Rubinstein Symphony No. 5 reissue

[sdtom]

Originally released on Marco Polo #8.223320 in 1988 Naxos has reissued this recording on there regular series of recordings #8.557005.

I think the refreshing thing that I liked about the 5th was the Russian influence that it has to offer, at least the first two  movements for certain. I certainly wasn't bored by it at all as some of the previous comments from 3 years ago.
Tom

[sdtom]

Last night I listened to Tchaikovsky's 'Winter Dreams' as some said it compared with Rubinstein's 5th
but I couldn't here much at all in the way of similarities. I think that both works have had their share of negativity.
Tom

[eschiss1]

... I thought it was usually compared with Volkmann's 1st, or somesuch- not Rubinstein's 5th. New to me, that.

[Alan Howe]

Compare the respective openings of Borodin 2 and Volkmann 1 - now that is interesting.

Anyway, back To Rubinstein 5...

[sdtom]

... I thought it was usually compared with Volkmann's 1st, or somesuch- not Rubinstein's 5th. New to me, that.

I was quoting Keith Anderson from Naxos. Is the Volkmann symphony worth having in the collection?
Tom

[Alan Howe]

Is the Volkmann symphony worth having in the collection?

Emphatically, YES!! Here are some audio excerpts (Symphony No.1 = tracks 2 to 5):
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Robert-Volkmann-1815-1883-S%E4mtliche-Orchesterwerke/hnum/6019596

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Without hesitation I heartily endorse Alan's "Emphatically, YES!!" (I think that means, Tom, that he rather admires Volkmann!)

But Alan has been a little 'economical' in offering his advice. For next to nothing you can easily acquire the 2CD CPO set of the two symphonies, plus the Cello Concerto (short but a veritable marvel) and a couple of Concert Overtures.

And if you become hooked then there are String Quartets 1 & 4, 2 & 5, and 3 & 6 available again on CPO - plenty of S/H bargains to be had. Oooh, and the two Piano Trios Op. 3 and 5.

Grab and enjoy!

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, Volkmann is indeed a very rewarding composer. Dare I say, in this thread, more consisently so than is Rubinstein?

[sdtom]

I went ahead and ordered the two CD set from CPO which includes both symphonies. I'm looking forward to hearing it and seeing how it compares to Rubinstein.
Tom

[Alan Howe]

Volkmann, of course, is in the Schumann tradition, with pointers to, say, Brahms. In that respect a comparable composer would be Albert Dietrich rather than more discursive (and less satisfactory) Rubinstein.

[eschiss1]

Volkmann? In some ways quite possibly. More forward-looking (but then, Brahms was no hidebound conservative either). Consider his chamber music (not just a one-movement piano trio, but the - not unique (think of Hirschbach as another counterexample) but rare- example for his time of a rather unusually structured string quartet (the 5th in F minor (pub.1859), iirc) (not an insight original to me.))

[Peter1953]

I thought the discussion was about the reissue of Rubinstein's Fifth. Not that he is as a composer less than others. Well, my contribution is that I don't understand why Naxos re-released this old recording.
I could be one of the few who really like to see a completely new performance of this very fine symphony. Actually of all his symphonies. Another first class orchestra, an inspired conductor who understands Rubinstein, a state-of-the-art recording. I suppose Naxos is not interested because of the MP series, but Chandos might. After all, we are talking about one of the greatest Russian composers ever. IMHO of course.

[Alan Howe]

After all, we are talking about one of the greatest Russian composers ever. IMHO of course.

He isn't - IMHO of course. Important? Yes. Influential? Yes. Great? No - he's far too flawed a composer to be that.

[Alan Howe]

What do friends think of Faust, Op.68 on this CD?

[sdtom]

After all, we are talking about one of the greatest Russian composers ever. IMHO of course.

He isn't - IMHO of course. Important? Yes. Influential? Yes. Great? No - he's far too flawed a composer to be that.

I put him in the average range. His contemporaries far exceeded him. I agree with Alan that he did make an impact especially with the starting of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, teaching (Tchaikovsky for one), and as a classical pianist.
Tom