Igor Raykhelson: Jazz Suite and other works
In the words of his friend the violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet, the composer-pianist Igor Raykhelson – born in Leningrad in 1961 and now resident in New York – 'possesses a superb mastery of both classical and jazz idioms’. The highly individual fusion of styles that results, Bashmet continues, 'elevates his music over that of many other composers creating in the genre often referred to as “crossover”’. The Jazz Suite on this CD exhibits Raykhelson’s popular style at its most infectiously catchy; the other three works here – in the Russian tradition of writing for strings initiated by Tchaikovsky – present the more classical side of his muse.
Igor Raykhelson, piano
Yuri Bashmet, viola, conductor
Elena Revich, violin
Igor Butman, saxophone
Yuri Golubev, double-bass
Eduard Zizak, drums
Moscow-Soloists, ensemble
Listen To This Recording:
-
Little Symphony for Strings in G minor (2005)
- I. Alla Waltz
- II. Scherzando
- III. Adagio
- IV. Allegro
- Reflections for Violin, Viola and Strings (2005)
- Adagio for Viola and Strings (2005)
- I. Theme
- II. Fusion
- III. Jazz Waltz – Take Three
- IV. Fugue
- V. Swing
- VI. Consolation
- VII. Finale
Jazz Suite for Viola, Saxophone and Orchestra (2005)
MusicWeb International :
‘The Adagio for viola and strings is a beautiful work, with a strong sense of emotion. Bashmet plays with richness of tone and musical elegance….This was an interesting disc, with some lovely moments….[W]orthy of exploration.’
—Carla Rees, MusicWeb International
BBC Music Magazine :
‘…the combination of Raykhelson’s natural fluency, the persuasive playing of the Moscow Soloists and fine engineering sweeps away and lingering doubts.’
—Erik Levi, BBC Music Magazine
Music & Vision :
‘… superb interaction of…distinguished performers for…success’
—Patric Standford, Music & Vision
Evening Standard :
‘Raykhelson is the latest discovery on Toccata Classics, a British label devoted to neglected composers. He won’t be ignored much longer.’
—Evening Standard
AllMusic :
‘The Jazz Suite offers evidence that the so-called third stream has not run dry, and anyone interested in the broader question of the place of concert music in a vernacular musical world should hear it.’
—James Manheim, AllMusic