DMITRI KABALEVSKY (1904-1987): Piano Concerto No. 3 in D, Op. 50 "Dedicated to Soviet Youth", Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra on the Theme of the Song "School Years", Op. 75, Poem of Struggle for Orchestra and Chorus, Op. 12, NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908): Piano Concerto in C Sharp Minor, Op. 30.

Catalogue Number: 07K083
Label: Naxos
Reference: 8.557794
Format: CD
Price: $11.98
Description: Kabalevsky's 1952 concerto was the first of three concertos written for young people and the 1964 Rhapsody is in the same vein: aimed at young pianists, not technically demanding, full of optimism, folksong-like melodies and written to glorify the "golden childhood of Soviet schoolchildren" (at least those who didn't end up dying in Afghanistan...). The Poem (1930, before Stalin started starving and murdering his adoring "children") was Kabalevsky's first major work and its nine minutes extol the "worker's struggle" in energetic, powerful music with fanfares and march rhythms. Hsin-Ni Liu (piano), Gnesin Academy Chorus, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra; Dmitri Yablonsky.