Press about Orchestra

Právo, Vladimír "íha     18.09.2006
A weekend of operetta and balalaikas
PRAGUE AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT THE RUDOLFINUM WAS A SELL-OUT

Saturday’s concert saw the first visit of the Russian State Academic Orchestra of Russian Popular Instruments of N. P. Osipov to Prague. The equivalent of our Brno Radio Orchestra of Folk Instruments, it has existed since 1919 and is one of Moscow’s export items. This balalaika ensemble comprises 80 musicians, who play various types of balalaikas (some of which are the size of a double bass), Russian dombras (a curved plucked instrument), accordions and traditional wind instruments before an astounded audience.

Under conductor Vladimír Ponkin they dazzled with arrangements of folk songs, but the audience was most spellbound by their renditions of arrangements of the works of classical composers such as Borodin, Khachaturian and Shostakovich. In particular his well-known Jazz Suite no. 2 in its arrangement for balalaikas was a revelation.

Haló noviny, Tomás Hejzlar     21. 9. 2006
Prague Autumn Festival
PRAGUE AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT THE RUDOLFINUM WAS A SELL-OUT

...A unique experience for the audience was no doubt provided by the State Academic Orchestra of Russian Popular Instruments of N. P. Osipov.

This orchestra, founded in 1919, not long after the Great October Revolution, has maintained its high standard to this day, as was seen at both of their concerts. Their performance of the opening piece – a transcription the melodious ‘Evening Bell’, stole the hearts of those present not only with its technical perfection but above all with its soulful expressiveness. This also applied to the other parts of the programme. The orchestra, whose uniqueness lies primarily in its accomplished balalaika section and its traditional wind instruments, gave an equally masterful rendition of well-known melodies such as the Polovstvian dances from Borodin’s Count Igor or Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance. Although the content of the second half pandered somewhat to the taste of contemporary audiences, we became aware of how the great treasury of Russian music, until recently naively neglected here, has an appeal for our listeners too.

Furthermore, this ensemble has won awards in forty countries worldwide. And so too it captivated the Prague audience: it is a pity that after 1989 the Czech Republic so naively and superficially rejected these folk art treasures!...