Nikolay Miaskovsky (1881-1950)

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

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vandermolen

Quote from: Harry on November 14, 2009, 07:51:49 AM
I will keep that in mind Jeffrey, thank you for putting up with my ramblings.

Not 'ramblings' Harry - what you have to say is always of interest. I am interested in that Istanbul CD - the Alan Bush was a great discovery - thanks to you.
"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).

snyprrr

I finally got another piece of the puzzle. Now the only one I haven't heard is No.12 (anyone?).

I have truly agonized over this cycle, as if it was something I was supposed to like, and yet have had problems with. I have always sought a corresponding "Cello Cto" in the SQs, and, until now (1-6, 9-11, 13) I had found precious little of the stereotypically "nostalgia for the irretrieveably lost" Myaskovsky that sucked me in in the first place.

This cycle is more in line with the thoroughly wrought craftsmanship and elusive harmony of Taneyev than with Finzi, haha. Every time Mya starts one of these ultra beautiful melodies, he always subjects it to rigorous, tortured development of the kind I'm not always very partial to; however, the thing is, Mya is suuuch a Great Composer that he compels you to agree with him in the end.



Anyhow, No.7 (1941), in F Major, is the SQ that I knew the least about, and, poof!, it shot right up there in my Top3 favs immediately. It's my fav in the 5-8 series (sounds like Pettersson, haha) simply because, finally, Mya delivers the goods for my bleeding sentimental heart. The Andante con moto contains, IMO, the most beautiful music Mya penned for SQ. The other three mvmts, also, though still under the same rigorous hand, appear not to have one chromatic note out of place, in a Mozartean kind of way (which brings up a comparison, I think).

This SQ I would put with the folky yet thorough No.11. Both are steeped in the fantasy music of the Caucases. No.7 truly could be the Missing Link of the whole cycle.

No.8 (1942), in f# minor, is the one pointed to most often (besides No.13) as the echt Mya SQ, or, the most "Cello Cto'd", haha, but... no, it's not, sorry. What it is, is the deepest expression, next to perhaps No.13, of his by now trademark SQ style of tortured minor key development that begun with Nos. 5-6, and culminates in the more wildly (for his SQs) experimental No.9 (hallucinatory band music for SQ!).

But No.8 is one of the most intensely wrought of them all. Sure, there is elegiac pathos throughout, but it is very human, and not idealized (like Barber's Adagio). It reminds me of Shosty's SQ No.14. Mya's inspiration is deeper than first listen will allow. He's not giving things away here, that's for sure. I'm going to have to fully compare Nos. 5, 6, & 8 before I get any farther. Both 5 & 6 have "bigger" melodies, but No.8 isn't as overtly tortured, perhaps?

My impression of Mya sitting in an old tower writing SQs on a dark and stormy day has now been solidified. Nobody speaks to my Nerdy Angst like the Last of the Russian Romantics. My NewOrder (w/o No.12):

1) No.11
2) No.7
               No.13
3) No.4
4) No.3
               No.13
5) No.9
6) No.8
7) Nos. 5-6

8) Nos. 1-2 (1 > 2)

9) No.10

vandermolen

#122
Had one of the great musical experiences of my life last week.  I was contacted by someone who sang in the LPO choir who had read a contribution of mine to the Miaskovsky website (it does exist!), inviting me to attend the rehearsal for the performance of Miaskovsky's epic 6th Symphony at the Festival Hall in London last Thursday. On Wednesday I turned up, with a friend who shares my musical tastes, for the rehearsal at the Henry Wood Hall in London.  I was taken in to be introduced to the conductor - Vladimir Jurowski, who was very nice, chatted to me about the composer and showed me his copy of the score which was a copy of the one given to his grandfather by Khachaturian (who had inscribed it to him) - they had both been in Miaskovsky's composition class together in Moscow. When we were taken in to the rehearsal I assumed that we would be sat somewhere unobtrusively at the back - but instead of that we were seated three feet behind the conductor (the only audience there). It was like being in the London Philharmonic and absolutely riveting. Jurowski, for example, told them to perform a section of the finale 'more like Korngold' and got the choir to sing their very moving contribution to the finale 'more in the style of a russian, peasant folk-song' and he sang it himself with great feeling. And to cap it all, when he'd finished the rehearsal of the last movement I thought that we'd slip out but, instead of that, Jurowski turned round and summoned me up to the rostrum to continue our conversation about the composer and I was able to introduce him to my friend.  We were really on a high after this and had to have several drinks at a pub to wind down.

