Introduction to the CD-disc

"BEST OF RUSSIAN NOSTALGIC SONGS"

sung by the Divine Soprano

SVETLANA RUSSKAYA-HALTTUNEN

Speaking about herself, Svetlana says: "My father, who was forced to work in the former Soviet republics, always missed his homeland terribly, and that special, passionate love for Russia was passed on to me. As he liked to say repeatedly, if a person is not patriotic for his homeland, he cannot respect other peoples. We often sang Russian songs and read Russian poets - this was the atmosphere I grew up in. At the same time my father taught me to have great respect for the language, customs and ways of the people on whose soil circumstances had brought us to live; it was a tragedy for him that fate had also cast me away from my homeland".

"When I came to Finland I found my exuberant temperament, my slightly abrupt and capricious manner, was very much at odds with the chaste, serene nature of the Finns; however, I realized at once how important it was to be myself and to perfect those features of my character which constitute the real me: - openness, responsiveness, nobility, inexhaustible energy, a happy disposition. And the fact that I was able, through my singing to bring to the western listener the beauty of Russian poetry and music, filled my life with new meaning, and I eagerly set to "work" on my voice. I was truly fortunate in being able to spend time and work with famous Finnish maestro GEORGE DE GODZINSKY, who died only a few years ago. It was incredible to me that, as a young pianist just beginning his career, Godzinsky had accompanied none other than the great Russian singer FYODOR SHALYAPIN! He often spoke of Shalyapin. I was especially interested in the tradition of performing old Russian romances, the most beautiful of which I have recorded here. 'In those days they sang wonderfully, delightfully!' the maestro would exclaim. 'This highly sensual and intimate genre, which is intended for the chamber, demands subtle voice control, intonation and phrasing. It allows no forcing of the voice, no harshness, no false embellishment', Godzinsky would say. He advised me not to strive to sing these songs at full voice, or to go to the opposite extreme and speak the words in time to the music without projecting my singing voice. The most valuable quality of the voice, he said, is its timbre and the richness of its expressive tones. Only then can one 'reproduce' in song that complex range of human emotions, that valuable thing for which we love the old romances which stir those former feelings in us as they did in our ancestors, expressing our everyday passions and interests, delights and disappointments, loyalty, friendship, love and betrayal - the eternal themes which each generation rediscovers for itself in its own way, in keeping with the times".

"This may be said equally in regard to both simple Russian folk songs, which are joyful and hearty, and gypsy songs, which are often stylized Russian melodies performed in a gypsy manner, full of temperament, fire and passion, life and death! These wonderful works by famous and unknown writers help us to survive and to live through these times of enormous change and merciless upheavals; they help us to strive towards the eternal ideals of goodness and love, honor and justice, humanity and nobility."

OLEG MAKSIMOV is an excellent musician, a guitarist who lives in St. Petersburg, where he was born and received an extensive musical education. He is currently a soloist with the "Petersburgkoncert" Chamber Philharmonic, and also plays in the Russian State Orchestra of Folk Instruments led by V.A. Popov. He has played in many countries, and recorded a number of programs for Russian radio and television; he has published on musical topics, and is working alongside famous instrumentalists and vocalists.

VLADIMIR BESSONOV is a wonderful violinist. Trained at the St. Petersburg State Conservatoire, he went on to become First Violin in the Symphony Orchestra directed by A. Ya. Kantorov. Since 1990 he has been a soloist and musical director at the "Old St. Petersburg" Theatre. He has given solo performances on tour in USA, Finland, Norway and Germany. SVETLANA PASHENKOVA is a highly accomplished pianist from St. Petersburg and a graduate of its Conservatoire. Since 1984 she has been a soloist with the "Petersburgkoncert" Chamber Philharmonic, and since 1990 the First Pianist at the "Old St. Petersburg" theatre, where she accompanies famous singers from the Mariinsky (formerly Kirov) Theatre, the Maly Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and the Theatre of Musical Comedy in St. Petersburg. But her permanent partner is Vladimir Bessonov, with whom she has toured widely both in Russia and abroad, including Norway, Finland and Germany.