Kirill Kondrashin (1914-1981) was a Russian conductor, one of the major Soviet conductors of the twentieth century. He was admired in Russian repertory and as a powerful concerto collaborator.

In the Pristine catalogue he appears with Van Cliburn, Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter in Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and other Russian concerto repertory.

Kondrashin’s conducting was taut, urgent and rhythmically alive, with the ability to generate enormous pressure without losing structural control.

His page is essential. Kondrashin gives the Russian concerto shelf a conductor with sparks under the baton grip.