Russian Nights by Cincinnati Pops

Telarc Releases Russian Nights by Cincinnati Pops in SACD Surround Sound

For February, Telarc brings us another Surround Sound Super Audio CD by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Russian Nights is a “day and date” release with both the Hybrid Surround Sound SACD and the CD Audio edition of this album arriving on February 27th. According to Telarc, the album is the 83rd Telarc recording by Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the 19th of their albums that have appeared as Telarc Super Audio CD releases. In addition to the new Russian Nights SACD, Telarc’s Heads Up label also added a new title to the company’s catalog of upcoming Super Audio CDs.

Russian Nights
Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Audio

(Telarc SACD-60657)

The new Russian Nights Super Audio CD is an original Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording. It features Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra performing 15 very well known selections from Russian composers. Russian Nights has appeared on Telarc’s schedule for SACD and CD release in the past and has been bumped back a couple of times. with that in mind, it isn’t too surprising to note that the recording was actually made two years ago on April 11, 2005 at Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Telarc describes the new SACD as an album that “takes listeners on a colorful journey of popular classics and music from ballet and opera, all written by some of Russia’s best-known composers. From Glinka’s Russlan and Ludmilla to Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, Russian Nights tells enchanting musical stories.”

Kunzel says that “This disc is steeped in the rich musical language of Russia and includes recognizable orchestral classics such as Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and dances from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. We’ve also included Rimsky-Korsakov’s brilliantly orchestrated Capriccio Espagnol as well as music by the 20th century composers Khachaturian and Prokofiev.”

Russian Nights was produced by Robert Woods, recorded by Jack Brenner and mastered by Michael Bishop and Paul Blakemore with SACD Production Supervision by Erica Brenner. It was recorded on the Sony Sonoma DSD Workstation with EMM Labs Meitner DSD Converters, Genex 8500 DSD Hard Disk Recorder, monitored through the EMM Labs Meitner Switchman II Monitor Controller. The album was edited on the Sony Sonoma DSD Workstation. The Hybrid Layer Surround Sound SACD disc was made by Sony DADC at their plant in Terre Haute, Indiana.

The material on Russian Nights seems perfectly suited for Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops. They play these well known Russian favorites with energy and passion. The dances from The Nutcracker and Swan Lake are favorites here but you’ll also enjoy the orchestra’s performances of Polovtsian Dances, Capriccio Espagnol and the Love Theme from Spartacus.

Album Selections
1. Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla
2. Procession of the Sardar from Caucasian Sketches
3. March from The Love for Three Oranges
4. Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor
5. Capriccio Espagnol, Opus 34 – I. Alborada
6. Capriccio Espagnol, Opus 34 – II. Variazioni
7. Capriccio Espagnol, Opus 34 – III. Alborada
8. Capriccio Espagnol, Opus 34 – IV. Scena e canto gilano
9. Capriccio Espagnol, Opus 34 – V. Fandango asturiano
10. The Enchanted Lake, Opus 62
11. Love Theme from Spartacus
12. Russian Dance (Trepak) from The Nutcracker
13. Polonaise from Boris Godunov
14. The Music Box, Opus 32
15. Hungarian Dance (Czardas) from Swan Lake, Opus 20A

Upcoming Surround Sound Super Audio CD Releases from Telarc and Heads Up
Telarc continues to be one of the more consistent providers of Super Audio CD discs in the U.S. market. This month they add to that list with the news that the next album by Spyro Gyra titled “Good To Go-Go” will be a day and date release this June in both CD Audio and Surround Sound SACD. In light of the fine use of Surround Sound on the 4 earlier Spyro Gyra SACDs from Heads Up, this will be one to watch for in June! With this new addition, here is the list of upcoming Surround Sound SACDs from Telarc and Heads Up:

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases – March 27, 2007

  • David Russell – Art of the Guitar (Telarc SACD-60672)
  • Hiromi – Time Control (Telarc SACD-63655)

 

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases – April 24, 2007

  • Michel Camilo – Spirit of the Moment (Telarc SACD-63653)
  • Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra – Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5, Fantasia On A Theme by Thomas Tallis, Serenade for Music; Thomas Tallis: Psalm (Telarc SACD-60676)

 

Heads Up Surround Sound SACD Release – June 12, 2007

  • Spyro Gyra – Good To Go-Go (Heads Up)

 

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases – August 28, 2007

  • John O’Conor, Pianist, Andreas Delfs, London Symphony Orchestra – Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 5 (Telarc SACD-60675)

 

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases – September 25, 2007

  • Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Nutcracker Highlights (Telarc SACD-60674)
  • Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Masters & Commanders (Telarc SACD-60682)

 

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases – October 23, 2007

  • Paavo Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, Romeo & Juliet Overture (Telarc SACD-60681)
  • Marin Pearlman, Boston Baroque – Handel: Concerti Grossi Nos. 7-12 (Telarc SACD-60688)

 

Availability
The new Hybrid Surround Sound SACD edition of Russian Nights by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is now available at music stores and web sites. On the web, you’ll find these SACDs at Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, Music Direct, Amazon.Com and CD Universe.

Russian Nights by Erich Kunzel & the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra (Telarc SACD-60657)