Glazunov, Prokofiev, Sibelius

[richardfinegold]

Interesting programming on a snowy night in Chicago as Neeme Jaarvi led The CSO in:
Glazunov Concert Waltz Number One for Orchestra
Prokofiev VC#1 Vadim Guzman, soloist
Sibelius: Karelia Suite and Symphony #5

I liked the programming here. The Glazunov, unknown work, pleasant, like Tchaikovsky without the panache, serving as a nice lead in to the Prokofiev a bit of a backward looking work by the Composer standard but a real charmer. The Karelia Suite is a tuneful crowd pleaser written by the young Sibelius and was a nice foil for the mature masterpiece of the symphony.
A very satisfying evening

[Dave2002]

Glad you enjoyed it. It would be good if concert producers could include more substantial works by Glazunov, though, although the mix of composers could work well.

Perhaps Sibelius Swan of Tuonela, Glazunov 4th symphony, Prokofiev 5

or

Glazunov 7th, Sibelius violin concerto, Prokoviev 7

etc..

Some of Glazunov's work veers towards dire, and some is "merely pleasant", but some is, I feel, still worth hearing, and worth hearing live, if anyone can be persuaded to do them.

[Alison]

The Concert Waltz is a work I'd forgotten about. It's a winner.

Good programme, ideal for Jarvi.

[Sir Velo]

Tis definitely the season for digging out all those Russian orchestral showpieces. Something about these icy blasts from Siberia lends itself particularly to listening to those strident brass and sour winds by a cosy fireside with a wee dram to warm the cockles. Beginning to feel an irresistible urge to dig out all those Tamaras, Tsar Sultans, Seasons and Kije's.

[BBMmk2]

Glazunov is not one composer I would hear, normally. I tend to think of his music as rather irksome, in some ways.

[Dave2002]

bbm

Some of Glazunov's music is dire, though that criticism can also be levelled at other composers. The violin concerto is one piece which seems to have retained some popularity, and is hopefully enjoyed by audiences, but it's not the only worthwhile piece. The symphonies are somewaht uneven, IMO, and some movements are indulgently long, which those who enjoy wallowing in Russian lushness may like, but others will wish that it doesn't "go on so long".

Pulling movements pf symphonies out randomly is not something that we'd generally recommend here I think, but I'd suggest symphony 4/1st movement, symphony 5/2nd, symphony 6/1 and symphony 7/1. I find symphony 8 somehat odd and perhaps lugubrious, but at times I really feel a need to hear it again. Often it seems to me that Glazunov just had to resort to bombast for his last movements - one really has to be in the mood to enjoy those.

Glazunov also "does dark" in what seems to be a very distinctive way - very miserable and sombre at times, but maybe there is a place for that.

The Seasons ballet has some well known and very brilliant (and cheerful!) sections - arguably best taken out of the whole for pure listening - would they make good encores?

[Petrushka]

In some 45 years of concert going I've never heard any Glazunov but do have a symphonies set that I've hardly played plus the Violin Concerto which is unjustifiably neglected in the concert hall.

The Seasons, though, is full of memorable tunes, especially a glorious waltz which is worthy of Tchaikovsky and is instantly recognisable. I had it on LP with Svetlanov and the Philharmonia and will check to see if it ever made it on to CD. The LP included the two Concert Waltzes. I had the chance to see Raymonda at the Kirov while in Leningrad in 1979 but ducked out of it as it wasn't my thing.

[Dave2002]

In some 45 years of concert going I've never heard any Glazunov but do have a symphonies set that I've hardly played plus the Violin Concerto which is unjustifiably neglected in the concert hall.

Do try the set you have again. Which one is it?

I was put onto Glazunov by a former board member, and it tok me me several run throughs the symphonies to get the hang of them. I wasn't sure if it was worth it, but now I'd say it probably was.

The first two are remarkable - written when the composer "were still but a lad"! They are also perhaps a bit straightforward, but the first in particular was a hit at its first performance. For me no 3 is kind of a transitional work between the two youthful symphonies and the later more imposing/grander/darker ones. The opening of no 4 has a beautiful cor anglais part - particularly in Yondani Butt's Philharmonia version, which may be difficult to obtain now on CD. His 6th is still available - with I think the LSO.

I started with Fedoseyev's set, which sounded a bit rough to me, then explored others, and finally went back to Fedoseyev as despite some roughness (partly the playing, partly the recording - depending on the transfer), it does have energy and vitality which some other sets lack.

Sometimes I play through 4 to 7 or 5 to 8 in a few hours in the morning - fills in time before breakfast.

