Miaskovsky Symphony No.25

[Alan Howe]

Something rather wonderful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdfjkMFEHUw

[eschiss1]

Quite agree. I think there've been two newer recordings I haven't heard yet, but this is lovely and very memorable (I have it on Melodiya CD coupled with a more recent recording of #24, and in Svetlanov's complete set.)

[Alan Howe]

I don't think there's any competition for the Svetlanov (Warner or Alto).

[eschiss1]

Do you mean at all, or of that performance quality? Because Naxos 8.555376 (2003) also has symphonies 24&25 (modern recordings).

[eschiss1]

there's a 3rd recording conducted by Titov on Northern Flowers, 2008, same coupling.

[Alan Howe]

Svetlanov is a great conductor, though. He's incomparable in this area of the repertoire.

[semloh]

What a gorgeous performance of this symphony. Svetlanov's conducting sans baton suits it so well, and brings out that sense of smooth 'organic' flow. Superb!

[Gareth Vaughan]

I agree. Very accomplished.

[eschiss1]

Well, some of his recordings in this area of the repertoire - symphony no.5- are very comparable. As I recall he takes that one far too slow, compared especially to the late Sir Edward Downes (but others too). But yes- 25 is terrific and the recording wears its years well

[Alan Howe]

Well, there are 27 symphonies, so we can forgive him the odd miss fire - especially as his is the only complete cycle. Will there ever be another, from such an eminent conductor? Almost certainly not. And his 25th is superb.

[Jonathan]

I have the whole set (thanks to a ridiculously cheap download years ago), I really need to explore it again as the only one I can remember is no.22.

[eschiss1]

I got the set for $10, as I recall, not -that- long after being stunned to learn of its existence-at-all (initially on a different label). I recommend the relisten. I first heard his music sometime around 1988 (Rostropovich's recording of the cello concerto broadcast on a station I heard at college?) and have my own favorites among his works that won't match those of other fans but I agree its quality of interpretation is very good. (I think most of the symphonies were recorded around the same time (early 1990s) while this  recording of no.3 was issued in 1963 (checking, I see the windband symphony, no.19, was recorded in 1970, as was no.22, so I missed two there . And no.22 was even memorable in score - skimming Firestone Library for interesting-looking music back in my college years, avoiding homework! - years before I heard it), and - again, I think - most of the other works included were recorded, overtures, sinfoniettas,... were recorded in the 1990s, I think (Discogs seems to confirm this. The recording of the Lyric Concertino that was coupled with my old Olympia CD of Svetlanov conducting the remarkable, funereal symphony 3 - a recording of sym. 3 which is included with the new set - the Concertino is conducted by Verbitzky.)
According to Discogs, actually, the recording of Symphony 25 is its first digital recording (previously issued on a Melodiya CD). Thought it was a remastering of its 1960s recording. Whoops.