Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Sphinx (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Russia’s rich tradition of art song began with early 19th-century salon pieces: lyrical “romances” that evolved to embrace grander themes yet never lost their intimacy. This selection explores some fascinating but less-trodden paths through this repertoire, inspired by the theme of distant lands and encompassing the enduring themes of travel, romantic landscapes, love and loss, life and death. In this recital, Borodin meets Taneyev, a Moscow composition professor from the next generation; Shostakovich stands alongside another major symphonist, his Moscow colleague Myaskovsky, and Shostakovich’s student Boris Tchaikovsky, a prodigy widely known for his film music, passes the baton to Elena Firsova, a post-Soviet émigré to England and a distinctive lyrical voice of today.

Inspired by the songs of Taneyev, Myaskovksy and Firsova, countertenor Hamish McLaren embarked on distant travels of his own, journeying to Russia where he found two previously unreleased film songs by Shostakovich, heard here in their world-premiere recordings.

Tracklist:
01. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Tchaikovsky: From Kipling: No. 1, The Distant Amazon (03:11)
02. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Tchaikovsky: From Kipling: No. 2, Homer (04:22)
03. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: 2 Romances on Verses by Lermontov, Op. 84: No. 1, Morning in the Caucasus (03:15)
04. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: 2 Romances on Verses by Lermontov, Op. 84: No. 2, Ballad (06:19)
05. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Borodin: My Songs Are Full of Poison (01:13)
06. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Borodin: Songs & Romances: No. 13, For the Distant Shores of Your Native Country (04:06)
07. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Taneyev: 5 Poems, Op. 33: No. 1, Night in the Mountains of Scotland (03:40)
08. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Taneyev: 10 Poems, Op. 26: No. 6, Stalactites (04:23)
09. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Tchaikovsky: 2 Poems by Lermontov: No. 1, Autumn (02:29)
10. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Tchaikovsky: 2 Poems by Lermontov: No. 2, The Pine (02:04)
11. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Myaskovsky: The Days of Youth, Op. 2 (Excerpts): No. 8, The Albatross (03:30)
12. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 1, Farewell, Granada! (03:10)
13. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 2, The Little Stars (02:00)
14. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 3, The First Meeting (03:54)
15. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 4, Ronda (01:57)
16. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 5, The Dark-Eyed Girl (02:48)
17. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Spanish Songs, Op. 100: No. 6, Dream (02:36)
18. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: Desdemona’s Romance (04:13)
19. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Shostakovich: A Pointless Gift, a Chance Gift (02:51)
20. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Firsova: 2 Songs to Poems by Boris Pasternak: No. 1, The Wind (02:20)
21. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Firsova: 2 Songs to Poems by Boris Pasternak: No. 2, Twilight (02:27)
22. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Myaskovsky: The Days of Youth, Op. 2 (Excerpts): No. 11, The Sphinx (04:39)
23. Hamish McLaren & Matthew Jorysz – Firsova: Winter Elegy, Op. 91 (04:49)