Shostakovich revered him, Rimsky-Korsakov was awed by his genius, and Prokofiev owed him more than he would ever admit. But Alexander Glazunov was more than just a great teacher – and The Seasons is more than just the missing link between Tchaikovsky’s and Stravinsky’s ballets. It’s one of Imperial Russia’s forgotten treasures, glittering with colour and brimming over with hummable tunes. Ilan Volkov charges it with all his trademark electricity, while Mariinsky Theatre veteran Yuri Vorobiev brings true St Petersburg style to the pitch-black humour of Mussorgsky’s pungent songs. And Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini sets the terms of engagement: emotions delivered at maximum strength by a supercharged orchestra.
