Russian & Soviet Music

[shamokin88]

note from Shamokin88: I have deleted and replaced movements 3, 4 and 5 of Shcherbachev 2. A nuisance but I will persevere. Best to all.

[Dundonnell]

note from Shamokin88: I have deleted and replaced movements 3, 4 and 5 of Shcherbachev 2. A nuisance but I will persevere. Best to all.

Works fine now, thanks

[semloh]

Holger - thank you for the 1st symphony of Hacıbəyov (in my catalogue as Hajibeyov!). I think it's an interesting and enjoyable work. It certainly makes big demands of the orchestra - the horn section gets a real workout, and there's never a dull moment!

[shamokin88]

Shamokin88 here. I have been asked why the date, conductor's name, et cetera, have been struck through for the Shcherbachev 2nd. I have no idea. The information is correct. I suspect I'm simply not yet familiar with the various settings and messed it up somehow. Best.

[Holger]

Holger - thank you for the 1st symphony of Hacıbəyov (in my catalogue as Hajibeyov!). I think it's an interesting and enjoyable work. It certainly makes big demands of the orchestra - the horn section gets a real workout, and there's never a dull moment!

Hacıbəyov was quite a talented composer in general! I also think his First Symphony is really interesting. It partly reminds me of his symphonic images (Caravan etc.), and my feeling is that the imagery of this symphony is strongly linked to Azerbaijan (also since he chose a two movements structure).

As for spelling, the issue is of course that in times of the Soviet Union a Cyrillic writing system was used (and Russian language), while in our days Azerbaijan has forwarded the use of their national language as well as a basically Latin writing system. I think there were some ambiguities in the first years but today things seem to rather fixed. It's Qara Qarayev, Fikrət Əmirov or Soltan Hacıbəyov. The 'ə' is a special letter which can alternatively be written as 'ä'.

[semloh]

Holger - yes, Caravan is a colourful piece - absolutely no doubt what he's got in his mind's eye! Now I've listened to it again, I must listen again to the symphony.

[fyrexia]

I want to thank for the Darzins Piano Concerto No.2.
I have been travelling to much, that i have not been online to check whats going on around here and youtube.
I am right now in a border city called Santana Do livramento in brazil that borders uruguay, whose city is called Rivera.
And over here i had the pleasure to share and talk music with a uruguayan unfamous pianist called Pedro Dominguez. He studied during the 70s with Nadia Boulanger and performed several of her works in Brazil.
Also thanks for everyone posting some interesting symphonies.

Tony

[Mark Thomas]

Always happy to hear more Bortkiewicz. Thanks very much in anticipation, Herrarte.

[herrarte]

Thanks for letting me share. Download link is up.
Hope you like what you hear.

Cheers,

[Mark Thomas]

I'm listening to Othello as I type - what a great way to start a Sunday morning. Thanks so much!

[jerfilm]

Oh yes, a great collection - I know I'll enjoy......

Jerry

[Christopher]

Thanks for letting me share. Download link is up.
Hope you like what you hear.

Cheers,

Thank you VERY much Herrarte for uploading so much Bortkiewicz (the suites).  I've done an audit of which orchestral and operatic works have and have not (apparently) been recorded, as below.  Can you or anyone else add extra information? I'm particularly keen to hear the Russian Rhapsody. It seems that the "Philharmonia" Academic Symphony Orchestra of Chernigov, conducted by Mykola Sukach, has been particularly assiduous in recording his works.  Does anyone have any leads there? (Do they have a website?)

Symphony No.1 in D Major "From my Homeland", Op. 52    RECORDED
Symphony No.2 in E flat Major, Op. 55    RECORDED
Othello, Op. 19    RECORDED
Piano concerto No. 1, Op. 16   RECORDED
Cello concerto, Op. 20   RECORDED
Violin concerto, Op. 22   RECORDED
Piano concerto no. 2 for the left hand only, Op.28   RECORDED
Pianoconcerto no. 3 'per aspera ad astra', Op.32   RECORDED
Österreichische Suite for String Orchestra, Op. 51    RECORDED
Overture for Orchestra, Op. 53    RECORDED
Jugoslawische Suite for Orchestra, Op. 58    RECORDED
Arabische Nächte, Op. 37    RECORDED
"Des Frühlings und des Pans Erwachen, Op.44   NO INFORMATION
Russische Rhapsodie for piano and orchestra, Op.45   NO INFORMATION
Russische Tänze for Orchestra, Op. 18    NO INFORMATION
Träume, Fantasy for Orchestra, Op. 34    NO INFORMATION
Die Akrobaten (Opera), Op. 50    NO INFORMATION
"Hafis Songs" after Hans Bethge for singer and orchestra, Op.43    NO INFORMATION
Seven Songs for voice and orchestra (no Op.No.)     NO INFORMATION 
Olympic Scherzo for orchestra (no Op.No.)     NO INFORMATION 
Symphony No. 3 (unfinished; sketches only)     NO INFORMATION 
Two Songs, arranged for voice and string orchestra (no Op.No.)   NO INFORMATION 
Three Pieces for cello and orchestra, Op.25A  NO INFORMATION 
Heitere Suite for orchestra, Op. 57   NO INFORMATION


Are the Suites complete, or are there parts which are not included?  For example, I notice that the Thousand and One Nights suites has numbers 1 through 9 but misses number 8.  Also - in lists of Bortkiewicz's orchestral compositions available online, there is no mention of "Childhood, suite for string orchestra", though there is a piano suite (in 14 parts) called this - did Bortkiewicz orchestrate it himself?

[semloh]

I just love that Childhood Suite by Bortkiewicz .... so easy on the ear and splendidly orchestrated! 

Is everyone satisfied that it actually is Bortkiewicz, given that it doesn't appear anywhere in lists of hos works?

[eschiss1]

http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/bortkiewicz.htm
Opus 39b- Orchestration of 6 pieces from Kindheit for string orchestra (and doesn't say whether orchestration was done by composer though I assume that if it's in the list, it was done by the composer.) I'm guessing what you/we have is opus 39b. What I don't know, is Mr. v. Rijen's source...

[semloh]

Ah, well done, eschiss1! 
It would be good to find support for Mr. v. Rijen's attribution elsewhere, but it sounds right.