Tchaikovsky described
Glinka as ‘the acorn from which the
oak of Russian music sprang’. While
he is rightly regarded as ‘the father
of Russian music’, Glinka would never
have become the important figure he
was unless he had traveled widely and
gained a musical education as a result.
For example, he studied for three years
in Italy after 1830, meeting Bellini
and Donizetti, and then moved to Berlin,
where he continued his studies before
returning to Russia. His compositional
technique was advanced by virtue of
these experiences.
If Glinka’s first opera,
A Life for the Tsar (1836) was
an historical epic, his second, Ruslan
and Lyudmila (1842) is a brilliant
fairy tale. The plot generates an oriental
flavour and there is a tendency towards
folksong too. However, the celebrated
overture, which through its popularity
in the concert hall is Glinka’s best
known composition, only gives the merest
hint of the nature of the opera that
follows. For one of Ruslan and Lyudmila’s
most striking features is its harmonic
boldness.
In Act II the hermit
Finn tells of the mighty sorcerer, the
dwarf Tchernomor, whose musical motto
becomes a whole tone scale which has
a potent presence for the remainder
of the opera. There is also much reliance
on folk music, with its directness and
essential simplicity, with a tendency
to insist upon repetition. Indeed it
is a feature that gives the music its
nationalist style.
Vedernikov and his
Bolshoi forces are captured in an excellent
performance with good sound. The discs
result from live recordings but with
very well behaved audiences. This opera
has never established a position in
the international repertory, and when
it has made its way there have usually
been sundry cuts because complete editions
are hard to come by. As the booklet
notes tell us in some detail, this recorded
performance tries to be as complete
as possible. There have been other recorded
performances in recent times, conducted
respectively by Yuri Simonov (Melodiya)
and Valery Gergiev (Philips), but this
new version is at least a match for
them, and in many respects is better.
The recorded sound
allows for details to be heard in most
scenes; only the rather distant placing
of the chorus in the sound perspective
gives cause for complaint. The orchestral
playing if first class, allowing due
emphasis and credit to be placed upon
Glinka’s achievement in this aspect
of composition. Due credit needs to
be given to the conductor, Alexander
Vedernikov, for his attention to detail
in bringing details of say, woodwind
parts through in such a clear and natural
way. The Overture suggests that he will
be fond of fast tempi, and this proves
to be generally true.
The cast give performances
as idiomatic and committed as the Bolshoi
pedigree would lead us to expect. Valery
Gilmanov gives a virtuoso rendition
of Farlaf, and Ekaterina Morosova tackles
the Italianate coloratura of Lyudmila’s
vocal line with enthusiasm, though she
does not always manage to be convincing
as far as accuracy is concerned. No
matter, however, because the spirit
of her performance is so right.
The role of Ruslan
is taken by Taras Shtonda, not an internationally
known singer, but an artist of great
sensitivity and of secure technique.
He makes his character seem warm hearted
and attractive, and he has a marvellous
sense of lyrical line in his solo scenes.
As the hermit Finn, Vitaly Panfilov
has a slender and light tenor voice,
but this is just what is required when
he gives out has narration to a background
of dazzling orchestral sound. The other
female roles, sung by Maria Gavrilova
and Alexandra Durseneva, are beautifully
sung too. The latter takes the part
of Ratmir, a travesty role to emphasise
the character’s youthfulness and his
romantic interest in the various Persian
maidens he encounters.
The booklet is substantial
and well produced, though the synopsis
of the story line is a little thin and
there should have been more information
about the interesting historical background
of the opera. On the credit side, there
are full texts and translations from
the Russian into English, French and
German.
Terry Barfoot
See also
review by Colin Clarke
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow/Alexander
Vedernikov 
PENTATONE PTC 5186 034 [3CDs: 64.54 + 64.42
+ 73.56] 