Melodiya Apriori 1. Low Strings (Live)


Firma Melodiya presents Low Strings, the first release from the Melodiya Apriori series.

For the past twenty-five years, a Russian label hasn’t released a project as uncommon and tricky as this. It is absolutely beyond the conventional notion of “chamber music recording,” neither by instrumental lineup (a viola, a cello and a double bass – it’s hardly the most advantageous of combinations that coincides lay belief), nor by selection of the music genres and styles. Matthew Locke, a representative of early English Baroque, Beethoven with his comic “eyeglasses” duet, his contemporary Bernhard Romberg, and next to them Alfred Schnittke, Vladimir Ryabov and composers of West European avant-garde with electronics attached.

The artistic will of the performers is perhaps the principal consolidating point of the album. It first of all applies to violist, organizer and enlightener Serge Poltavsky who united the effort of cellist Evgeny Rumyantsev, double bass player Grigory Krotenko (his role in the recording of the album is one of the leading ones) and sound engineer of the Moscow Conservatory and creator of the single sonic space of the Low Strings Mikhail Spassky.

It is also gratifying to hear not a distilled studio work, but live concert sound recorded at the Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatory in 2016. So, Melodiya, as it did many years ago, documents the recent past again. The fact itself makes us confident that this recording will find its listener.

Track list

    • CD1
  • 1 3 Trios d'une difficulté progressive, Op. 38 No. 1: I. Allegro non troppo
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Bernhard Romberg)
    03:55
  • 2 3 Trios d'une difficulté progressive, Op. 38 No. 1: II. Andante
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Bernhard Romberg)
    03:05
  • 3 3 Trios d'une difficulté progressive, Op. 38 No. 1: III. Rondo - Allegretto
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Bernhard Romberg)
    04:45
  • 4 Hymn II for Cello and Double Bass
    Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Alfred Schnittke)
    08:47
  • 5 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: I. No hace muchos años, en un lugar del sur
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:43
  • 6 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: II. Los gorilas
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:31
  • 7 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: III. Juramentos
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:17
  • 8 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: IV. La Resistencia
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:29
  • 9 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: V. Сacería
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    00:48
  • 10 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: VI. Luz en las tinieblas
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:40
  • 11 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: VII. Llenando el vacío
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:00
  • 12 "Escenas del Sur" for Viola and Double Bass: VIII. Candombe de los sueños
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Efrain Oscher)
    01:21
  • 13 Duet for Viola and Cello in E-Flat Major, WoO 32
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev (Ludwig van Beethoven)
    07:04
  • 14 European Cathedrals, Op. 77: Motet to the Cologne Cathedral
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Vladimir Ryabov)
    16:54
  • 15 Consort "For my Cousin Kemble" Suite No. 1 in C Minor : Fantasia III
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Matthew Locke)
    03:39
  • 16 Tableau alla Bachiana for Cello with Tape
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev (William R. Shannon)
    07:36
  • 17 "Lasterhaftes Trio" for Viola, Cello and Double Bass, WWV 141: I. Intrade
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Peter WesenAuer)
    02:45
  • 18 "Lasterhaftes Trio" for Viola, Cello and Double Bass, WWV 141: II. Grabschrift
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Peter WesenAuer)
    04:38
  • 19 "Lasterhaftes Trio" for Viola, Cello and Double Bass, WWV 141: III. Menuvww
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Peter WesenAuer)
    02:33
  • 20 "Lasterhaftes Trio" for Viola, Cello and Double Bass, WWV 141: IV. Finale
    Serge Poltavsky, Evgeny Rumyantsev, Grigory Krotenko (Peter WesenAuer)
    02:57
  • 21 Palabras for Viola and Recorded Electronics
    Serge Poltavsky (Ylva Lund Bergner)
    06:40
  • 22 Jackson (G) for Double Bass and Electronics
    Serge Poltavsky, Grigory Krotenko (Alexandra Filonenko)
    15:02
  • Total time: 01:41:09