Spartacus, premiered in 1956, was revised four times by the composer before it reached its final version at the Bolshoi in 1968. The music has all the sinuous Armenian languor and folksy vitality of Gayaneh. Its most famous number is the ‘Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia’, passionate and tuneful enough to have been written by Tchaikovsky (and recalled at the lovers’ parting), but the score has no lack of memorable ideas, either melodically or in Khachaturian’s individual use of orchestral colour. The three suites here offer over an hour of music, played with a sparkling Slavic rhythmic pulse and gusto, as in the vigorous ‘Dance of the Ethiopian Boy’ and, when necessary, gentle sensuous refinement, as in the seductively swaying ‘Dance of the Egyptian Maidens’. The only surprise is that the bright little closing number (the ‘Sword Dance’) ends rather abruptly. Loris Tjeknavorian and his splendid orchestra are custom-made for this repertoire, and that famous Adagio is most feelingly done. The recording, too, is warmer and more expansive than some previous CDs from this source, yet without losing vividness. Recommended.'