The second set continues the publication of Evgeny Svetlanov’s Anthology of Russian Symphonic Music, a larger-than-life project knowing no equals in the world history of sound recording.

Complete recordings of Alexander Glazunov’s orchestral music (eight symphonies, ballets and all orchestral works – 17 CDs in all!) open the second part of the Anthology. Most of them were made in 1989 and 1990. The set also includes an earlier, never before released recording of the Concerto Ballata for cello and orchestra featuring Mstislav Rostropovich.

Evgeny Svetlanov had very special feelings for the symphonic music of Rachmaninoff and Scriabin. To him these names were eternal beacons in the world of Russian music. The music of the outstanding domestic symphonist Nikolai Myaskovsky, who combined his strong personality with fundamental continuity of classical traditions, was particularly brightly realized in the great conductor’s interpretations. The set comprises 14 of the composer’s 27 symphonies and his cello concerto.

The second part of the Anthology also includes recordings of a number of symphonic and instrumental concertos by Dmitri Shostakovich and some of the pieces by Soviet classical composers such as Sergei Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturian and Reinhold Gliere.

Contemporary repertoire was always important in Svetlanov’s concert and studio activities. So the Anthology includes a symphony by Anatoly Alexandrov, a piano concerto by German Galynin, Symphony No. 4 by Nikolai Peiko, Sinfonietta No. 1 by Mieczyslaw Weinberg and other little know pages of Soviet music – orchestral pieces by Alexandra Pakhmutova, Rostislav Boiko, Alexander Mosolov, Zinovy Kompaneyets, Arkady Mazayev and Grigory  Zaborov. Svetlanov’s recordings of most of these works have never been released previously and see the light of day for the first time.

Evgeny Svetlanov was also known for his enduring creative collaboration and friendship with Tikhon Khrennikov, Andrei  Eshpai  and  Rodion  Shchedrin,  the leading composers of their era.

The bonus of the second set comprises recordings on which Evgeny Svetlanov appears as a pianist and … reciter! The Melodiya LP with him reading Vladimir Mayakovsky’s poems was a surprise even for the conductor’s longtime admirers. Mayakovsky’s poetry definitely reflected  the great, tragic and rebellious spirit of the epoch – this is what makes it akin to the large-scale symphonic opuses of Shostakovich, Myaskovsky and Khachaturian.