The 10 CDs that make up this collection present major works by great Russian composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev.

Amongst the featured artists are the legendary performers Mstislav Rostropovich, Sviatoslav Richter, David Oistrakh and Vladimir Horowitz.

Khatchaturian and Kabalevsky are also heard conducting their own works, whilst Shostakovich appears as pianist in both of his Piano Concertos and with his son Maxim Shostakovich in the Concertino for 2 Pianos.

During the Tsarist years leading up to the revolution of 1917, Russian musical life was dominated by figures like Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov, composers who had developed a style steeped in Russian folk tradition. The period after this was dominated by the music of Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, who took elements of that tradition and fused them with contemporary innovation.

Contents:
CD 1
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Waltz from the Serenade in C Major, op.48
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch
1957

- Capriccio Italien, op.45
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra / Antal Dorati
1954

- March Slave, op.31
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin
1994

- 1812 Overture, op.49
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota University Brass band / Antal Dorati
1954

- Symphony No.2 in C Minor, op.17 “Little Russian”
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire Paris / Georg Solti
1956

CD 2
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Concerto for Piano & & Orchestra No.1 in B Minor, op.23
Clifford Curzon (piano) / Vienna Philharmonic / Georg Solti
1958

- Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No.2 in G Major, op.44
Shura Cherkassky (piano) / Berlin Philharmonic / Richard Kraus
1955

CD 3
KABALEVSKY
- Concerto for Violin & Orch. in D Major, op.48
David Oistrakh (violin), USSR Symphony orchestra / Dmitri Kabalevsky
1956

GLAZUNOV
- Concerto for Violin & Orch. in A Minor, op.82
Nathan Milstein (violin), RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra / William Steinberg
1949

KHATCHURIAN
- Concerto for Violin & Orch. in D Minor
David Oistrakh (violin), USSR State Philharmonic Orchestra / Aram Khatchaturian - 1955 (?)

CD 4
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Symphony No.6 in B Minor “Pathetique“
Leningrad Philharmonic / Evgeny Mravinsky
1956

BORODIN
- Polovtsian Dances from “Prince Igor”
Radio France National Orchestra & Chorus / Igor Markevitch
1957

- From the Steppes of Central Asia ( arr: Glazunov)
RIAS Symphony Orchestra / Ferenc Fricsay
1954

MUSSORGSKY: Night on a Bare Mountain (arr: Rimsky-Kors.)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Georg Solti
1959

CD 5
MUSSORGSKY
- Pictures at an Exhibition (original piano version)
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
1958

- Pictures at an Exhibition (orchestral arr. Ravel)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Herbert von Karajan
1959

CD 6
RACHMANINOV
- Prelude in G Major, op.32, No.5
- Prelude in G Minor, op.23, No.5
Geza Anda (piano)
1956

- Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No.2 in C Minor, op.18
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Warsaw National Symphony orchestra / Stanislaw Wislocki
1960

- Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No.3 in D Minor, op.30
Vladimir Horowitz (piano), RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner
1951

CD 7
RACHMANINOV
- Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No.4 in G Minor, op.40
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano), Philharmonia Orchestra / Ettore Gracis
1957

PROKOFIEV
- Concerto for Violin & Orch. No.1 in D, op.19
David Oistrakh (violin), London Symphony Orchestra / Lovro von Matacic
1954

SCRIABIN: Concerto for Piano & Orch.in F# Minor, op.20
Solomon (piano) / Philharmonia Orchestra / Issay Dobrowen
1949

CD 8
TCHAIKOVSKY
- Concerto for Violin & Orchestra in D Major, op.35
Jascha Heifetz (violin), Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner
1957

- Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello & Orchestra, op.33
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello), USSR Symphony Orchestra / Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
1960

RACHMANINOV
- Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini
Arthur Rubinstein (piano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Walter Süsskind
1947

CD 9
SHOSTAKOVICH
- Concerto for Piano, Trumpet & Strings in C Major, op.35
Dimitri Shostakovich (piano) / Iwan Wolownik (trumpet), Moscow State Philharmonic orchestra / Samuil Samosud
1955

- Concerto No.2 for Piano & Orchestra in E Major, op.192
Dimitri Shostakovich (piano), USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra / Alexander Gauck
1958

- Concertino for 2 pianos, op.94
Maxim and Dimitri Shostakovich (pianos)
1956

SCRIABIN
- Etude No.11 in B Minor, op.8
- Poeme “Vers la flamme“, op.72
Wladimir Sofronitzky (piano)
1958

PROKOFIEV
- Concerto for Piano & Orch. No.5 in G Major
Sviatoslav Richter (piano), Warsaw National Symphony orchestra / Witold Rowicki
1959

CD 10
GLINKA
- Overture - Ruslan and Ludmilla
Berliner Philharmoniker / Georg Solti
1959

KHATCHATURIAN
- Gayaneh - Säbeltanz
GLIERE
- The Red Poppy, op.70
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra / Carmen Dragon
1959

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
- Flight of the Bumble-Bee (arr: Heifetz)
Michael Rabin (violin), Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra / Felix Slatkin
1959

BORODIN
- Overture: Prince Igor
MUSSORGSKY: Khovanchina
- Prelude
- Dance of the Persian Slaves
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Georg Solti
1959

STRAVINSKY
- Petrushka: Russian Dance
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Leopold Stokowski
1957

- Parasha’s Aria (arr: Stravinsky)
- The Fairy’s Kiss - Pas de Deux (arr: Rostropovich)
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello), Alexander Dedyukhin (piano)
1960

- Circus Polka
Andor Foldes (piano)
1951

PROKOFIEV
- Romeo and Juliet, op.64a: Masques
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Yuri Simonov
1993

TCHAIKOVSKY
The Nutcracker
- March of the Tin Soldiers
Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra
1957
- Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande / Ernest Ansermet
1959
- Trepak
Orchestre Philharmonique de France / Philippe Vandeau
1960

The Sleeping Beauty
- Waltz
Swan Lake
- Main Theme
Philharmonia Orchestra / Herbert von Karajan
1959
- Dance of the Young Swans
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande / Ernest Anserme
1959



Eugene Onegin
- Waltz
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra / Felix Slatkin
1958