s skill as an arranger…I just found it a lot of fun. Mentioning fun, it certainly sounds as if the Russian Guitar Quartet members are having plenty of it too, even if they choose to adopt a somewhat stony-faced appearance in the cover photograph. They are a relatively new ensemble, founded just a decade ago at the inaugural International Annual Russian Guitar Seminar Seminar and Festival in Iowa, USA. As such the Quartet is a self-consciously pioneering group, aiming not just to rearrange existing compositions but also to commission new ones. Messrs Timofeyev and Stepanov, along with their colleagues Vladimir Sumin and Dan Caraway, are clearly not only enthusiasts but perceptive interpreters of their chosen repertoire and highly skilled technicians too. With everything here is played with style and commitment, the disc offers both an enlightening and entertaining introduction to the Russian Guitar and just over an hour of enjoyable listening. While those with a special interest in the guitar will certainly want to hear it, it would be a shame if others with a more general enthusiasm for Russian 19th century music weren’t to do so as well.” —Rob Maynard, MusicWeb International
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