Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936)

[sdtom]

Does anyone know if the Svetlanov recording of Stenka Razin in the Vox Box and the Warner Glazunov Box are the same?
Tom

[Francis Pott]

Some may be interested to know that Rachmaninov transcribed Glazunov's Sixth Symphony for piano, 4 hands - so it's a case of 'DO try this at home'. It's a splendid piece and the last movement seems like a kind of riposte to Saint-Saens's Third Symphony but without the organ. I was very glad to get the Serebrier version and find that the speeds worked so well: some people do funny things with this finale and Rozhdestvensky managed to make it take almost 3 minutes longer than most others.

[Jonathan]

Yes, that does sound interesting Francis Pott, thanks for that!  I wonder, has that version been recorded?  Time for a dig about on the internet, methinks!..
Edit - that didn't take long - see Amazon and search for Two-Piano-Arrangements-Russian-Music!

[TerraEpon]

Some may be interested to know that Rachmaninov transcribed Glazunov's Sixth Symphony for piano, 4 hands -

Available on a very good recording on BIS along with Rach's own transcription of his The Rock, as well as someone named Conus's transcription of Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy.

[JimL]

I think that's the same Julius Conus (or Konus) who composed a Violin Concerto that still pops up from time to time.  Heifetz recorded it a ways back.

[eschiss1]

Him or his brother Georgi Conus, I'd think... nope- Lev Konius (Conus) (1871-1944). IMSLP has the transcription here (apologies for diacritics - search under Konius or Scriabin if that doesn't work). . Lev was also Jules' brother (Jules had two brothers). (Apparently Lev was the dedicatee of Medtner's Theme with Variations, Op.55, by the way.)

[sdtom]

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/overture-no-1-on-three-greek-themes-op-3glazunov/

I've found myself wanting to go through the entire series of recordings of Glazunov. This one dates to his teenage years.
Tom

[sdtom]

[urlhttp://sdtom.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/five-novelettes-op-15-alexander-glazunov-1865-1936/][/url]

a nice chamber work that is seldom performed.
Tom

[chill319]

I believe it was in late 1929, the period when Gershwin had a commission to write something for the BSO's 50th anniversary, that he met Glazunov on tour and asked if he could return to Russia with him to study. Already the composer of An American in Paris, Gershwin was clearly a keen student of orchestral style, and the fact that he would at that point in his career view Glazunov as a potential mentor speaks volumes about his regard for Glazunov's compositional and technical mastery of the orchestra.

[giles.enders]

I too am very fond of the music of Glazunov.  I think part of the problem with his music and its popularity, is that it requires really first rate performers,  including soloists and conductors and more often than not, this is lacking.  The piano concertos are just an example.

[fuhred]

As for box sets / complete cycles of the Symphonies, you can't do better the Fedoseyev set! Nos. 1, 2 and 4 were released on Vox a while ago, but the complete cycle is now available (Venezia CDVE04383 - four CDs). It is a Russian Import, but I was able to buy my copy from HMV Japan at a great price. The transfers are superb! Check the link:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/search/index.asp?keyword=glazunov+fedoseyev&site=&target=SEARCH&type=sr



BTW, the Relief label also issued Fedoseyev's cycle this year, but their transfer is a quarter-tone flat, occasionally distorted and sounds terrible.