Valentina Levko Star of the Bolshoi
Valentina Levko was another in the glorious line of Russian 20th-century contraltos who in some ways defined the sound of Russian opera for ears, both Eastern and Western, which were often discovering the rich tradition of Russian opera for the first time through recordings. Levko's name, however, unlike compatriots such as Elena Obratzova, never travelled as far or as well. Committed to her contract at the Bolshoi, she spurned several opportunities to make a name for herself in the West, with the lucrative recording contracts that would surely have followed. And yet hers was, as this important set reveals, a voice and dramatic presence firmly in the mould of greats of the past such as Zara Dolukhanova.
The set is carefully curated by themes, thereby revealing Levko's remarkable versatility. Arias from Bolshoi classics by Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky sit alongside Western operas by Ponchielli, Verdi and others; her ability to scale her voice to an intimate environment results in warmly idiomatic recordings of art song by Schubert, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. The pleasure she took in the popular song of her own country also resulted in many recordings with the Ossipov Folk Orchestra, but her facility extended to folk songs of many languages, as the last CD reveals. Perhaps most remarkably of all, the first CD reveals a natural interpreter of Bach and Handel.
An extensive booklet note discusses her life and career; for anyone interested in Russian voices, this set will be essential.
Other information:
- A true discovery for many western ears: Valentina Levko, star contralto of the Bolshoi!
- This set features an unrivalled breadth of recordings: Levko in a wide variety of repertoire, ranging from moving Baroque arias by Bach and Handel, through the art songs of Schubert and Brahms, towards great opera scenes from Prince Igor, Ruslan & Ludmilla, Ivan Susanin, Queen of Spades, Rossini, Verdi, the songs of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, and a superb collection of Russian folk songs.
- "In a career of 50 years, I have rarely encountered such a voice, rounded, youthful, with an uncommon timbre and astonishing warmth" , thus said the legendary Sol Hurok, one of the most famous American Impresarios, who introduced Valentina Levko in the New York Met. Although she frequently toured the world, her real home was Russia, where she reigned for more than 40 years, and 25 years as the star contralto of the Bolshoi Theatre.
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Kategorie:
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Filmy i muzyka
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Język wydania:
angielski
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EAN:
5029365940627
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Wymiary:
13.0x13.0cm
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Waga:
0.30kg
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Nośniki:
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#1: Songs
(CD Audio)
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1. No.2 Seguidilla Murciana (01:17)
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2. Aufenthalt (04:02)
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3. Ave Maria D839 (05:10)
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4. No.3 De aquel majo amante (03:52)
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5. Gestillte sehnsucht Op.91 No.1 (06:43)
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6. Echo (03:12)
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7. Geistliches Wiegenlied Op.91 No.2 (06:23)
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8. No.1 El pano moruno (01:26)
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9. E se un giorno tornasse (03:04)
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10. Tango (02:50)
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11. Gretchen am Spinnrade D118 (03:39)
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12. No.4 Jota (03:14)
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13. No.1 Oh, muerte cruel! (02:47)
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14. Erlkönig D328 (04:23)
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15. Si vous amez (04:17)
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16. Elégie (03:30)
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17. Die Forelle D550 (02:22)
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18. Im Frühling D882 (04:05)
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19. No.5 Nana (01:53)
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20. No.2 Ay, majo de mi vida, no, no, tu no has muerto (02:36)
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21. No.3 Asturiana (02:29)
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22. No.6 Canción (01:23)
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23. Ouvre ton coeur a l'amour (02:35)
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24. No.7 Polo (01:44)
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#2: Baroque Arias
(CD Audio)
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1. Henry Purcell When I am laid in earth (03:57)
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2. Leonardo Vinci Confusa, smarrita (04:54)
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3. Alessandro Parisotti Se tu m'ami
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4. Lascia ch'io pianga (06:07)
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5. Bereite dich Zion (05:29)
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6. Degg'io morir, o stelle (07:01)
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7. Du lieber Heiland du...Buss und Reu (06:06)
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8. Giovanni Battista Bononcini Vado ben spesso (03:36)
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9. Qui sedes (05:44)
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10. Agnus dei (07:07)
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11. Dignare (03:06)
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12. Johann Sebastian Bach Erbarme dich (07:42)
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13. Andrea Falconieri Bella rosa (02:30)
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14. Ombra mai fu (04:17)
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15. Alessandro Stradella Pieta (08:32)
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#3: Russian Opera Arias
(CD Audio)
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1. Countess's Scene (The Queen of Spades, Act 2) (07:10)
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2. Lyubasha's Aria (03:23)
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3. Vanya's Aria (Ivan Susanin, Act 4) (07:30)
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4. Lyubasha's Song (The Tsar's Bride Act 1) (04:39)
