Miaskovsky - some guidance needed

[jerfilm]

Christopher, for the most wonderful Glazunov, get your hands on Victor Tretyakov's passion reading of the Violin Concerto in a.  My favorite violin concerto......

Jerry

[Alan Howe]

....or Serebrier's recently-released set of Glazunov's concertos on Warner.

[Taneyev]

About Glazunov's concerto, no better than early Oistrakh IMO.

[Latvian]

Glazunov Symphony #5 with Konstantin Ivanov! Available in the past in various LP incarnations, but I don't know if it's on CD.

[eschiss1]

Ivanov's recording of Miaskovsky's symphony 5 was very good, too. Better than Svetlanov's, iirc. (Come to think of it, if Downes' recording on Marco Polo of Syms. 5 and 9 is still available, that's good to get... oh wait, we've left that topic.)

[JimL]

Ah yes, Siegfreid, the old Miaskovsky mutating into Glazunov trick!  That's the second most often used one in the book!

[eschiss1]

He used it often enough...

[JimL]

Starker!  Zis is KAOS!  Ve don't mutate composers here!

[semloh]

I know this started with the symphonies in mind, but I'd like to recommend the Sinfoniettas (Russian Disc, Svetlanov) which sit well alongside the magnificent 21st Sym.

[vandermolen]

Miaskovsky highlights:

Symphony No 16 (wonderful slow movement) commemorates an air disaster.

Symphony No 6 - a sprawling epic but with some wonderful moments (beautiful flute passage in trio of the scerzo - one of my favourite moments in all music - deeply moving + the choral finale - wonderful.  I was so privileged to hear this live in London and even got to chat to the charming conductor (Jurowski) about it during the rehearsals.

No 3 (influence of Cesar Frank)

No 15 (look out for Kondrashin's fine recording) No 17 (in a Gauk box on Brilliant but the Svetlanov is good too)
No 21 (Ormandy/Gould/Measham)
No 24 and 25 (together on Naxos)
No 27 - deeply moving, the dying composer's response to those who had condemned his music in 1948 (Alto or Chandos - sadly the Gauk version did not appear in the Brilliant boxed set)

[JimL]

I can't believe more people don't plump for #5, a wonderfully haunting, albeit rather Sibelian work.  As Amphissa has pointed out, the opening theme has a motive that brings to mind 'Lara's Theme' from Jarré's score to Dr. Zhivago.

[vandermolen]

I can't believe more people don't plump for #5, a wonderfully haunting, albeit rather Sibelian work.  As Amphissa has pointed out, the opening theme has a motive that brings to mind 'Lara's Theme' from Jarré's score to Dr. Zhivago.

Must give it another listen - I have the old series Olympia CD.

[semloh]

JimL - yes, I too went and had another listen, and I agree that the 5th is a beauty. And, that theme Amphissa mentioned is so evocative of old Russia and its changing landscape, at least for an old romantic like me!

[eschiss1]

Have read poor reviews of Svetlanov's take on no.5 if I recall and have to agree. Too slow.  Downes on Marco Polo is one of several good recordings though (and his recording premiered- I think; such claims should always be careful on principle - no.9 in E minor, another really lovely, passionate symphony.)

[eschiss1]

If you want to hear Myaskovsky's 2nd symphony, the Czech station Rozhlas D-Dur (Rozhlas) will be broadcasting it tomorrow morning at 3:38 am and again at 7:38 pm Eastern standard time US 8/26 (more locally European time at 9:38 am 8/26 and again at 1:38 am on 8/27) in Gottfried Rabl's recording for the Orfeo label.  Early (1911) work, long (45-ish minutes), but one of my favs (have heard that recording once or twice, know it mostly from other recordings). Enjoy if you catch it ! (They have a webstream - iTunes/mp3 - several streams, last I checked- or I wouldn't mention it, since it seems to me actually hearing one of his works you haven't heard yet, even an earlier one, well-played as I recall this one is here..., is the best advice of all, or at least- part of it.)