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The recording of Symphony No. 21 seems more modern than that of No. 17. Do you know when the Svetlanov recordings were made?The only references I can find on the net suggest that Miaskovsky's father was a military engineer who was gunned down on a train station platform by a revolutionary soldier. Would be interesting to find out more about this.
Thank you for the recommendation. I'll be on the lookout!
Despite the bizarre cover photograph, this is a very good (and very cheap) Miaskovsky CD which contains both cello sonatas, as well as a good performance of the Cello Concertro (Miaskovsky's best known work).http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikolai-Miaskovsky-Cello-Concerto-Sonatas/dp/B000F9RLDK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210765346&sr=1-5
I think there are also a Regis CD with the same coupling in very good Russian performances!
Colin, my Melodiya CD tells me that Symphony No 17 is a 1991 recording. Not sure about No 21.
Sounds earlier!! Thanks, though!
I shouldn't be disloyal to Alto but I actually think that the best performance of Miaskovsky's 17th Symphony can be found in the Gauk box set on Brilliant and that is a 1956 recording. Gauk was the dedicatee of the Symphony.
One of my oldest LPs is of David Oistrakh playing Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole with Gauk conducting! A Fidelio LP from 1963(now we really are going back in time!) but goodness knows when it was recorded!Gauk doesn't usually get that good a press from the critics but he was obviously a sound conductor.
Very pleased to report that I've just returned from seeing my first ever live concert featuring the music of Miaskovsky: Symphony No 21 performed by the Kensington Symphony Orchestra under Russell Keable at St John's Smith Square London. The Kensington SO is truly "the most professional of non-professional orchestras" and the performance was excellent, sandwiched between some Smetana and Dvorak's 6th Symphony. Never though I'd ever hear a Miaskovsky symphony in England!
Of course it was the Kensington Symphony Orchestra under Leslie Head which gave the first performances of Havergal Brian's 2nd and 5th Symphonies.
I noticed that his complete symphonies are soon to be available on Warner (the Olympia set). Twenty seven symphonies, such a daunting pile of works. Did he really have that much to say, or was he just churning them out? Where is one to start?
Not soon to be available, but already available from Berkshirerecordoutlet since May. But they ran out and had to restock in July. Then they ran out again and says they will have more in September.
Still, anyone actually listen to any of this set? The individual discs are also available in many cases, is there one that would be recommended as a litmus test of whether this music is to my taste?
