Neoclassics from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan

http://fancymusic.ru/anton-batagov-post-production/

Post production is the stage in making movies, television shows and other sorts of audiovisual “productions” in which music, special effects, and various other “miracles” are added to the picture. The music you hear on this CD was written for films and television. It formed part of the story, part of life on screen.  Someone made love or killed someone to the accompaniment of this music.  Somebody did something; someone walked, drove, or flew somewhere; someone talked, laughed or suffered…  The mood was lighthearted or sad.  Everything was just like in a movie. I then made one more post production intervention: I turned these soundtracks into solo piano pieces, retaining only the titles of the films and TV shows from which they derive. It does not matter if you have seen them or not. Let this music be a soundtrack for your imagination – for all that you see right now, or wish to see.

Anton Batagov, translated by William Quillen

Anton Batagov - 4U

http://fancymusic.ru/pavel-karmanov-get-in/

There is more than one plot line in this selection of works by Pavel Karmanov. Works from different periods, dedicated to different occasions, are drawing a very recognizable portrait of the author. The author capable to transmit with his art such rare things in contemporary music as light, harmony and happiness, and doing this transmission act with an extraordinary consistency. Without strain, pathos, fake and mawkishness. Behind the apparent sterility and simplicity of tonality lies multifariousworld, complex major and dissolving minor keys are oven into a thin cunning ligature. “Yes, it turned out, I am becoming a more of a minor key composer eventually” – says the author. But it does not hinder the light, happiness and harmony. Some compositions are winking at us with their names: “Different Rains” vary only with one letter from “Different Trains” – famous work by classic of American minimalism, Steve Reich. But Funny Valentine is a nod to the popular jazz standard of 30s of the last century.


Red Lights Are Setting

Spicules