Evgeny Svetlanov
1. Gershwin - American in Paris
2. Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
Encores
3. Gershwin - Variations for piano
4. Gershwin - Prelude
5. Gershwin - Cuban Overture
6. Gershwin - Porgy and Bess, suite
Andrew Litton, piano
U.S.S.R. State Symphony, Evgeny Svetlanov
Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Live; January 1980
Radio Petersburg
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....Little did he know that a few years later, the piece would take him back to the roots he shared with Gershwin. By chance, Mr. Litton's father, who speaks Russian, had become friends with Soviet conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov. Through the years, the senior Mr. Litton kept the conductor up to date on the musical development of his son. As Andrew Litton began to appear professionally as a pianist, an invitation arrived in 1979 from Russia's state agency Gosconcerts.
He was asked to play Rhapsody twice in Moscow with Mr. Svetlanov and the U.S.S.R. State Symphony, as well as solo recitals in any two cities he wished. He chose Baku as one, for it is the city his mother's family comes from.
In January 1980, the Littons en masse headed for Moscow. By chance this happened to be just weeks after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Suddenly here was this American playing Gershwin in Russia during a very tense period. The Associated Press saw it as a good news story, wrote it and sent it around the world. Andrew Litton's career was officially and dramatically launched.
http://www.andrewlitton.com/insights/ins_dmn_28aug1994.shtml
