Kirill Kondrashin is one of the few Russian conductors to celebrate an international
career, next to Eugen Mravinsky, Igor Markewisch and Jascha Horenstein. In 1943
he became principal conductor at the Bolshoi theatre, an institution so important for
Soviet musical life, to which he would belong for 13 years. In 1956 he was
appointed chief conductor of the Moscow Philharmonic. This position opened doors
for him internationally and Kondrashin was able to accept tour invitations from
western countries.
One of the milestones in his career certainly was the first international Tchaikovsky
piano competition in Moscow in 1958. Kondrashin conducted the competition
concert of American pianist Van Cliburn, who not only takes home the victory, but
also "his" conductor, with whom he is completing a triumphant tour. Kondrashin is
the first Russian conductor allowed to perform in the United States during the Cold
War, and in return for this musical understanding between the nations, the Russian
audience falls in love with the 23-year-old American Van Cliburn, from then on
nicknamed "Vanyushka" in the Soviet Union.
In addition to Van Cliburn, whose Tchaikovsky concert is one of the discographic
highlights of this 10 CD box set, Russian companions such as Mstislav
Rostropovich, Sviatoslav Richter and David Oistrakh are also documented here with
outstanding recordings. Kondrashin had a special friendship with Shostakovitch, for
whose works he campaigned throughout his career.