[richardfinegold]

Some good comments here and I find myself in agreement with all of them. After trudging through the snow to get to Orchestra Hall I did find myself thinking the Glazunov would sound nice over the radio by a cozy fire. When Naxos had issued a set of the Glazunov Symphonies I bought the set and they have been collecting dust for years now. Occasionally I pull one of the shelf and usually they fail to retain my interest. I agree with Dave that his 'dark' moments tend to be more memorable. Perhaps that was the Vodka that so famously ruined the premiere of Rachmaninov Symphony #1 talking

[Pulcinella]

Not much Glazunov here.
The Seasons (Concert Arts Orchestra/Robert Irving)
Violin Concerto (Benedetti/Bournemouth SO/Karabits)
and the BBCMM offerings
Symphony 5 (BBCPO/Sinaisky) [Vol 16, No 3]
Chopiniana (BBCPO/Sinaisky) [Vol 18, No 6]

Have dug the symphony CD out for another listen.

[Sir Velo]

Some good comments here and I find myself in agreement with all of them. After trudging through the snow to get to Orchestra Hall I did find myself thinking the Glazunov would sound nice over the radio by a cozy fire. When Naxos had issued a set of the Glazunov Symphonies I bought the set and they have been collecting dust for years now. Occasionally I pull one of the shelf and usually they fail to retain my interest. I agree with Dave that his 'dark' moments tend to be more memorable. Perhaps that was the Vodka that so famously ruined the premiere of Rachmaninov Symphony #1 talking

One can almost hear the sleigh bells as the troika skate through the snow laden streets of old Moscow in the fifth's charming little scherzo. Problem is, as you allude to Richard, Glazunov rarely gets the attention from the big name orchestras and conductors which would showcase the work to greater effect. Currently listening to a decent, reasonably idiomatic performance by the BBC Phil under Sinaisky. Recording's a little close with not enough depth of field to allow the sweeping, Wagnerian horn theme of the slow movement to quite have the impact it should, but a serviceable disc nonetheless.

[Dave2002]

That was one of the symphony movements which received several calls for en encore at its first performance, IIRC
Similarly the scherzo movement in the 4th has the same lightness of touch.

For rfg I'd say that the Naxos versions are really quite decent, but they don't quite bring out the absolute best in all of the works. Perhaps they need careful nurturing, and maybe a large Russian orchestra to sound good. OK Naxos have a Russian orchestra. Serebrier includes the extant bit of the 9th, and his set is good, though I wonder if his Scottish orchestra is really big enough - I do like the orchestra and have heard it live a few times in recent years. Otaka's BBC NOW set is excellent.

I think the Sinaisky CD is quite good. Possibly these works are ones which require a sympathetic conductor to bring them out - like Beecham was seemingly able to do with some quite slight material.

[EdgeleyRob]

Just beat me to it re Tadaaki Otaka.
A super set that makes a decent case for all the symphonies IMO,even though the BBCNOW obviously doesn't sound especially Russian.
I often listen to these performances.

[jayne lee wilson]

The grande reférénce Russe of Glazunov Cycles is surely this one.....

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_グラズノフ（1865-1936）_000000000021112/item_交響曲全集-第1〜8番-、他%E3%80%80スヴェトラーノフ＆ソ連国立響（６CD）_1221356

.USSRSO/Svetlanov, 1989....nla, sadly but the Warners set in the Svetlanov Edition is the same one, though whether the glorious, audiophile-quality Venezia sound has survived the transfer I couldn't say. I sent back my early Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninov purchases from that Warners Edition for stripping out the HDCD and for sounding overprocessed, replacing them with Japanese-issue originals. But musically, Svetlanov seems to find the perfect balance between the sweetly lyrical, the Mendelssohnian spritz and sparkle, and the brassy firepower.

As D2K2 said, the symphonies often stay in the mind for favourite movements - the first three of my favourite the 7th are lovely, the Pastoral nickname apt. But then his addiction to Maestoso finales takes over once again..... A very Russian headache.

But my favourite work of his is The Sea (1889), which takes some of the sonic sea-archetypes-clichés familiar from Mendelssohn's Calm Sea, The Flying Dutchman and Debussy's later epitome (all the way through to Enescu and David Matthews, some tradition...) and makes them into another perfect storm. I think Svetlanov recorded it twice, my preference is the Exton release, c/w the even more astounding The Sea (1907) by Mikalojus Ciurlionis** and the Debussy itself (gloomily overpowering, like a hurricane in The Baltic), all live in one concert taped with raw immediacy in a slightly boxy-sounding acoustic which won't be to everyone's taste! Very exciting though, to hear the great Russian Orchestra unleash its fire on Debussy's final pages. Who cares if it's supposed to be French?

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Classical-Collection-Orchestral-Music_000000000065307/item_Umi_2558188

Glazunov's The Sea is included in the Svetlanov Symphony cycle on Venezia, but it's the same performance in a very different mastering - replacing raw immediacy with almost too much space and distance (to match the acoustic for the symphonies, our old vastly reverberant friend the Large Hall of Moscow Radio... ).

** iirc, There was a Naxos CD of this available once...

[BBMmk2]

Hmmm I don't I can get into Glazunov's music somehow. Sibelius and Prokoviev, no problem. I have no problem with :)