Anatoly Alexandrov (1888-1982)

[Theodore S.]

This is the second post I wanted to make, following the post dedicated to the music of Evgeny Svetlanov. This one is about the music of Anatoly Alexandrov, one of the longest-lived composers in Russian history, and in my view on of the last true romantic composers (born 1888, died 1982). The recording I want to share here is his String Quartet no. 4 in C major, Op. 80 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X2LbdsuVtTRmpVW6O2O2bJXs4S6SY7PN/view?usp=sharing), performed here by the Borodin Quartet. Until now, the only part of this piece available to be heard online was from a documentary about Alexandrov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsTp1sPSMUg&t=1470s), beginning at 20:03.

I have no idea whether or not his other 4 string quartets have been recorded - I only recently found out that this quartet had been recorded at all, sources regarding his discography are hard to find. His numerous piano sonatas have been recorded by a number of pianists, but some other pieces, like his  opera/ballet "Levsha" (which has been recorded on vinyl), are very difficult to find.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this piece!

Best,
Theodore

[Alan Howe]

Information on the composer is to be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoly_Alexandrov_(composer)

I didn't realise that some of his piano music had been recorded:
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/c.asp?c=C9

[eschiss1]

Isn't Toccata Classics also recording his piano works? Ah yes, 2 volumes so far (edit: 5 of his piano sonatas, and other works). (And someone uploaded one of his symphonies a long while back, I think, in a generally Prokofiev-ish style I think.)

[tuatara442442]

And except for hyperion and toccata classics, feriel kaddour and viktor bunin has recorded one disc each of his piano music. Jenny Lin recorded his 4 Preludes, Op. 10 in the prelude compilation Prelude to a Revolution. A historical recording of his Canzona Difirambica for Doublebass and Piano by Rodion Azarkhin had also been released on a disc.

[tuatara442442]

I didn't realise that some of his piano music had been recorded

Clarisse Teo on Youtube had uploaded her recording of the complete Alexandrov piano sonata cycle

[Alan Howe]

Here's her cycle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwGDoMSLxbI&list=PLnEJuK0hNU7812m9B4ceyuoVoXqVTcKtk

Interesting - somewhere between Scriabin and Medtner, maybe? Alternating faster and slower passages seem to be characteristic of his idiom.

[tuatara442442]

I just found out that Clarisse Teo is recording the sonata cycle on divine art
https://divineartrecords.com/divine-art-announces-first-recording-of-the-complete-piano-sonatas-of-composer-anatoly-alexandrov/
The release date of this 4cd set is said to be in 2024 but undetermined

[Ilja]

For those who weren't aware, there's of course Alexandrov's B-flat minor Concerto Symphony for piano and orchestra in B-flat minor from 1974 (but still well within the stylistic remit of this forum):

1. Lugubre (alla marcia)
2. Andante semplice
3. Allegro energico

By the way, he's not to be confused with Alexander Alexandrov, the composer of the Soviet (and Russian) national anthem. I did, for years.

[tuatara442442]

And it really need a new complete recording, because the scherzo is omitted. I'm really fond of the simple but affecting slow intermezzo

[tuatara442442]

The piano sonata cycle played by Clarisse Teo will come out on Mar. 7
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9748977--alexandrov-complete-piano-sonatas

[eschiss1]

A radio recording's been uploaded of one of his 2 more usual orchestral symphonies, I think... either no.1 in C op.92 or no.2 in Bb.

[Theodore S.]

To my knowledge, only the 1st Symphony in C major has been recorded (besides the Concerto-Symphony), two times by Igor Blazhkov and Evgeny Svetlanov. Both Symphonies have been published, though only the 1st symphony is currently available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJAv-6PDNas&t=1413s

[tuatara442442]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJAv-6PDNas&t=1413s

I have never noticed this recording by Blazhkov!

no.2 in Bb.

I've seen somewhere that Sym 2 is an orchestration of his Piano Sonata No. 8

[eschiss1]

My vague memory was that I have downloaded one symphony and have skimmed a score of one of his symphonies- but not the same one. I think that probably indeed they're the first and second respectively. (This seems to confirm that it would have been the 2nd symphony in B-flat, Op.109, that I would have had the opportunity to skim during my years at Cornell decades ago, and the symphony no.1 in C is the one whose recording is, as you say, on YouTube. I wonder if I can find the first symphony available via Interlibrary Loan somewhere at a library nearby that loans to my library without charging 2 out of 3 of an arm, leg and torso ... I have been fortunate enough in having scores of works by Lennox Berkeley and Richard Flury lately, but that's offtopic.)

[Theodore S.]

My vague memory was that I have downloaded one symphony and have skimmed a score of one of his symphonies- but not the same one. I think that probably indeed they're the first and second respectively. (This seems to confirm that it would have been the 2nd symphony in B-flat, Op.109, that I would have had the opportunity to skim during my years at Cornell decades ago, and the symphony no.1 in C is the one whose recording is, as you say, on YouTube. I wonder if I can find the first symphony available via Interlibrary Loan somewhere at a library nearby that loans to my library without charging 2 out of 3 of an arm, leg and torso ... I have been fortunate enough in having scores of works by Lennox Berkeley and Richard Flury lately, but that's offtopic.)

It would be absolutely amazing if you could get the 2nd symphony in B-flat! I have the score for the 1st symphony, which you can see here: https://classic-online.ru/uploads/000_notes/128900/128809.pdf (it was scanned by a friend of mine at my request). I was never able to get the 2nd symphony, though I've tried to request it via interlibrary loan several times.

Btw, I also have the sores for all 4 of Alexandrov's String Quartets. It does seem like only the 4th quartet was recorded, but I can share what I have here (though the scan of the 3rd quartet is kind of messy, and I would like to clean that up at some point).

I've seen somewhere that Sym 2 is an orchestration of his Piano Sonata No. 8

I've never heard this, but that would be interesting to confirm! I guess that would make the 2nd symphony fairly short compared the 1st, since the 8th sonata is only around 16 minutes long.