Category: Music

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Melodiya is starting to press records at its own plant in Novosibirsk due to high demand. The first batch of records, featuring works by David Tukhmanov, the band Zodiac, and the VIA Dos-Mukasan, is already available for sale, Melodiya's press service told TASS.

"Firma Melodiya" is still associated with vinyl records by most of our compatriots. The revival of production under the Melodiya brand is a natural development of musical traditions in our country, which will allow the plant to become a worthy successor to the Soviet Melodiya plants," said the company's CEO, Andrey Krichevsky.

The first record from the new production facility was the "Dos-Mukasan" album by VIA. The records were printed in 2025, using master tapes made from the original master tapes. Maxim Pilipov served as the sound engineer for the restoration and remastering. The plant plans to expand its product line and produce records commissioned by artists and music companies.

As Krichevsky previously reported to TASS, the initial investment amounted to approximately 150 million rubles. This is a full-cycle facility based on the Allegro II production line manufactured in Hong Kong. The main suppliers of the equipment are Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, and China. The company plans to release tracks from its catalog as well as custom-made ones, allowing any customer—artist, songwriter, label, agency, or copyright holder—to release their album. Production volume will be approximately 100,000 records per year.

TASS, December 8, 2025

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Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Reflections on Leonid Desyatnikov

In 2015—ten years ago—I recorded a conversation with Leonid Desyatnikov at the Green Living Room. At the time, the Bolshoi Theater was holding a large-scale festival to commemorate his sixtieth birthday. The theater orchestra performed the symphony "The Rite of Winter" (1949) at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. In that conversation, Leonid Desyatnikov said he reads various texts about himself in the booklet, and each writer seems to be solving their own problems, while the subject itself somehow disappears, making it difficult to pinpoint who he is.

As I begin writing this text, I imagine Leonid Desyatnikov conjures up images of the Baltic coast, soft sunlight, veranda windows, sandy beaches, tall pine trees, the dark waters of the Gulf, and the almost silent movement of the waves. Leonid Desyatnikov is a composer I greatly admire. I think it's unlikely that in the 21st century there will be another composer more important to the Bolshoi Theatre's recent history. In the last century, the Moscow Art Theatre became the theater of Chekhov, Ibsen, Maeterlinck, and Andreyev, and introduced the world to Gorky… The Bolshoi also had its own composers: Demutsky, Fenelon, Podgaits… But they came later. Desyatnikov's "Children of Rosenthal," with a libretto by Vladimir Sorokin, was undoubtedly a breakthrough. Clones of five composers in the new Russia. The production was directed by the legendary Eimuntas Nekrošius. However, I hope to see other directorial interpretations as well. Many fragments of this music will forever remain etched in my memory. And our silent protest against the barrage of attacks, demonstrations, and threats, uniting everyone involved in this premiere. And then—the pinnacle of overcoming the Pale of Settlement: the Bolshoi Theatre performing this opera by Desyatnikov at the Mariinsky Theatre. And our tour in Riga, long walks with the composers along the wide beaches of Jurmala…

The ballet "Lost Illusions" based on Balzac, following Ulanova and the dreams of Alexander Arkadyevich Belinsky, who inspired Ratmansky with this idea… Our triumph on the stage of the Théâtre Garnier in Paris… David Hallberg in the lead role. And at the same time, Desyatnikov's concert at the Opéra Bastille, where producer Raisa Fomina brought François Ozon…

The ballet based on the vocal cycle "Russian Seasons" with costumes by Galya Solovieva is simplicity and depth, something eternal and archetypal, and for me, a complete unity of music and choreographic language…

A project within the framework of the "Old Women Falling Out" workshops. Jokes from the senior ballerinas: why aren't we in the casts? Wonderful songs based on the OBERIU poetry… A trip to see the film "Moscow"… The very first delight, still on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, was "Towards the Swan" staged by Alexei Miroshnichenko… A wonderful evening of LAD ballets – how I wanted to show it to the audience, and how sad I am that legal meticulousness prevented us from doing so!.. As one poet wrote, "the boat of love was wrecked on everyday life." I love "Sketches for 'Sunset'." And the opera "Vitamin of Growth" based on the poetry of Oleg Grigoriev. And most of all I love the cycle "Love and Life of a Poet." Especially inperformed by Bogdan VolkovAnd the poems of Daniil Kharms from 1936:

The days fly by like swallows, And we fly like sticks. The clock ticks on the shelf, And I sit in a skullcap. The days fly by like shot glasses, And we fly like swallows. Light bulbs sparkle in the sky, And we fly like stars.

We interviewed Desyatnikov in 2015, and it was clear: the ballets and librettos had authors… Speaking about Soviet power and his own perception of it, Leonid Arkadyevich expressed the apt idea that aesthetic differences were enough to understand everything about the Soviets… Even without ethical doubts, everything was clear. Now these views seem even more relevant to me.

I think: what is it that attracts me so much to Leonid Desyatnikov? His sincerity, his lack of posturing. That quiet, ironic, personal voice. His personal voice… The desire to be yourself and preserve your inner freedom. To try to distance yourself from official doctrine.

