Four Russian Miniatures

Alexander Borodin/Anatoly Lyadov-This collection contains arrangements by one of the leading guitarists of the new generation Rovshan Mamedkuliev. Rovshan invites Guitar lovers to explore Russian music of the 19th century. Alexander Borodin(1833 - 1887) member of the famous Mighty Handful wrote his Petite Suite for the Piano. The four pieces presented in this collection barely utilize any of the Piano's idiomatic techniques. Though unfamiliar to the Guitar untilthe present day the selected miniatures are wonderfully suited to its technical and timbral capabilities especially Serenade. Thanks to the clearly defined genre of Nocturne the vivid imagery of Reverie and the folk colour andbell-like melodiousness of In the Cloister the four pieces rich in quality and substance will be a valuable contribution to the Guitar repertoire.Anatoly Lyadov (1855 - 1914) used to joke that he could not standmore than five continuous minutes of music. The genius of musical miniature created his compositions to be laconic and refined in form simple yet elegant. Lyadov's contemporaries called his pieces 'tiny pearls of finestfinishing' and compared the composer himself to a jeweler. His three preludes from op.36 op.39 and op.40 will become a fulfilling experience for the guitarist as the music explores the rich palette of the 'mysterious Russiansoul' ranging from stormy aspirations to dreamlike elegiac moods - expressed by the composer in but a few sounds.

Shostakovich's eleventh symphony is highly programmatic a large-scale tribute to the 'victory' of the Great October Revolution of 1917 composed on the 40th anniversary of the occasion. The first of the four movements is called The Palace Square setting the sombre scene where the violent events of the day would occur and Shostakovitch includes two Russian prison songs. The second movement The Ninth of January pictures the workers' march through the streets and their slaughter. In memoriam is the title of the third movement a pensive requiem and in the last movement The Tocsin the spirit of revolt returns with militant songs and a triumphant percussive finale. This is a clear and well presented Sikorski Edition miniature score.