Nikolai Tcherepnin (1873-1945) — a student of Rimsky-Korsakov and teacher of Prokofiev — was a Russian-born composer and conductor, and the first of his family's musical dynasty. This CD provides an overview of his ninety-plus songs, which cover a wide range of styles. The early ones are in a late-Romantic idiom; the Japanese Lyrics of 1923 display oriental colours; and the extraordinary Oceanic Suite (1917-23), which sets a series of incantations by the symbolist poet Konstantin Balmont, presents modern evocations of primitive ritual.

Elena Mindlina, soprano
David Witten, piano