Nikolay Miaskovsky (1881-1950)

Started by vandermolen, June 12, 2007, 01:21:32 PM

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schnittkease

Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2018, 02:14:40 PM
At the other end 13 is my favourite - very moving and memorable.

Ditto. While Myaskovsky was able to produce masterpieces in a more conservative vein, it's unfortunate that he (in Boris Schwarz' words) "retreated into safe conventionality" - a sizeable loss, but at least he didn't suffer the same fate as Mosolov or Popov.

vandermolen

Quote from: schnittkease on July 16, 2018, 08:45:22 PM
Ditto. While Myaskovsky was able to produce masterpieces in a more conservative vein, it's unfortunate that he (in Boris Schwarz' words) "retreated into safe conventionality" - a sizeable loss, but at least he didn't suffer the same fate as Mosolov or Popov.

I don't know so much about Mosolov apart from the famous 'Iron Foundry' but Popov is a very tragic figure who drank himself to death. His phantasmagoric First Symphony is IMHO one of the only works which can stand alongside Shostakovich's 4th Symphony (Weinberg's 5th Symphony is the other one I have in mind). His Symphony 2 'Motherland' although more conventional is very moving in its wartime context and the last one No.6 is genuinely tragic with its references to Boris Godunov at the end.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

#362
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2018, 02:14:40 PM
At the other end 13 is my favourite - very moving and memorable.

I'm making my way through the quartets. I've listened to the 5th one (and my favorite) thus far. I can feel a strong mix of sentiments and emotions, many of them being pessimistic and desolate, but at the end of the day the works have been engaging.

vandermolen

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on July 20, 2018, 06:08:46 PM
I'm making my way through the quartets. I've listened to the 5th one (and my favorite) thus far. I can feel a strong mix of sentiments and emotions, many of them being pessimistic and desolate, but at the end of the day the works have been engaging.

Pleased to hear this Cesar - makes me want to listen to them again. I always tend to listen to No. 13 but will especially look out for No. 5.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: vandermolen on July 20, 2018, 10:24:50 PM
Pleased to hear this Cesar - makes me want to listen to them again. I always tend to listen to No. 13 but will especially look out for No. 5.

I'm realizing they are worth listening with each listen with no doubts. I'm looking forward to listening to the 13th.

vandermolen

#365
The otherwise, as far as I'm aware, unrecorded, Violin Sonata (1947) is a major discovery as far as I'm concerned. I can't understand why it's not as well known (or at least as well recorded) as Miaskovsky's cello sonatas, string quartets or violin and cello concertos. It's melodic and highly approachable with memorable thematic material. Apparently the self-critical composer found it awkward and intractable which might explain its neglect. This fine CD should help to make it much better known. It dates from the period of his 25th Symphony, considered one of his finest symphonies:
[asin]B07DXQ67R1[/asin]
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

torut

Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2018, 01:34:55 PM
The otherwise, as far as I'm aware, unrecorded, Violin Sonata (1947) is a major discovery as far as I'm concerned. I can't understand why it's not as well known ( or at least as well recorded) as Miaskovsky's cello sonatas, string quartets or violin and cello concertos. It's melodic and highly approachable with memorable thematic material. Apparently the self-critical composer found it awkward and intractable which might explain its neglect. This fine CD should help to make it much better known. It dates from the period of his 25th Symphony, considered one of his finest symphonies:
[asin]B07DXQ67R1[/asin]

I didn't know about this work. Thank you for posting it. I downloaded the album and just listened to the Myaskovsky's piece. The first movement is very melodic, and the lively 2nd movement is captivating. The composition is nice, but to be honest, the violin's vibrato is a bit too much for me. Anyway, this release is a good news.

vandermolen

#367
Quote from: torut on September 08, 2018, 05:03:10 PM
I didn't know about this work. Thank you for posting it. I downloaded the album and just listened to the Myaskovsky's piece. The first movement is very melodic, and the lively 2nd movement is captivating. The composition is nice, but to be honest, the violin's vibrato is a bit too much for me. Anyway, this release is a good news.
I'm glad that you enjoyed it despite the vibrato. I listened to the Shebalin yesterday with much pleasure as well. Yes, I especially like the first movement of the Miaskovsky but thoroughly enjoyed the whole work - a nice discovery.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

torut

Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2018, 11:04:44 PM
I'm glad that you enjoyed it despite the vibrato. I listened to the Shebalin yesterday with much pleasure as well. Yes, I especially like the first movement of the Miaskovsky but thoroughly enjoyed the whole work - a nice discovery.

