CÉSAR CUI (1835-1918)
Suite Concertante Op. 25
Suite Miniature Op. 20
Suite Op. 43 “In Modo Populari”


Gramophone [10/1986]:
Cui, a member of the original Russian 'Five', was a dedicated encourager of the other members of the group (and indeed of all living Russian composers) to aim at less imitation of the West; and instead to write, without inhibition, more obviously independent Russian-style music. Nevertheless, he seemed to exempt himself from the encouragement, tending to write his own music in a pretty well accepted western European mould.
Quite often this apparent dichotomy is referred to disparagingly as a betrayal of his own principles. Yet surely there was no betrayal here. He thought Russian composers should write Russian music, true; but with a French father and a Lithuanian mother, he was not himself Russian at all, and so obviously not a Russian composer. Therefore he felt free to write exactly what he wanted.
This record declares that what he wanted to write was music of total charm; it declares, too, that he managed to do this with total success. The Suite concertante, for example: could not this be found by many to be one of the most immediately enjoyable sequences of music for solo violin and orchestra they have ever heard; a competitor with Lalo, say? And the Suite miniature: perhaps a competitor with all those Bizet suites? There is, too, the suite In modo populari: well, oddly this seems less popular in style than the other music. But less enjoyable? This can only be decided for each listener by himself.
The enjoyability of all the music is helped along greatly by the quality of its performance. Takako Nishizaki is among the most winning of soloists; and the quality of the Hong Kong Philharmonic is one of the newer wonders to add to all those older wonders of one of the most astonishing cities on earth. More mundanely, the recording is of broadly similar quality: well toned, well balanced, and among the best available. Marco Polo himself never heard anything like this; but that was certainly his loss.

Suite Concertante for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25
01. I. Intermezzo scherzando [5:51]
02. II. Canzonetta [4:13]
03. III. Cavatina [4:11]
04. IV. Finale - Tarantella [5:39]
Suite Miniature, Op. 20
05. I. Petite Marche [3:09]
06. II. Impromptu à la Schumann [1:48]
07. III. Cantabile [2:51]
08. IV. Souvenir douloureux [1:38]
09. V. Berceuse [3:14]
10. VI. Scherzo rustique [1:37]
Suite Op. 43 “In Modo Populari”
11. I. Allegro moderato [3:29]
12. II. Moderato [3:29]
13. III. Vivace [1:47]
14. IV. Moderato [4:14]
15. V. Allegretto [1:33]
16. VI. Vivace, ma non troppo [3:18]
Total Playing Time: 52:01

Takako Nishizaki, violin
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Kenneth Schermerhorn

Recorded 14th-17th October, 1984, in Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Hong Kong
Producer: Hiroshi Isaka
Made in Germany
© 1985 HNH International Ltd.
Marco Polo 8.220308