Press-release

Recording News from Divine Art: Symphonies and orchestral works by Vyacheslav Artyomov

Vyacheslav Artyomov is considered by many to be Russia’s greatest living composer. He is perhaps best known for the internationally acclaimed Requiem, dedicated to the “Martyrs of long-suffering Russia”, and his tetralogy Symphony of the Way, comprised of four symphonies. After the fall of the Soviet regime his music has travelled the world to great acclaim. It is deep, ultimately spiritual and brilliantly crafted, with influences from the Russian symphonic tradition colored by Mahler, Honegger and Messiaen to name a few – but melded into a unique voice.

Two related albums of Artyomov’s music are being released by Divine Art Recordings Group in November. Each disc contains one symphony from Symphony of the Way, in addition to other major works.

The first album includes the second symphony in the Symphony of the Way tetralogy, On the Threshold of a Bright World, along with Ave Atque Vale for percussion and orchestra, and the much more traditional Ave, Crux Alba – a setting of the Hymn of the Knights of Malta. The conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy, needs no introduction, being one of the most lauded and accomplished figures in music today.

Disc two features Gentle Emanation, the third in the tetralogy, and is accompanied by another major work, Tristia II, a Fantasy for piano and orchestra with poems and prayers by Nikolai Gogol. Conductors Teodor Currentzis and Vladimir Ponkin are among the cream of Russia’s younger generation, both amassing a very fine reputation in their own fields.

Both CDs are dedicated to the memory of M.Rostropovich, who was the initiator of the appearance of these symphonies as well as the first performer of them.

Overall, these discs are of high importance in the symphonic repertoire and are both world premiere recordings. To be released under the Divine Art label as DDA 25143 and DDA 25144.