Sergey Rachmaninov was better known in his day for his pianistic virtuosity than for his compositions, but his creative output has long been acknowledged as the enthralling legacy of a major creative artist. A thrilling masterpiece based on Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Bells is a choral symphony in all but name, its theme giving Rachmaninov the opportunity to explore his fascination with bell sounds. Spring is a dramatic portrayal of rebirth in a land gripped by ice, while the Three Russian Songs are folk-song settings that became a hit at the premiere under the baton of Leopold Stokowski. The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.

The new medium of film with sound was developing at around the time Prokofiev returned to the Soviet Union, where in 1933 he composed the music for his first film, Lieutenant Kijé. Prokofiev’s remarkable perception of the medium’s requirements was enhanced by his collaboration with Sergey Eisenstein on Alexander Nevsky. The music was of epic proportions and the resultant cantata remains one of Prokofiev’s most brilliantly conceived and popular works. Leonard Slatkin’s classic VOX recordings of these works have been praised for their “powerful and compelling performances”. (ClassicsToday.com) The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.