8.8.2011 - Anton Arensky

[french frank]

"He was described by Tchaikovsky as a man of remarkable gifts. The great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy said of him: "among the new composers he is the best: he is simple and melodious". Anton Arensky was born 150 years ago, yet despite the rather caustic remarks by his teacher Rimsky-Korsakov prophesying that Arensky would soon be forgotten, Arensky is in fact a significant composer within the Russian musical landscape."

1/5. Donald Macleod and Russian music expert Gerard McBurney explore Arensky's early years
2/5. Arensky's move from St Petersburg to teaching in Moscow's Conservatoire.
3/5. Arensky's tempestuous career as a teacher.
4/5. Arensky's move from the Moscow Conservatoire to the Imperial Chapel.
5/5. Arensky's final years as he succumbed to tuberculosis.

The spiel is the same for all the episodes, but the playlists are there.

[Serial_Apologist]

Arensky is definitely one of the composers befitting the "neglected on Radio 3" category bemoaned by many including me. Given the little of his music that I have heard, I hope next week will dispel the impression of insipidity I have thus far gleaned.

S-A

[Barbirollians]

I have always been very fond of his Piano Trio and Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky but after hearing the extract from the Third Suite when they were reviewing Svetlanov's large anthology of Russian Music I have bought a couple of CDs of his music in Svetlsnov performances that are rather cheaper than that box !

The Suites are charming but the work I have enjoyed most is the First Symphony - very much influenced by Tchaikovsky but lots of drama and good tunes indeed an earworm or two for me this week . The copy I have is a secondhand cD released on Olympia .

I see that Suffolkcoastal in his symphonic journey described it as a symphony we should hear more of and I agree .

[cloughie]

I have always been very fond of his Piano Trio and Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky but after hearing the extract from the Third Suite when they were reviewing Svetlanov's large anthology of Russian Music I have bought a couple of CDs of his music in Svetlsnov performances that are rather cheaper than that box !

The Suites are charming but the work I have enjoyed most is the First Symphony - very much influenced by Tchaikovsky but lots of drama and good tunes indeed an earworm or two for me this week . The copy I have is a secondhand cD released on Olympia .

I see that Suffolkcoastal in his symphonic journey described it as a symphony we should hear more of and I agree .

His Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky mentioned above i have always liked because of the Barbrolli recording coupled with the Tchaik Serenade for Strings, but more recently I have got to know the theme through a MVC arrangement of Legend or Crown of Roses. Pure Arensky has come to me via Svetlanov and the Melodiya catalogue in its series of reinventions over the years giving us Symphonies, Suites and orchestral bits - all very listenable pieces.

[EdgeleyRob]

Symphonies 1 & 2 and Piano Trios on Chandos are lovely.
There's a nice Naxos chamber music collection including the very Brahmsian Piano Quintet and 2nd String Quartet.

[BBMmk2]

Symphonies 1 & 2 and Piano Trios on Chandos are lovely.
There's a nice Naxos chamber music collection including the very Brahmsian Piano Quintet and 2nd String Quartet.

Thanks for that ER!

[Barbirollians]

Symphonies 1 & 2 and Piano Trios on Chandos are lovely.
There's a nice Naxos chamber music collection including the very Brahmsian Piano Quintet and 2nd String Quartet.

Thanks ER I shall look that Naxos set out .