B M G · R C A

It would take the savvy of a Wall Street investment bank, and a brigade of English sollicitors to unravel the commercial history of the international distribution of Melodiya, the custodian of the recorded archives of the ex-Soviet Empire, whose collapse no doubt made it easier for BMG to snap up distribution. If recent box-sets devoted to eminent musicians from the Soviet era, such as Emil Gilels, Evgeny Mravinsky, David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter among others are any indication, Melodiya archives have yet to reveal their full extent. A word of caution, Melodiya was never known for its engineering prowess or quality control. Sound quality varies from "Soviet Union" to very good. This month's "Smart Buys" on BMG include:
J.R.