"Fabien Sevitzky appears to have been an excellent conductor, eminently deserving of renewed attention. In these performances he imposes tight orchestral discipline and firm tempos, but he also generates rhythmic vitality, urgent momentum, and dramatic excitement. The Indianapolis Symphony, too, long ensconced as a respected but not renowned member of the second tier of American orchestras, shows itself to have been a very fine ensemble in this era. The sound quality of Obert-Thorn’s restorations is good enough that listeners could contemplate purchasing this release simply for enjoyment of the works included, and not just for its historical value. I look forward with eager anticipation to further releases in this series." - Fanfare, 2017, on Volume One
Previous volumes have featured a wide variety of music, from Brahms to Gershwin, Dvorak to Enescu - but it has to be said that the majority of composers represented thus far have, unsurprisingly, been Russian.
Volume Four continues this trend, with two Russian first symphonies - from Tchaikovsky and the less well-known Vasily Kalinnikov. The latter is best known by his Symphony No. 1, premièred in 1897 just four years before his premature death from tuberculosis at the age of just 35.
Newly transferred and restored by Mark Obert-Thorn, this is another fine-sounding release that proves just what a fabulous combination Sevitzky and the Indianpolis orchestra were.