The Secret Garden offers a voyage of discovery into the songs of Alexander Dargomyzhsky – a much admired Russian composer of the 19th century. His chamber vocal compositions, some of which are written to original French and Italian texts, provide an illuminating insight into the evolution of the Russian composing style – from a distinctly European style to one uniquely Russian, based upon a national archetype of Russian people. Dargomyzhsky’s Romances, a genre in which his talent flourished particularly generously, belong to the finest pages in Russian music of the 19th century. These works of indelible charm, refinement and elegant proportions, delicate transparent textures, glowing with gracefulness and emotional warmth are stylishly performed by Anastasia Prokofieva, a native Russian – whose lively and flexible voice lends itself perfectly to this fine repertoire. Sergey Rybin accompanies her on the piano with finesse and delicacy and also provides enlightening booklet notes, full of fascinating background information, detail and historical context.