|Marco Polo: 8.223146
Enescu: Romanian Poem / Romanian Rhapsodies Nos. 1 and 2
George Enescu is best known for his Romanian Rhapsodies - No. 1 in A major and No. 2 in D major. These frequently performed pieces are characterized by elements of Romanian lăutărească music, with its vivid rhythms, surprising modal shifts and an air of overall spontaneity. Some of the themes from the Rhapsodies reappeared in Romanian Poem, composed a few years later.
Glinka: Ruslan and Lyudmila
Mikhail Glinka composed his five-act opera Ruslan and Lyudmila based on Pushkin's beloved poem of the same name. Pushkin intended to write the libretto, but he was killed in a duel, and the libretto was finished by Valerian Shirkov. The overture is frequently performed and recorded, but here is an opportunity to have the whole work at a discount.
|Haenssler Classic: CD98.134
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2, Op. 52, "Lobgesang"
Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise), was written in 1840, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata", to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing. Also included are Brahms' Alto Rhapsody and Fest und Gedenkspruche and more pieces by Mendelssohn.