I remember once arriving in Jerusalem at a difficult moment of spiritual crisis. The sun was setting over the eternal city, and it involuntarily erased all temporality, setting a new scale for our lives. It seems to me that Leonid Desyatnikov always exists like this—without the fuss of the moment. I don't know if he grows wiser with age, or sadder… He can't stand pathos in any form. He's lucky to be a composer, dependent only on the staff, inspiration, and divine inspiration.

Happy birthday.

Katerina Novikova, "Musical Life," October 16, 2025

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

1989, Perestroika. Soviet society is experiencing a powerful awakening of interest in national history—especially pre-revolutionary history and cultural memory. As if responding to this zeitgeist, Boris Tikhomirov, Vladimir Osinsky, and Pavel Grushko create a bluff opera."Without a king in my head" Based on Saltykov-Shchedrin's novel "The History of a Town" – a satire on Russian society that never loses its edge.

Tikhomirov and Osinsky were pioneers of electronic music in the USSR. Tikhomirov, not only a composer but also a musicologist and ethnomusicologist, worked as an editor at Melodiya in the 1980s. It was thanks to his efforts that the albums that became cult classics were released. Rhythmic gymnastics and series "Sports and Music" With electronic music Tikhomirov himself and his colleagues – Andrey Rodionov and Vladimir Osinsky. It's no surprise that "Without a Tsar in My Head" is also an opera for synthesizers and… a sound-imitating artist. Most of the vocals were performed by Alexey Ptitsyn, a precursor to Maxim Galkin, who gained fame for his parodies of "Time Machine" and "Orange".

The authors' chosen genre of "bluff opera" alludes to Italian opera buffa—and this is clearly no coincidence. "Without a Tsar in My Head" also hints at an ironic reimagining of 18th-century Russian comic operas, such as "Coachmen on the Set-Up." At the same time, certain "arias"—for example, "The Appearance of the Tsar" or "The Appearance of the River"—sound like 1980s electropop, and with their simple lyrics about love and romance, they could easily have become hits performed by Forum (Ptitsyn, in my opinion, even parodies Saltykov) or ElectroclubIncidentally, the final aria, "The Appearance of the River," is performed by a true star of the 80s, Olga Zarubina. Ironically, the meaning of "The Appearance of the River" is the antithesis of her then-massive hit "Music Plays on the Boat," written by Vyacheslav Dobrynin.

In short, "Without a Tsar in My Head" is a thoroughly postmodernist, witty, and enigmatic work. One of the most obscure recordings in Melodiya's catalog. Indeed, this is evident, if only from the cover.

Melodiya recently digitized the album and posted it on on your website The full text of the opera, composed by poet and translator Pavel Grushko—author of the libretto for "The Star and Death of Joaquin Murieta" by Alexei Rybnikov and "The Master and Margarita" by Alexander Gradsky—is worth a careful reading.

Denis Boyarinov, "Red Book", October 11, 2025

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Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The 3rd International Symposium of the Classical Music Recording Industry will be held in Moscow from November 19–21, 2025. The event is organized by the Russian Musical Union and supported by the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

More than 20 Russian companies, studios, and educational institutions associated with the recording industry became partners of the symposium.

One of the key partners of the event was the Melodiya company, the oldest representative of the sound industry in our country.

Among the symposium's key topics is the restoration of archival sound recordings. Without restoration, we risk forever losing unique interpretations, forgotten repertoires, and the pristine sound of works born in the fire of inspiration. Restoring archival recordings of classical music is not just a technical task, but a sacred duty to time, culture, and humanity. In every rustle of old tape, in every crackle of a vinyl record, lies the breath of the past, the voices of great men whose hands touched the keys, whose baton brought scores to life, whose thoughts and feelings are forever imprinted in the vibrations of sound.

Melodiya, originally established as a state-owned company for the production, storage, and distribution of sound recordings, continues to be the custodian of our country's musical history. The company's archive contains over 230,000 recordings.

At the symposium, Melodiya will be represented by Maxim Pilipov, Deputy Director of the Hardware and Studio Complex and sound engineer and restorer, who will participate in a public talk entitled "Restoration: A Technical or Creative Process?"

The public talk will take place on November 19 at the Cyberdom space, located at 12 2-ya Zvenigorodskaya St., Bldg. 18, Moscow. Representatives of the Moscow Conservatory will also participate in the discussion: Evgeny Platonov, producer and deputy head of the Multifunctional Educational and Production Center for Sound Recording and Sound Engineering at the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory, and Elena Doynikova, restorer at the Multifunctional Educational and Production Center for Sound Recording and Sound Engineering at the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory.

A detailed program of symposium events is available on the project's official website: https://symposiom-sound-pure.com/.

Participation is free. Entry is by registering on the website.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The fifth episode of the "Sound Review" project, released by Melodiya, opens a new chapter in the anthology of Russian music from the 20th and 21st centuries. For the first time in the series' history, the recording features a symphony orchestra—the Academy of Russian Music Symphony Capella, conducted by Ivan Nikiforchin.

