TRUMPET WORKS: Sergei Nakarjakov, trumpet; Alexander Markovich,...

TRUMPET WORKS: Sergei Nakarjakov, trumpet; Alexander Markovich, piano. Teldec 9031-77705-2. Nakarjakov--15 years old in 1992 when he made this recording--presents surprisingly mature technique and interpretation in a potpourri of idiomatic works. Many of these selections highlight virtuosity over musical content: Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee”; Dinicu’s “Hora Staccato” and Jean-Baptiste Arban’s standard, “The Carnival of Venice,” all provide acrobatic flights deftly assayed by this Russian-born Israeli. Nevertheless, the trumpeter tempers fiery showmanship with a canny sense of style. He proves himself as comfortable with jazz-influenced pieces as he seems with 19th-Century encore archetypes. He also turns in a convincing, sometimes compelling performance of a sonatina by the French composer Jeanine Rueff. Markovich accompanies with appropriate flair, empathy and technical finesse.