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5. Third song of Lel (The Snow Maiden) (03:34)
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6. Varangian Ballad (Rogneda, Act 4) (03:12)
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7. The daylight dies (Konchakovna's Cavatina) (06:01)
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8. Is that you, my Vladimir? (Duet of Konchakovna and Vladimir) (05:46)
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9. O mysterious forces (Marfa's Prophecy -- Khovanshchina, Act 2) (05:29)
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10. A girl went out walking in the fields and marshes (Marfa's aria -- Khovanshchina, Act 3) (04:08)
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11. Ratmir's Aria (Ruslan and Ludmila, Act 3) (11:19)
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12. Scene of Lubasha and Gryaznoy (The Tsar's Bride Act 2) (08:35)
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13. Romance of Ratmir (Ruslan and Ludmila, Act 5) (07:28)
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#4: Opera arias and songs
(CD Audio)
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1. Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (05:56)
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2. Shepherd Boy (02:48)
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3. Amour! Viens aider ma presence (04:22)
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4. Amour! Viens aider ma presence (04:49)
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5. Voce di donna o di angelo (La Gioconda, Act 1) (04:07)
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6. Plaisir d'amour (de Florian) (04:12)
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7. Stride la vampa (Il trovatore, Act 2) (03:04)
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8. Quella fiamma che m'accende (05:04)
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9. Ah, quel giorno ognor rammento (Semiramide, Act 1) (07:01)
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10. Printemps qui commence (05:21)
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11. Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (05:51)
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12. Song of the Rose (06:04)
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13. Habanera (Carmen) (04:10)
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14. Ombra felice K255 (07:40)
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15. O Mensch, gib acht (Symphony No.3 -- Nietzsche, in Russian) (08:21)
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#5: Songs by Rachmaninov
(CD Audio)
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1. Oh no, I beg you, forsake me not Op.4 No.1 (Merezhkovsky) (02:06)
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2. Before the Icon Op.21 No.10 (Golenischev-Kutuzov) (04:03)
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3. She is as lovely as the noon Op.14 No.9 (Minsky) (02:54)
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4. In the silence of the secret night Op.4 No.3 (Fet) Songs by Rachmaninov (02:49)
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5. Brooding Op.8 No.3 (Plescheyev, from Taras Shevchenko) (03:33)
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6. Night (Rathauz) (03:41)
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7. Oh, do not grieve Op.14 No.8 (Apukhtin) (03:14)
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8. The Waterlily Op.8 No.1 (Heine, trans. Plescheyev) (01:45)
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9. The migrant wind Op.34 No.4 (Balmont) (02:56)
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10. Twilight Op.21 No.3 (Guiot, trans. Tkhorzhevsky) (02:12)
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11. You took all I had away Op.26 No.2 (Tyutchev) (01:15)
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12. Night is mournful Op.26 No.12 (Bunin) (02:31)
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13. Believe me not, friend Op.14 No.7 (Tolstoy) (01:49)
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14. The Isle Op.14 No.2 (Balmont, after Shelley) (02:21)
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15. A Prayer Op.8 No.6 (Heine, trans. Plescheyev) (03:25)
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16. The Ring Op.26 No.14 (Koltsov) (03:35)
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17. For long there has been little consolation in love Op.14 No.3 (Fet) (01:42)
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#6: Songs by Tchaikovsky
(CD Audio)
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1. A Gypsy's song Op.60 No.7 (Polonski) (03:15)
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2. Was I not a blade of grass? Op.47 No.7 (Surikov) (06:05)
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3. No, only one... Op.6 No.6 (Goethe, trans. Mey) (03:10)
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4. Night (The candle is flickering) Op.73 No.2 (Rathauz) (03:40)
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5. Serenade Op.63 No.6 (Romanov) (03:14)
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6. He loved me so Op.28 No.4 (Girarden, trans. Apukhtin) (03:21)
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7. The sun has faded Op.73 No.4 (Rathauz) (02:11)
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8. Does the day reign? Op.47 No.6 (Apukhtin) (03:21)
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9. Not a word, Oh my friend Op.6 No.2 (Gartman, trans. Plescheyev) (03:30)
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10. Reconciliation Op.25 No.1 (Scherbina) (05:13)
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11. The cornfields yellow Op.57 No.2 (Tolstoy) (03:20)
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12. We sat together Op.73 No.3 (Rathauz) (02:59)
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13. If only I had known Op.47 No.1 (Tolstoy) (04:54)
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14. Amid the din of the ball Op.38 No.3 (Tolstoy) (02:21)
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#7: Popular Russian songs
(CD Audio)
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1. Embrace me, kiss me (Koltsov) (02:36)
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2. The Old Husband (Gipsy song after Pushkin) (02:21)
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3. Reminder (05:56)
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4. I loved him (Koltsov) (02:56)
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5. I feel sorry for you (03:09)
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6. Oh, if I had known (Gypsy Song -- Dmitriev) (04:57)
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7. Girl's Sorrow (Koltsov) (04:30)
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8. I loved you (Pushkin) (03:27)
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9. Red Sarafan (Tsyganov) (03:31)