Karina Abramyan, General DirectorUnion of Composers of Russia:

"The Sound Review, created by the Union of Composers of Russia in 2020, brings together works from various eras and movements—from the Russian avant-garde of the 1910s and 1920s to contemporary classical music. This is the fifth edition of the series—a mini-anniversary—and features the first appearance of a symphony orchestra."

Part OneThe new symphonic release is dedicated to composers Moisei Weinberg, Nikolai Peiko, and Boris Tchaikovsky—three friends and colleagues whose destinies were closely intertwined not only in their creative work but also in the trials of time. In 1953, Weinberg was arrested, and it was Peiko and Tchaikovsky who stood by his side, supporting his family and seeking their colleague's release. This episode became a point of unity and human resilience for them—an inner strength that is also evident in their music.

The album features Weinberg's Suite for Symphony Orchestra (1939–1945), Boris Tchaikovsky's Sinfonietta for String Orchestra (1953), "Elegiac Poem in Memory of Nikolai Myaskovsky" (1980), and the world premiere recording of Nikolai Peiko's vocal cycle for tenor and string orchestra based on Vladimir Nabokov's poetry, "The Light of the Cornflower Wreath" (1987). In addition to the Academy of Russian Music under the baton of Ivan Nikiforchin, the album also features Stanislav Mostovoy, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and the Moscow Novaya Opera.

Part twoThe release is "Architecture of Sound" by Yuri Abdokov, a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, a PhD in art history, and a scholar of 20th-century Russian music. The album features four poems for string orchestra: "Autumn Prayers," "Birds in the Rain," "On the Edge of Melting and Ice," and "Beautiful Are the Faces of the Sleeping" (in the latter, the violin part is performed by Ayako Tanabe, winner of international competitions and soloist of the Île Thélème ensemble). Abdokov's music continues the tradition of Boris Tchaikovsky and Nikolai Peiko—a line where intellectual rigor is combined with clarity of form and spiritual warmth.

Ivan Nikiforchin, artistic director and chief conductor of the Academy of Russian Music:

"The music of Weinberg, Peiko, and Boris Tchaikovsky is part of our cultural memory, and Yuri Abdokov's orchestral poems are a direct continuation of this tradition, a living bridge to the present day. His scores are filled with the light and inner strength so desperately needed by contemporary culture."

The recording of the "Sound Review-5" albums took place at the Tonstudio production complex of the Mosfilm film concern. Sound engineer: Mikhail Spassky. The project was implemented with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Melodiya recording company. The albums are accompanied by digital booklets and are available on leading music platforms: Yandex.Music, Zvuk, VK Music, Apple Music, and Spotify.

Musical Life, November 11, 2025

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Melody – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

…

"Picnic Quintet." "Picnic Suite" for guitar, flute, and jazz trio.

Juggling styles these days is either tiring or confusing—and not just in music (how long have you been yearning to visit a fusion restaurant?). And yet, against this backdrop, the Moscow Picnic Quintet suddenly records Claude Bolling's Picnic Suite and reminds us why we even need such experiments. French elegance and baroque discipline, jazz freedom and academic precision truly merge here in friendly harmony and informality, just as a good picnic should.

Bolling, the patriarch of French jazz, is better known to the general public as a film composer, having composed music for over a hundred films during his long career—including such memorable European hits as Borsalino, The Magnificent, and Passengers. He composed this suite in 1980 as a dialogue between guitar and flute and a jazz trio. In the Picnic Quintet version, everything sounds cleaner and warmer, like a restored watercolor: Dmitry Andreyev's guitar is dry and transparent, Yuliana Padalko's flute is bright and slightly dreamy, Olga Zaikina's piano holds its shape, and the rhythm section provides a gentle pulse, preventing the music from becoming stagnant.

Makhfirat Khamrakulova. "Chants of Love" ("Sozi Ishq")

Melodiya continues to unearth amazing Soviet-era artifacts from its archives. Now comes the turn of the Soviet Tajikistan's leading star, Makhfirat Hamrakulova (who, incidentally, celebrated her 70th birthday this year). In the 1980s, she was both a symbolic "liberated woman of the East" and a source of pride for her compatriots—and now they, too, have their own, distinctive yet contemporary pop singer. Hamrakulova began as a soloist with the Gulshan ensemble, the republic's premier pop group, where she received a solid foundation. Today, her solo recordings, where European orchestrations accompany Central Asian melodies and modern synthesizers accompany folk instruments, sound surprisingly fresh and professional.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the outbreak of civil war in Tajikistan, Khamrakulova left her native Dushanbe, moving first to Moscow and then emigrating overseas. However, she did not abandon her singing career and continues to perform—both in New York, to a sizable diaspora, and in her homeland, where her concerts are said to be invariably sold-out. A collection of her best recordings from the early 1980s clearly explains the reasons for her unwavering public love—even without understanding the lyrics, it's hard not to be captivated by these languid ballads and relaxed pop thrillers with the flavor of an oriental bazaar.

Vladislav Krylov, Izvestia, November 1, 2025

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