CD REVIEW - VANECHKA


Vanechka
Music by Yury Poteyenko
KeepMoving Records KMRCD 003 (Russia)
17 Tracks 44:26 mins

My final offering from Yury Poteyenko, and indeed from KeepMoving Records, for now at least, is the composer's score for Yelena Nikoleyeva's 2007 romantic drama Vanechka.
Poteyenko's score commences with the main title track, "Moscow, 1998," a pacy, dramatic orchestral/choral piece, which gets things off to a fine start. By complete contrast, "A Day of a Life" is a very classical-styled, flowing piano piece that could almost be a concert piece. The dark and largely dissonant "After a Crush" follows, and then "On Her Own With a Child" returns us to melodic territory with another quite classical piece, somewhat sad and flute-lead. "Prayer" continues the mood, with another sad, but melodic piece.
Darkness returns with the menacing, percussive "Uninvited Guests" and, after a brief extract of Schubert, it's back to the almost dirge-like hardship of "Orphanage." "Together Again" reprises the theme from "On Her Own," which actually becomes quite hopeful, before any hopes are seemingly dashed. "Bathing" continues with the same theme, taken up by piano in another very classical treatment. The pleasant acoustic guitar piece "Dinner at a Restaurant" offers some welcome warmth before "The Chosen One" slowly and solemnly takes us forward to the very different, beat-driven "Pendulum of Life," with its wailing electric guitars seeming totally at odds with everything that has gone before.
"Christening" offers a suitably reverent choral, though with a somewhat ominous ending, foreshadowing the desperate action of "Siege," which sees the choir in much different mode.
The penultimate track, "Together/End Credits" finds the main theme ("On Her Own") slowly establish itself, firstly on piano, before developing into a big and brassy bolero-like arrangement, and then concluding proceedings softly on piano once more.
Best to leave it there, before the bonus track of a vocal version of the theme from "Pendulum of Life" spoils the mood.
Once more, Poteyenko shows his versatility and gift for melody in this finely crafted score. I look forward to hearing more from this composer in the future.
Not quite such a limited edition this one, at 2000 copies. Check out some samples and order your copy from www.keepmovingrecords.com/eng/disc/24/.