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Tania Lukic-Marx now gives the CD reviews a rating
system. This system includes a number of stars at the completion
of the review, for example 5 stars (*****) means the CD was "brilliant"
or "excellent", 4 stars = impressive, 3 stars = good,
2 stars = satisfactory and 1 star = didn't impress.
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Benjamin Oleinikov was born in 1960 at Pokrovka (near Volgograd) in Russia,
and Alexandre Gervasov was born in 1966 in Tula, also in Russia. They both
graduated accordion at the Russian National Music Academy "Gnessin"
in Moscow. Benjamin Oleinikov and Alexandre Gervasov formed the "Duo
Moskva" in 1990 and have performed extensively in Russia, France, Germany,
and Switzerland.
This recording is so very much traditional Russian: from the outfits chosen
for the cover of the CD (Russian traditional Folk outfit), repertoire, the
use of additional typical Russian Folk instruments on some tracks (balalaika
and domra), to their performing manner, and most important - the Russian
Spirit and wide Soul it is played with!!
The performers are without doubt competent musicians and accordionists,
but the spirit of their playing is what makes the biggest impact. They play
in the best traditions of Russian Folk style: heartfelt, wide, with a lot
of passion, fire and sentiment - elements that make any kind of Russian
Folk (music, dancing) so appealing to any nation, in my opinion. This style
cannot be compared with the style of current accordion trends in Russia
and elsewhere - it is not as academic, but has a lot of heart and is very
'soul warming'. I entirely enjoyed it. *****
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