Shadows of My Ancestors Behzod Abduraimov

• Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953): 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75:
• 1 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: I. Folk Dance 04:07
• 2 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: II. Scene 01:31
• 3 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: III. Minuet 02:57
• 4 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: IV. Young Juliet 03:31
• 5 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: V. Masks 02:22
• 6 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: VI. Montagues and Capulets 03:56
• 7 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: VII. Friar Laurence 02:21
• 8 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: VIII. Mercutio 02:21
• 9 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: IX. Dance of the Girls With Lilies 02:16
• 10 Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op .75: X. Romeo and Juliet before Parting 07:56
• Dilorom Saidaminova (b. 1943): The Walls of Ancient Bukhara:
• 11 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: I. Mosque Kalon 01:27
• 12 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: II. Samanid Kingdom 01:26
• 13 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: III. Tomb of Ismail Samani 03:23
• 14 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: IV. Domes 02:06
• 15 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: V. Minaret of Death 01:27
• 16 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: VI. Stars over Bukhara 02:36
• 17 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: VII. Shadows of Ancestors 01:55
• 18 Saidaminova: The Walls of Ancient Bukhara: VIII. At the Walls of Ancient Bukhara 01:46
• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55:
• 19 Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: I. Ondine. Lent 06:26
• 20 Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: II. Le Gibet. Très lent 05:46
• 21 Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: III. Scarbo. Modéré 08:56
• Total Runtime 01:10:32

Info for Shadows of My Ancestors

Whereas Prokofiev was captivated by Romeo and Juliet , Ravel had shut himself away a quarter of a century earlier in Levallois Perret to compose Gaspard de la nuit, inspired by Aloysius Bertrand's collection of poems subtitled Fantaisies à la manière de Rembrandt et de Callot. In 1973, the Uzbek composer Dilorom Saidaminova paid tribute to Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and composed The Walls of Ancient Bukhara, which offers a sonic view of the historic centre of the Central Asian city founded four or five centuries before the common era. Her compatriot Behzod Abduraimov was keen to pay tribute to this little-known composer and record her music, which, like the other two works on this album, is evocative and colourful.

Behzod Abduraimov, piano

Behzod Abduraimov
Abduraimov’s performances combine an immense depth of musicality with phenomenal technique and breath-taking delicacy. He performs with renowned orchestras worldwide including Philharmonia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, San Francisco Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Concertgebouworkest, Czech Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB) with prestigious conductors such as, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Gustavo Dudamel, Semyon Bychkov, Gianandrea Noseda, Juraj Valčuha, Vasily Petrenko and Constantinos Carydis.

2023/24 performances include Chicago Symphony, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Houston Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, Oslo Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra including a tour of Spain and Belgian National Orchestra performing at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Behzod will also return to Israel Philharmonic and appear with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Conductor collaborations include Osmo Vänskä, Juraj Valčuha, Constantinos Carydis, Robin Ticciati, Manfred Honeck, Yoel Levi, Han-Na Chang, Hannu Lintu and Andris Poga.

In recital Behzod has appeared a number of times at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and has recently been presented by Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Toppan Hall, Tokyo, Teatro alla Scala and La Società dei Concerti di Milano. In 2023/24 Behzod will appear twice at Carnegie Hall – returning to the Stern Auditorium for solo recital, followed by a duo recital with Daniel Lozakovich at the Weill Auditorium. The duo will present recitals elsewhere in North America including Bing Hall, Stanford, and the Vancouver Recital series. Behzod will also perform in recital at the Seoul Arts Centre, Shanghai Concert Hall, Amare Hall, Hague and the Tuesday Evening Concert Series, Charlottesville. Regular festival appearances include Aspen, Verbier, Rheingau, La Roque Antheron, Lucerne and Ravello festivals.

Behzod’s second recital recording for Alpha Classics will be released in March 2024 featuring works by Ravel, Prokofiev and the Uzbek composer, Dilorom Saidaminova. 2021 saw the highly successful release of his first recital album for Alpha Classics based on a programme of Miniatures including Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. In 2020 recordings included Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under James Gaffigan, recorded on Rachmaninov’s own piano from Villa Senar for Sony Classical and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 with Concertgebouworkest, for the RCO live label. Both recordings were nominated for the 2020 Opus Klassik awards in multiple categories. A DVD of his BBC Proms debut in 2016 with Münchner Philharmoniker was released in 2018. His 2012 debut CD of Liszt, Saint-Saëns and Prokofiev for Decca won the Choc de Classica and Diapason Découverte and his first concerto disc for the label featured Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3 and Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No.1.

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1990, Behzod began the piano aged five as a pupil of Tamara Popovich at Uspensky State Central Lyceum in Tashkent. In 2009, he won first prize at the London International Piano Competition with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3. He studied with Stanislav Ioudenitch at the International Center for Music at Park University, Missouri, where he is Artist-in-Residence.

Booklet for Shadows of My Ancestors