On this recording the 'Sabre Dance' from Gayaneh bursts into the room with explosive impetus and bite. The Sabre dancers are closely followed by the young maidens who come in as if the sabres were being flourished directly behind them, and hard on their heels come the Mountaineers who obviously have the Abominable Snowman in hot pursuit. With the brilliant recording projecting everything in burnished primary colours the effect is exhilarating, yet a shade wearing, so that the haunting 'Lullaby' provides a welcome respite. But not for long, as the 'Lezghinka' immediately develops a similar, almost frenetic thrust (rather more here than in the composer's own recording).
The Masquerade Suite has comparable spirit and gusto but some of its charm evaporates in consequence – notably in the 'Waltz', with the ebullient closing 'Galop' suggesting a circus band in an agreeably vulgar manner. The music from Spartacus is comparably vibrant and energetic, and although the famous 'Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia' opens with a beguiling aura of romantic anticipation, the climax develops great Slavonic ardour.
Ippolitov's Caucasian Sketches are little more than picture postcards with sinuous sub-Rimsky- Korsakov eastern melodies. Tjeknavorian makes the most of the oriental atmosphere thus generated, but cannot disguise the fact that the hit number, the spectacular closing 'Procession of the Sardar' is head and shoulders above the rest in memorability. It is played with great elan and here Brian Culverhouse's brightly lit recording comes fully into its own.