Emil Tabakov
Among the few Bulgarian conductors with a high-profile international career, Emil Tabakov is also noted as a composer. He has written ten symphonies as well as a variety of concertos, chamber music, and choral works.
Tabakov was born on August 21, 1947, in Ruse, Bulgaria. He attended the Bulgarian State Music Academy in the capital city of Sofia, studying conducting with Vladi Simeonov, double bass with Todor Toshev, and composition with Marin Goleminov. By 1978, Tabakov had earned diplomas in all three fields. He served as conductor of the Rousse (Ruse) Philharmonic Orchestra from 1976 to 1979, moving on to the Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra as music director from 1979 to 1987. In 1985, Tabakov began conducting the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra; he was named principal conductor in 1987. He moved to the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Serbia from 1994 to 1999, and for several years during this period, he also served as Bulgaria's Minister of Culture. In 1998, he returned to the Sofia Philharmonic as music director and chief conductor, remaining there until 2000. Tabakov's association with the Sofia Philharmonic resulted in several recordings, including a complete cycle of Mahler's symphonies for the Capriccio label, issued on 15 CDs. He is also recognized for his interpretations of Shostakovich, whose symphonies he has recorded several times.
Tabakov continued to hold permanent conductor positions; in 2002, he was music director of the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra in Ankara, Turkey, and from 2008 to 2015, he served as principal conductor of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra. He was equally visible as a guest conductor with numerous ensembles ranging far beyond Eastern Europe. Among these were the Orchestre National de France, the Moscow Philharmonic, and the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra. Tabakov has appeared all over eastern and western Europe, around East Asia, the U.S., South America, and South Africa. In the midst of this busy schedule, Tabakov has found time to compose a large catalog of works. He led the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony in several recordings of his symphonies on the Toccata Classics label. In 2022, he led the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra in a recording of works by Scriabin and Rimsky-Korsakov, featuring pianist Jean-Philippe Collard.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Concertos
Patrick Gallois, Jean-Philippe Collard, Philippe Bernold, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Naxos on Jan 2, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dmitri Shostakovich, Vol. 10: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15
Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Gega New on Mar 19, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No 7 in E moll, "Lied der Nacht"
Emil Tabakov, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Balkanton on Aug 8, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Majerski: Concerto-Poem & Other Works
Michał Drewnowski, New Art Chamber Soloists, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Arkadiusz Dobrowolski, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Toccata Classics on Jan 6, 2017
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fire & Ice
Svetlin Roussev, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Fondamenta on May 25, 2015
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Goldberg: Complete Concertos für Harpsichord and Orchestra
Waldemar Döling, Emil Tabakov, Sofia Chamber Soloist
Classical - Released by Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm (MDG) on Jan 1, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Symphony No. 3 - Haydn Variations
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Int - Bertus on Oct 3, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 3
Brigitte Pretschner, Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir , Bodra Smyana Children's Choir, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten & Barber Piano Concertos; Nocturnes
Elizabeth Joy Roe, London Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Mar 1, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 9 / Symphony No. 10: Adagio
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 7
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto Edition (Volume 2)
Idil Biret, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Idil Biret Archive on Jun 15, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dimitar Nenov: Piano Concerto & Ballade No. 2
Ivo Varbanov, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by Hyperion on Jun 2, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27
Classical - Released by Balkanton on Oct 21, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No 8 in Es-Major, "Symphonie der Tausend"
Classical - Released by Balkanton on Aug 8, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 6, "Tragic"
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 5
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 4
Lyudmila Hadzhieva, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection"
Tiha Genova, Vessela Zorova, Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir , Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler, G.: Symphony No. 1, "Titan"
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms, J.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2
Dimitris Sgouros, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Classical - Released by CapriccioNR on Jan 1, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo