“In commissioning Vladimir Martynov to compose a symphony in 2004, I could not have foreseen a trajectory leading to this recording by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Abbey Road Studios. It was a leap of faith.” said Michael Tay, former Ambassador from the Republic of Singapore to the Russian Federation and commissioner of this unusual symphony.
Vladimir Martynov (b. 1946) is a prominent Russian composer whose works have enjoyed particular success in the Soviet Union since the 1970s. Having traversed the genres of electronic and rock music, Martynov turned his attention to religious music before returning to his distinctive minimalist style. The London Philharmonic Orchestra gave the world premiere of his first opera La Vita Nuova in 2009, and his composition ‘The Beatitudes’ was featured in Academy-Award-winning film La Grande Bellezza.
