Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Rozhdestvensky was the son of conductor Nikolai Anosov Rozhdestvensky and soprano Natalya Rozhdestvenskaya. A pupil at the Gnesin School of Music and the Moscow Conservatory school for children, he entered the Conservatory in 1941 to study conducting with his father and piano with Lev Oborin. While still at the Conservatory, Rozhdestvensky conducted Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theater. Following his graduation in 1954, he was appointed assistant conductor at the Bolshoi and in 1956 made his first visit to England with the Bolshoi Ballet. In 1961, Rozhdestvensky was named artistic director of the Soviet Radio Symphony Orchestra, remaining there until 1974. Three years later, he became Bolshoi's youngest principal conductor, remaining at that post until 1970. During the Soviet era, Rozhdestvensky programmed music by contemporary foreign composers, most likely alienating the Soviet musical establishment; nevertheless, as chief conductor and director of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, he was allowed to lead performances of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, Benjamin Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as works by Poulenc, Hindemith, Orff, and other composers that were new to Soviet audiences. He also revived the symphonies of Sergey Prokofiev, who was regarded with suspicion in Russia, having lived in America from 1918 to 1936. Only the most eminent and respected Russian musicians were allowed extensive foreign tours, and Rozhdestvensky visited many European countries, the U.S., and Japan. He also appeared several times in Britain, mainly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and at Covent Garden. In 1971, he conducted the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in three Promenade Concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall. The following year, Rozhdestvensky became music director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Artistic director of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974-1977, he was principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1978 to 1981. His next post was principal conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, where he stayed until 1983. In 1982, he founded, and became chief conductor of, the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture in Moscow. In 1987, Rozhdestvensky started teaching conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Sienna. The Stockholm Philharmonic hired him as conductor in 1991, and three years later he was appointed chairman of the Bolshoi's artistic committee. Rozhdestvensky maintained his reputation for adventurous programming in his many recordings and live performances. Known for his balanced and refined interpretations of Romantic and 20th century music, he premiered numerous 20th century works, including Denisov's Symphony for two string orchestras and percussion (dedicated to Rozhdestvensky), Buzko's White Nights, Shchedrin's Carmen Suite, Prokofiev's opera The Gambler, Schnittke's Symphony No. 2 "St. Florian" and Gerhard's Don Quixote. An enthusiastic champion of contemporary composers, Rozhdestvensky also performed works by Kancheli, Mirzoian, Organesian, and Skoryk. Rozhdestvensky's writings include Techniques of Orchestral Direction and Reflections on Music. He was married to Viktoria Postnikova, a pianist.
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Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - The Mercury Masters, Vol. 6
Byron Janis, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1963
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Ballets
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Sergei Prokofiev
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 22 Apr 2016
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto - Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Humoresques Op. 87 Nos. 1 & 2
David Oïstrakh, USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Concertos - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 Feb 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20, TH. 12 by Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 25 Feb 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Alexander Borodin: The Three Symphonies
Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, The Philharmonia, Paul Kletzki, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeny Svetlanov
Symphonies - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 Jan 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Enescu: The Three Symphonies
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Ballet in 3 Acts, Op. 64
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 9 Jan 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Arthur Honegger: Orchestral Works
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 7 Mar 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nielsen: Orchestral Works
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 May 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gubaidulina: Symphony In 12 Movements
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Grand Symphony Orchestra of All-Union National Radio Service and Central Television Networks
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 1 Jan 1969
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Grand Symphony Orchestra of All-Union National Radio Service and Central Television Networks
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 1 Jan 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Edison Denisov. The First Concert in the USSR (Live)
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 26 Apr 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Violin Concerto / Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2
Henryk Szeryng, London Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 23 Sep 1966
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Protecting Veil
Steven Isserlis, London Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Warner Classics on 1 Feb 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mstislav Rostropovich: A Romantic Portrait [Dvořak, Schumann, Tchaikovsky]
Mstislav Rostropovich, Sir Adrian Boult, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, USSR State Symphony Orchestra
Concertos - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 Jun 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mily Balakirev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
Herbert von Karajan, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, The Philharmonia, Moscow Radio Symphony
Symphonies - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 Feb 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Howells: Missa Sabrinensis & Stabat Mater
Masses, Passions, Requiems - Released by Chandos on 1 Aug 2005
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Glazunov: Complete Symphonies
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on 1 Jan 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nielsen: Aladdin
Theatre Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Cinderella (Complete Ballet)
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Moscow RTV Large Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Denon on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo