Rubinstein's Suite for Orchestra

[Mark Thomas]

Now here's an intriguing release from Centaur.

[Alan Howe]

Indeed. Another one for the list...

[jerfilm]

And just when I was getting acquainted with the lovely Piano Quartets.....

[Richard Moss]

For those members who may be interested, this album is available on the e-music website (£3.36 to download the whole album but without notes).  Other sites may offer the notes as well, but at a higher price

Cheers

Richard

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Richard.

[Mark Thomas]

The Suite for Orchestra is a major addition to the Rubinstein recorded repertoire. As the score (available at IMSLP here) makes clear, there are in fact six movements, of which the fourth, an Intermezzo, is not included. I suspect that it probably was recorded, but the Piano Concerto is a mighty beast, and the CD as it stands comes in at a few seconds under 80 minutes, so presumably it was decided to ditch what looks to be the Suite's shortest movement (I estimate it to be only 3 minutes long). For completists, the Suite's full details are therefore:

Suite for Orchestra in E-flat Op.119 (1894)
I. Prélude: Moderato
II. Élégie: Adagio
III. Capriccio: Presto
IV. Intermezzo: Moderato assai (not recorded)
V. Scherzo:Allegro, vivace assai
VI. Finale: Moderato assai

It's a shame that it's incomplete, but what we have is still a substantial five movement work lasting around 38 very enjoyable minutes. The two longest movements, the Élégie and the Finale are symphonic in character and scale (each is almost 11 minutes long), and the Élégie I'd count as amongst Rubinstein's more impressive creations. It's an aptly titled, heartfelt piece. As the work was written very near the end of his life, one can imagine Rubinstein writing it either as a valediction for lost friends, or for his performing career, which by then was over. The Finale chases its tail a bit, but it works well enough and one could imagine it closing one of its creator's more compact symphonies effectively. The three other movements are thoroughly enjoyable. Each is around five or six minutes in duration and is quite charming in Rubinstein's familiar muscular way, as heard in the dances extracted from his operas, for example, or the shorter movements in the expanded Ocean Symphony. The whole work is suffused with memorable and attractive melodies, the harmonic world is familiar, but Rubinstein sometimes throws in the odd piquant surprise, and his string-heavy orchestration seems to be less bland than can sometimes be the case. Overall, I am delighted to make the Suite's acquaintance.

[semloh]

Another for the 'wants' list! 

[Jonathan]

Indeed!