THE ORGAN OF RIGA DOM

That's what former Soviet people remember when they think about classical music: Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, the organ of Riga Dom. In the double CD-album The Organ of Riga Dom one can hear such...

That's what former Soviet people remember when they think about classical music: Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, the organ of Riga Dom. In the double CD-album The Organ of Riga Dom one can hear such habitual compositions as Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" or Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, together with rather unusual Concerto for French horn by Leopold Mozart. Still those standard classical compositions sound striking: in interpretation of Eugenia Lisitsina, famous Latvian organist, Antonio Vivaldi seems to be a thoughtful contemplator with almost Baltic composure.

This album is something like an ABC of organ music recorded for an omnivorous but educated listener. Mozart and Saint-Saens are counterbalanced by Bach's austerity; Irina Arkhipova's mezzo-soprano and the voice of French horn set off the sound of the organ. The booklets give us brief information about the composers, the musicians and the Organ of Riga Dom itself.

'This instrument for the most part expresses the deepest and the mightiest aspirations of the human spirit", - said musicologist V.Stasov about the organ. This definition is true. Still the album sounds rather indifferent.

01.09.1999, Ксения РОЖДЕСТВЕНСКАЯ (ЗВУКИ РУ)