Russian Romance
About the CD
There are several reasons why Russian Life magazine called Maxim Rubtsov “the miraculous Russian flutist.” He is Russian to be sure, and his flute produces marvelous otherworldly sounds. As principal flute of the Russian National Orchestra since 2003, Maxim has occupied the heart of the orchestra’s wind section, which shines in recordings and live performances. As a recitalist and teacher, his personality and virtuosity cannot hide. The supernatural qualities of Maxim Rubtsov come from a place deep within his Russian soul.
Accompanists and audiences by now are familiar with the distinctive Rubtsov rubato. He lingers and stretches out notes in unexpected places, expressing emotions from somewhere inside his musical memory. Then at the end of a phrase he might extend this concept to an extreme, just because he has such an amount of breath and control, or just because he does not want the moment to stop. This happens especially often in playing Russian romances, songs in which thoughts linger, the voice quavers, and the heart can skip a beat.
The long list of miniatures on the CD capture three centuries of compositions, including two gypsy melodies from the songbooks of Nicholas and Alexandra found in the Russian Imperial Collection of the US Library of Congress, which Maxim visited in 2009.
Maxim Rubtsov on the CD
The unique genre of music to which this CD is devoted — Russian romance — is well-suited to my inherently romantic persona. The songs are lyrical, melodic and soulful, unafraid to say, “I love you.”
My all-Russian recital programs always feature a few songs of this genre, along with longer compositions written for flute. The idea to record so many short songs came when I toured the United States and received warm-hearted response from American audiences. In a press interview in Alabama, I coined the phrase “warm hugs” in response to the region’s well-known hospitality. This is approximately what I want to convey to listeners who may never have heard the songs or visited Russia or imagined the beautiful sound of these melodies — many written for voice — on my flute.
Songs of Moscow Gypsies and other volumes of music from the estates of the Russian imperial family are preserved in the Russian Imperial Collection of the U. S. Library of Congress. In these volumes are many examples of the Russian romance genre. This recording represents the first CD transcription from the collection, made in cooperation with librarians of the LOC Performing Arts Reading Room, which I visited in October 2009. By recording the music and making it available to a wide audience, I intend to restore part of Russian cultural heritage that was sold on international markets in the 1930s and 1940s.