Album Notes

Edison Denisov is the most popular Russian composer of the
so called Second Avangarde Wave. Many critics agree that Les
Pleurs is his best work. The unique character of the release
lies in the fact that the recordings of the three works
presented on this album were made secretly during the
60-ies, when the works were written, by the best Russian
musicians of that time: Ldya Davydova (soprano), Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Eri Klas (conductors).
Edison Denisov was a strikingly innovative Russian composer
of Siberian extraction. A leading figure of the
post-Shostakovich generation and a hugely influential
teacher. Gravitated towards European models like Boulez and
Ligeti as well as to the French aesthetic of Debussy and
Messiaen. His modernist leanings provoked severe official
disapproval, but he stayed loyal to his Russian roots
including sweet romantic melodies of Glinka and confessional
psycho-dramas of Shostakovich. Style is refined, ornately
detailed and elaborate, at the same time romantic and
melancholy, creating rich play with elaborate chromatic
textures and micro-polyphony. A master of colourful
instrumentation in such works as Peinture, and skills used
to complete pieces by Schubert, Musorgsky, Debussy and
Mosolov. Works for leading soloists including Heinz
Holliger, Gidon Kremer and Yuri Bashmet.

(taken from Boosey & Hawkes web-site -
http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?co
mposerid=2702)