IGOR LOBODA (b.1956): Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 126, JIMSHER ASKANELI (b.1975): Erinnerung, Sentiments, Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, Mkhdruli, FRANZ HUMMEL (b.1939): 24 Dance Études on a Stumbling Bass for Chamber Orchestra.

Description: Loboda's concerto, the most substantial work here, is an appealing, thoroughly accessible, tonal work, conventionally structured in three movements. The work contains frequent inflections of Georgian folk music in what might well be described as a particularly good example of mainstream Soviet-era neo-romanticism. The composer also has a fondness for jazzy syncopated rhythms, which further enliven the energetic rondo-finale. The solo part is of the highest order of virtuosity, as one might anticipate from a violinist-composer. Askaneli (whose day job appears to be partner in his family's prominent Georgian wine and spirit business) seems to be an accomplished composer of charming, light-ish miniatures, somewhere between the lighter Grieg and folk-inflected sentimental 'popular' orchestral entertainments. Mkhedruli is an effective little Khachaturian-wannabe. Like the clever 'Diabelli Variations' we offered a couple of years ago (12Q059) Hummel's Dance Etudes are a sophisticated musical joke, perfectly executed. A slightly inebriated ground is embellished with accompaniments in broadly neoclassical style, though with anachronistic harmonic or rhythmic twists, the same kind of humor as Mozart's Ein Musikalischer Spaß or Maxwell Davies' drunken Orkney Wedding. Irakli Tsadaia (violin), Olivia Friemel (piano), Ensemble Del Arte; Fuad Ibrahimov.