I am mostly listening to early and contemporary music recently, and perhaps that is the reason I don't get used to this style. But I agree that Shebalin is very good. It is a substantial work, no less than Myaskovsky, and much better than Nechaev (IMO).

vandermolen

Quote from: torut on September 09, 2018, 03:09:23 PM
I am mostly listening to early and contemporary music recently, and perhaps that is the reason I don't get used to this style. But I agree that Shebalin is very good. It is a substantial work, no less than Myaskovsky, and much better than Nechaev (IMO).
Shebalin was a fine composer. Symphony 1 and 5 in particular of those I know. I haven't heard the Nechaev yet. Shebalin's 5th Symphony is in memory of his teacher Miaskovsky and No.1 shows the influence of NM.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Roy Bland

#370
I can't understand why Myaskovsky's cycle of symphonies doesn't follow chronological criterion so we could follow artistic path of composer:
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573988

vandermolen

Quote from: Roy Bland on June 02, 2019, 02:09:01 PM
I can't understand why Myaskovsky's cycle of symphonies doesn't follow chronological criterion so we could follow artistic path of composer:
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573988
Interesting looking release though - 'Ural Youth Orchestra'. Wasn't aware of it and thanks for posting it.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Maestro267

Quote from: Roy Bland on June 02, 2019, 02:09:01 PM
I can't understand why Myaskovsky's cycle of symphonies doesn't follow chronological criterion so we could follow artistic path of composer:
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573988


Because No. 2 wouldn't fit on a single CD with No. 1, and they've got to fill it with something, so they might as well kill two birds with one stone and include one of the shorter symphonies. I'd rather this than just No. 1 on its own.

vandermolen

Quote from: Maestro267 on June 03, 2019, 03:44:25 AM
Because No. 2 wouldn't fit on a single CD with No. 1, and they've got to fill it with something, so they might as well kill two birds with one stone and include one of the shorter symphonies. I'd rather this than just No. 1 on its own.
Good point. Olympia coupled 1 and 25 from opposite ends of his career.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Maestro267

Something that I noticed, and idk if it's in line with the actual no. of movements in the symphony, but Nos. 2 & 3, in the Svetlanov recordings, are both cast in two movements. In No. 2, they are 20 and 25 minutes respectively, and in No. 3, 13 and 33 minutes. Making the "finale" (?) of No. 3 one of the longer movements in the symphonic repertoire.

vandermolen

Interesting looking new release.
I have the Ural PO's excellent recording of Myaskovsky's 6th Symphony but I wonder what the Youth Orchestra will be like:
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vers la flamme

I have been dipping my toes into Myaskovsky's music a bit, his 13th string quartet in A minor as well as some of his earlier piano sonatas, from this set, which I picked up as a download for dirt cheap:



A particularly beautiful work is the Prelude and Rondo-Sonata, op.58, aka "Song & Rhapsody". But I also love the 1st sonata with its fugato first movement. Overall, though, I must say that my favorite of the works I've heard thus far is the aforementioned string quartet.

I believe the next step from here would be his symphonies, as this is what he is most acclaimed for. If anyone here can recommend me a good place to start with those, I would greatly appreciate it.

SymphonicAddict

Miaskovsky is a very good symphony composer, though there are some of them that are more diffuse than others to be honest. The Nos. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 5, 6, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 are the ones I consider the best ones out of the 27. The group of 21-27 would be a good starting point, they represent Miaskovsky in his utmost essence.

J

Nos. 16, 21, & 27 would be my top three choices.

vandermolen

#379
Quote from: vers la flamme on August 12, 2019, 03:49:54 PM
I have been dipping my toes into Myaskovsky's music a bit, his 13th string quartet in A minor as well as some of his earlier piano sonatas, from this set, which I picked up as a download for dirt cheap:



A particularly beautiful work is the Prelude and Rondo-Sonata, op.58, aka "Song & Rhapsody". But I also love the 1st sonata with its fugato first movement. Overall, though, I must say that my favorite of the works I've heard thus far is the aforementioned string quartet.

I believe the next step from here would be his symphonies, as this is what he is most acclaimed for. If anyone here can recommend me a good place to start with those, I would greatly appreciate it.

The middle movement on the Sonatine, included in this set, is especially moving, in Miaskovsky's classic gloomy way IMO. My favourite of the sonatas in No.5 it has a lovely, memorable, noble, Russian-sounding tune in the last movement. It's on the same disc as the Sonatine.

As for the symphonies, my favourites are 3,6,12,15,16,17,21,23,24,25 and 27 although I largely agree with Cesar and Greg above. I think that 21 is a good place to start - it is concise, poetic and eloquent and the epic No. 6 is perhaps the greatest. The valedictory, last ditch No. 27 has to be heard as well. Do report back and let us know what you think. The Piano Sonata No.5 is my favourite - it has a highly memorable tune in the last movement.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).