The performance the next day was a wonderful experience, although it was a pity that there were not more people in the Festival Hall to hear it.

Just thought that I wanted to share this unique experience (for me) with you.
"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).

Lethevich

Wow, that sounds absolutely wonderful! I'm very jealous :)
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

vandermolen

Quote from: Lethe on May 01, 2010, 03:19:15 AM
Wow, that sounds absolutely wonderful! I'm very jealous :)

Thanks Lethe - it was the most amazing experience for me.
"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).

Sergeant Rock

#125
Quote from: vandermolen on May 01, 2010, 02:25:46 AM
Had one of the great musical experiences of my life last week....Just thought that I wanted to share this unique experience (for me) with you.

I'm in awe, and terribly envious, both of your experience at the rehearsal and the concert you attended.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

vandermolen

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 01, 2010, 03:55:18 AM
I'm in awe, and terribly envious, both of your experience at the rehearsal and the concert you attended.

Sarge

Thanks Sarge  :)

In an odd way the concert was a slight anti-climax as the rehearsal experience had been so special - we were spoilt I guess.  But, I loved hearing that Symphony in concert - possibly a once in a decade or once in a lifetime experience. When was it last performed in England? I guess in the 1920s or 30s by Sir Henry Wood or someone like that.  The opening work was Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto. I have to say, as a Prokofiev fan, that I don't really like this work very much but it was a very good performance - interrupted by the soloist having to walk off stage when he broke a string on the cello. The reviews are full of praise for the Prokofiev work and largely dismissive of the Miaskovsky. I find this really annoying as I think that Miaskovsky's 6th Symphony is one of the great scores of the early 20th Century.
"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).

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: vandermolen on May 01, 2010, 07:13:33 AM
But, I loved hearing that Symphony in concert - possibly a once in a decade or once in a lifetime experience.

That's exactly how I feel about hearing the Rott Symphony live a week ago. I don't expect there will be another chance in my lifetime. Hope I'm wrong  ;)

I've been listening to the Svetlanov recording of the Sixth, and also auditioning clips of Miaskovsky's piano sonatas and string quartets (snyprr's malign influence ;D )  Ordered several discs: Sonatas 1 and 4, SQs 12+13 and 7+8, and the Cello Concerto (coupled with the two Cello Sonatas--I already have versions of the First but not the Second). Anyway...a Miaskovsky kind of afternoon  8)

Sarge 
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

jowcol

Quote from: vandermolen on May 01, 2010, 02:25:46 AM
Had one of the great musical experiences of my life last week.  I was contacted by someone who sang in the LPO choir who had read a contribution of mine to the Miaskovsky website (it does exist!), inviting me to attend the rehearsal for the performance of Miaskovsky's epic 6th Symphony at the Festival Hall in London last Thursday. On Wednesday I turned up, with a friend who shares my musical tastes, for the rehearsal at the Henry Wood Hall in London.  I was taken in to be introduced to the conductor - Vladimir Jurowski, who was very nice, chatted to me about the composer and showed me his copy of the score which was a copy of the one given to his grandfather by Khachaturian (who had inscribed it to him) - they had both been in Miaskovsky's composition class together in Moscow. When we were taken in to the rehearsal I assumed that we would be sat somewhere unobtrusively at the back - but instead of that we were seated three feet behind the conductor (the only audience there). It was like being in the London Philharmonic and absolutely riveting. Jurowski, for example, told them to perform a section of the finale 'more like Korngold' and got the choir to sing their very moving contribution to the finale 'more in the style of a russian, peasant folk-song' and he sang it himself with great feeling. And to cap it all, when he'd finished the rehearsal of the last movement I thought that we'd slip out but, instead of that, Jurowski turned round and summoned me up to the rostrum to continue our conversation about the composer and I was able to introduce him to my friend.  We were really on a high after this and had to have several drinks at a pub to wind down.

