The Russian cultural scene, although largely unnoticed in the West, offers an almost inexhaustible potential in terms of first-class musicians and valuable interpretations. Now, for the first time, audite presents an orchestra unknown in the West but nonetheless highly renowned: the Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra (NASO). Could it be due to this region's geographic remoteness and exoticness, or to the negative connotation of Siberia, that Russian musical culture ends with the Ural Mountains as far as the culturally interested West is concerned? Despite numerous concert tours and major successes in the West, this Siberian orchestra has remained largely unknown up until the present day. This is completely unjustified, for the NASO need not fear comparison with the best-known European orchestras. Founded as long ago as 1956 in Novosibirsk as the result of a government decision to enliven Siberian cultural life, the Orchestra is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Arnold Kats was then appointed Music Director and has occupied this position uninterruptedly ever since. The Orchestra developed very rapidly into a renowned ensemble under his direction at first, alongside Novosibirsk, its concert activities were limited to cities in the eastern provinces of the former Soviet Union. Later on, concert organisers in the western Russian provinces discovered the Orchestra as well. Following successful performances in Moscow and Leningrad, the Orchestra undertook its first concert tour in the allied country of Bulgaria. Already in 1978, the Orchestra was permitted to undertake its first concert tour in the West - in Italy. Since then, numerous tours have regularly taken the orchestra to the great concert halls of the West European capitals and to Japan. On the present SACD, the Orchestra under Arnold Kats is presented with a truly Russian repertoire: the beloved Symphony No. 2 of Sergei Rachmaninov allows us a glimpse into the Russian soul the recording of the Gypsy tunes of the Caprice bohemian, also by Rachmaninov, is a world premiere recording. In honour of the Orchestra's 50th anniversary, audite presents a production which attains the highest standards in interpretative and sound quality, motivating listeners to make further discoveries in the Russian musical scene. You can therefore look forward with eager anticipation to the next audite release with the NASO performing works of Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky under the Orchestra's regular guest conductor, Thomas Sanderling.