Vasily Andreyevich Zolotarev 1873-1964

[Santo Neuenwelt]

Don't know if anyone is interested but you can hear soundbites of the four movements from his String Quartet No.2 played by a group of amateurs sight reading at the link below. It was composed in 1902. A group of pros who purchased the parts of his String Quintet promised to make soundbites for us, but never did. Here is the link for the quartet soundbites

http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/zolotarev-string-qt2.htm

It certainly sounds like something from the Belaiev circle. I am surprised that none of his chamber music has never been commercially recorded.

I have played the quintet. Two cellos. It is quite a good work. Could certainly use a recording...

[dhibbard]

Christopher wrote:
Yes - in the archives of Belarus Radio & TV.  Some of his symphonies, operas, ballets, chamber music.  I asked for a copy of one of the symphonies: they demanded I justify my interest so that their committee could consider the "appropriateness" of my request, and payment of Euro 1920..etc..... 

it appears all they have in regard to symphonies  is the Symphony No 6 from the list?

[Christopher]

Christopher wrote:
Yes - in the archives of Belarus Radio & TV.  Some of his symphonies, operas, ballets, chamber music.  I asked for a copy of one of the symphonies: they demanded I justify my interest so that their committee could consider the "appropriateness" of my request, and payment of Euro 1920..etc..... 

it appears all they have in regard to symphonies  is the Symphony No 6 from the list?

Indeed. And a fair number of his other orchestral works as well.  They sent me a list of the works of his (orchestral and other) for which they have recordings - it's in Russian here if interested - http://www.mediafire.com/file/5np1lbgpc11pgue/Zolotarev_recordings_held_in_BelTV%2526Radio_archive.docx/file

On another forum (AMF) you wrote (8th May 2013):

I pulled the LPs out and looked at notes on them:

Vasily Zoltaryov (1872-1964)  Complete Symphonies
Sym #1 "Symphony of Anger" ;
Sym #2 "1905";
Sym #3  "Chelyuskintsy"
Sym #4 "Belarus";
Sym #5 "1941"
Sym #6 "My Motherland"   
Sym #7 "In Memory of Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov"

Suite from Lake Prince Ballet
Extra.  from the Opera   "The Decembrists"

State SO of the BSSR,  recorded 1971, 1973  copyright 1989 Melodiya
Conductors:  Engelbrecht/Afanasyev/ Katayaev /Yefimov

- this is confirmation that recordings of these works actually exist and that you have laid eyes on them.  Can you supply more information?

[eschiss1]

the first was not published with that subtitle originally, I am sure...

[Alan Howe]

I reproduce here the list of Z's symphonies that I posted earlier in the thread:

Symphony No.1 in F sharp minor 'To the memory of Tchaikovsky', Op.8 (1903)
Symphony No.2 in D major 'The Year 1905' (1929)
Symphony No.3 in C major 'The Flowers of Chelyuskin' (year?)
Symphony No.4 in B flat major 'Belarus' (1935)
Symphony No.5 in C minor 'The Year 1941' (1942)
Symphony No.6 (key?) 'My Homeland' (1944)
Symphony No.7 (key?) 'To the memory of Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov' (1962)

If anyone has any corrections/additions...

[Christopher]

If anyone has any corrections/additions...

David dhibbard maybe?

[Alan Howe]

We're going round in circles here 

[eschiss1]

I meant the score of #1 I think has no subtitle at all- unless it's dedicated to Pyotr I, that would explain that. Will check. If the other symphony scores were published I am unaware.

[dhibbard]

it should be 'To the memory of Tchaikovsky"     I am looking at the score.. and that is what is says...  there is no further information in the Belaieff printing of the full score.

[semloh]

I have tried in vain to find recordings. All I've found is this short entry from a 1940 text, which refers to a couple of early orchestral pieces so far not mentioned.

ZOLOTAREV, Vasili! Andreyevich, 1873-
Composer. Born in Taganrog, he sang in the Court Chapel from 1883 to 1892 at the same time studying with Krasnokutski and Lyadov. He was forced to give up the violin because of nervousness and instead took up composition under Balakirev and Rimski-Korsakov. He became a teacher of theory in the Moscow Conservatory in 1900, but after the Revolution he settled in Krasnodar in the Caucasus.

Musical Works: The Decembrists, an opera composed after the Revolution; Symphony, Op. 8; Men of the Chelyuskin, a symphony in celebration of the Arctic Expedition (1934) ; Country Festival Overture, Op. 4; Hebraic Rhapsody, Op. 7; Overture-Fantasy, Op. 22; String Quintet in D Minor, Op. 19; 3 String Quartets—D Major Op. 5, A Major Op. 6, D Major Op. 13; Piano Trio in E Minor, Op. 28; Piano Sonata in G Major, Op. 10; choral pieces and songs (mostly published by Belyayev).

[Russian Composers and Musicians - A Biographical Dictionary. Compiled by A. Vodarsky-Shiraeff. New York: H W Wilson, 1940]

[eschiss1]

the 4th quartet op.33 (B-flat minor) eg was already published by then (1913! and no.5 op.46 in G in 1930) but well.. (even the piano sonata no.2 in F minor op.42 was published in 1919.)
Moreover, quartets nos 1&2 are in D and A minor. Argh!! Blast all reference dictionaries- Groves too is riddled with errors which people just assume are the exception - and I am glad one can go to a primary source.

[eschiss1]

As to symphonies IMSLP's contributors' sources give

1. «Симфония гнева» (Op. (1902)
2. «1905-й год» (1929)
3. «Челюскинцы» (1935)
4. «Белорусская» (1936)
5. «1941-й год» (1942)
6. «Моя Родина» (1954)
7. (1962)

Mostly the same list except 1954 rather than 1944.

[Alan Howe]

As far as the symphonies are concerned, nothing of substance has been added. Let's not go back to them until someone has something to say.

However, there's a lot of non-symphonic music...

[Reverie]

I'm working on the opening movement of the first symphony. However, it will take some time as, to put it crudely, there are an awful lot of notes!

[Alan Howe]

Oh, that's really good news - thank you. We'll all be looking forward to the results of your labours.