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.
© TiVo
-
Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette - Scriabin: Le Poème de l’extase (Live)
Classical - Released by Ica Classics on Sep 22, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tcherepnin: Narcisse et Echo, Op. 40
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Residentie Orchestra The Hague, Hague Chamber Choir
Classical - Released by Chandos on Nov 1, 1998
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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 Jan 1, 1963
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Borodin: Symphonies Nos. 1, 3 & Songs
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Larissa Dyadkova, Tord Wallstrom
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on Mar 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cantate pour le 20e anniversaire de la Révolution d'Octobre
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Chandos on Jan 1, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7, Op. 60
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by JSC Firma Melodiya on Jan 1, 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, London Symphony Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by LSO Live on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky & Prokofiev: Piano Concertos
Van Cliburn, Moscow Philarmonic Orchestra, All Union Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Russian Compact Disc on Oct 7, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 - Mussorgsky: A Night on the Bare Mountain (Sorochinsky Fair Version) - Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges Suite (Live)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Ica Classics on Jan 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Das klagende Lied - Janacek: The Fiddler's Child (Live)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, (Dame) Janet Baker
Classical - Released by Ica Classics on Sep 4, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonie n° 8 - Concerto grosso n°6
Classical - Released by Chandos on Mar 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Claudio Arrau in Moscow: Brahms Concertos (Live)
Claudio Arrau, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra
Concertos - Released by DOREMI on Oct 12, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Casadesus, Boccherini & Bréval: Cello Conertos & Sonatas
Daniel Shafran, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Nina Musinyan, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Arvīds Jansons
Classical - Released by Russian Compact Disc on Jun 18, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vermeulen: Symphonies Nos. 2, 6 & 7
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Residentie Orchestra The Hague
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on Jun 1, 2002
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: The Planets - Britten: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Henry Purcell, Op. 34 (Live)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Ica Classics on Jan 30, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Börtz: Sinfonias Nos. 1 & 7, Strindberg Suite & Parodos
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Chandos on Jun 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique", The Storm Overture
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, London Symphony Orchestra
Symphonies - Released by LSO Live on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dukelsky: Zéphyr et Flore & Epitaphe
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Residentie Orchestra The Hague, Ilma Achmadeeva, Netherlands Theatre Choir
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on Nov 1, 1999
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Moscow RTV Large Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by Denon on Jan 1, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
London Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Classical - Released by imp on Jan 1, 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR State Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Patrimonio on Feb 10, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo