Despite the unkind prediction of Rimsky-Korsakov, Arensky has never quite been forgotten, and here is an attractive introduction to his music. The variations are perhaps his most popular work, written in Tchaikovsky’s memory and based on the so-called ‘Legend’ from the set of Children’s Songs, familiar in English as ‘Christ had a garden’. Polyansky conducts a sympathetic performance, and makes an excellent case for the First Symphony. Arensky was by no means the only Russian to have some trouble with his symphonic first movements; even Tchaikovsky had his struggles. As Philip Taylor suggests in a good insert note, the development ‘really consists of a set of colourful variations’. It owes a good deal to Glinka while displaying Arensky’s gift for colourful orchestration. It is well handled here. Not surprisingly, the simplest and most successful movements are the central two, a beautiful Andante pastorale and a Scherzo indulging Arensky’s favourite quintuple rhythms (something which brought grumbles from Tchaikovsky, of all people).

The Fantasy on Russian folksongs is a rarity, and consists really of a few Lisztian flourishes around the two tunes with some amusing balalaika textures, neatly delivered by Tatiana Polyanskaya. The other two works are first recordings, and as far as the Cantata is concerned possibly a last recording too. It is a blank ceremonial piece for the 10th anniversary of Alexander III’s succession, and plays around the platitudinous text with scraps of the famous ‘Slava’ folksong used by Mussorgsky in Boris Godunov until it is time for a full-blooded final chorus.

The three Vocal Quartets are more interesting. Written for the unlikely combination of four-part chorus and solo cello, they have distinct charm. The first two consist of a gentle serenade and nocturne; the third is about a spring that vanishes and then starts again to life, as the cello burbles away happily the while.