«Dazzling! Fantastic!» – these are typical reactions to performances by the Ossipov Balalaika Orchestra. One reviewer wrote: «A kind of musical tsunami swept over the hall, everything was immersed in the Russian melodies, deep and wide like an ocean. I simply cannot find the words! I was sobbing like a baby. It was wonderful!»

This recording features original large-scale works and arrangements for balalaika orchestra by Russian composers Rodion Shchedrin, Evgeny Svetlanov, Tikhon Khrennikov, Vera Gorodovskaya and Pavel Kulikov. The spirit and melodies of Russian folk music blends with the passion and power of symphonic expression in these compositions. The unique colors of the various folk instruments are not merely amplified but take on new shades and dimensions in the symphonic formation of the Ossipov Orchestra.

The Ossipov Balalaika Orchestra was founded in 1919. The ensemble’s premiere performance took place in Moscow’s Hermitage Gardens and the orchestra was soon known in even the most remote parts of the country. A new stage in the orchestra’s history began when Nikolai Ossipov took over in 1940. The orchestra’s repertoire was enlarged by arrangements of Russian classical music, and leading composers such as N. Budashkin, A. Novikov and A. Kholminov soon followed by writing works especially for the orchestra. The orchestra itself was enlarged to include other instruments, including kugilkas, bayans, zhaleikas, brijolkas, percussion instruments, etc.

The Ossipov Balalaika Orchestra represents a beautiful living document of a long history of traditional Russian folk instruments and their music.