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10. Do not stir up memories (Davidov) (04:23)
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11. And this world has no eyes (02:13)
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12. Russian Carriage-and-Three (Viazemsky) (02:36)
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13. Oh, do not kiss me (01:33)
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14. Do not scold me (Razorenov) (03:54)
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15. Song of Ilinichna (Music for a Tragedy by Nestor Kukolnik 'Count Kholmski') (01:53)
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16. The Little Bell (F. Glinka) (03:11)
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#8: Old Russian romances
(CD Audio)
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1. The plane-trees are slumbering (Meisels) (03:45)
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2. Not for nothing I was afraid meeting you (03:32)
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3. I shall tell you nothing (Fet) (02:35)
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4. Stars in the sky (Diterikhs) (03:45)
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5. Why does the heart beat so loud? (03:30)
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6. No, he didn't love me (04:04)
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7. All is quiet (Tolstaya) (03:07)
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8. Morning's fog (Turgenev) (03:53)
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9. Gate (Obukhov) (04:22)
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10. Step away (03:12)
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11. Prayer (Lermontov) (03:23)
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12. No, not you ardently I love (Lermontov) (04:53)
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13. I remember the evening (Zhandr) (01:52)
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14. Bright is the night (Prigozhy) (03:57)
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15. Elegy (Delvig) (04:21)
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#9: 20-th century Russian songs
(CD Audio)
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1. The Years Fly (03:16)
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2. Russian Song (03:28)
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3. Song about the Beaver (03:23)
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4. Incantation of Water and Fire (02:28)
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5. Serenade from Ruy Blas (02:27)
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6. Song of Words (03:07)
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7. No.3 Exile (03:11)
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8. Be the One (03:41)
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9. In deep dark woods (03:00)
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10. No.2 Be afraid of black eyes (02:11)
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11. Snowfall (03:04)
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12. Ocean -- Sea (02:48)
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13. Reminiscence (03:04)
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14. No.1 Sufferings of love (02:50)
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15. Ancient Russian Fortress (03:38)
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16. The Motherland readied its son (03:06)
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17. Vocalise (02:17)
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18. Song of Love (03:50)
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19. May I tell you something (04:36)
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20. No.4 A smoke of Fatherland (02:50)
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21. Song of a young mother (05:56)
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22. Three Octaves (Gamzatov) dedicated to Valentina Levko (06:27)
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23. Sleeping mountains (04:37)
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#10: Russian folk songs
(CD Audio)
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1. Bush of a guelder-rose at a valley (04:36)
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2. Across blue skies the clouds drift (05:16)
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3. A dark cherry shawl (04:17)
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4. Remember as I a young girl was (04:54)
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5. Walled till dark (03:19)
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6. Oh, you wide steppes (04:22)
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7. Belilitzi, rumyanitzi (04:05)
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8. Why do you sit up until midnight? (03:29)
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9. Why are you looking at the road? (04:01)
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10. Over the fields (Roslavlev) (02:11)
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11. Matushka-matushka (02:41)
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12. The Old Lime Tree (04:51)
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13. My sweet dreams (03:37)
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14. Green Grove (03:54)
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15. Don't blame me (03:36)
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16. Lost roads (03:35)
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17. Lost among high wheat (04:53)
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#11: Folk songs from aroun the world
(CD Audio)
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1. No, I regret nothing (03:47)
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2. Lorsque tout est fini (03:54)
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3. Waters ripple and flow (03:03)
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4. Il bacio (03:17)
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5. Black fan (01:38)
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6. Tirol tango (03:11)
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7. The Hunter (02:25)
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8. Marosh (02:32)
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9. La spagnola (03:58)
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10. Cranes fly (03:25)
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11. Malaguena (03:08)
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12. On Alpine slopes Austrian folk song (03:10)
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13. Havana Song (03:41)
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14. Neapolitan tarantella (02:13)