The performance the next day was a wonderful experience, although it was a pity that there were not more people in the Festival Hall to hear it.

Just thought that I wanted to share this unique experience (for me) with you.

Wow.   So happy you had this experience.  I have a glow just reading about it.

"If it sounds good, it is good."
Duke Ellington

vandermolen

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 01, 2010, 07:23:59 AM
That's exactly how I feel about hearing the Rott Symphony live a week ago. I don't expect there will be another chance in my lifetime. Hope I'm wrong  ;)

I've been listening to the Svetlanov recording of the Sixth, and also auditioning clips of Miaskovsky's piano sonatas and string quartets (snyprr's malign influence ;D )  Ordered several discs: Sonatas 1 and 4, SQs 12+13 and 7+8, and the Cello Concerto (coupled with the two Cello Sonatas--I already have versions of the First but not the Second). Anyway...a Miaskovsky kind of afternoon  8)

Sarge

Yes, I bet hearing the Rott Symphony was great - I like that work enormously with its echoes of Mahler, Bruckner and, oddly, Nielsen. I have two recordings. I hope that you get to hear it live again. By the way, you need to hear Miaskovsky's 6th with the choir at the end - such a pity that Svetlanov chose not to incorporate it in his otherwise fine performance. I've been listening to List with the Ural Philharmonic (+Ekaterinburg Choir) - a version I like more and more.
"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).

vandermolen

Quote from: jowcol on May 01, 2010, 01:31:43 PM
Wow.   So happy you had this experience.  I have a glow just reading about it.

Thank you John  :)

I'm trying to think of what else Jurowski said - he mentioned that Kondrashin said that Miaskovsky's music 'needed help' from the conductor to work - I guess because the orchestration can be a bit dense (although I love the orchestration of No 6). It was great to hear the harp clearly at the end and the funereal, Boris Gudonov type, drumbeats at the end of the first movement (which are lost on most recordings other than Jarvi's). He also commented on how, after Miaskovsky's death in 1950 the younger composers turned against his music (as with Vaughan Williams).  I believe that both Vaughan Williams' and Miaskovsky's music really has to be heard live to work its magic - although I guess that this could be said of all composers.

Thanks guys for the nice responses.
"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).

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 03:04:20 AM
Yes, I bet hearing the Rott Symphony was great - I like that work enormously with its echoes of Mahler, Bruckner and, oddly, Nielsen.

Hearing it live I heard some Smetana too for the first time!

QuoteBy the way, you need to hear Miaskovsky's 6th with the choir at the end - such a pity that Svetlanov chose not to incorporate it in his otherwise fine performance. I've been listening to List with the Ural Philharmonic (+Ekaterinburg Choir) - a version I like more and more.

I was going to PM you about recommended versions with choir. I was disappointed the first time I listened to Svetlanov's Sixth....kept expecting to hear voices! I even had a momentary panic thinking the booklet was wrong or the CDs were mislabeled (I'd never heard the work before so couldn't identify it by sound). But I subsequently read (in wiki, I think) that Svetlanov omitted the choir, possibly for financial reasons. Anyway, you've read my mind  ;D  I'll track down List.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

vandermolen

#132
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 02, 2010, 03:20:24 AM
Hearing it live I heard some Smetana too for the first time!

I was going to PM you about recommended versions with choir. I was disappointed the first time I listened to Svetlanov's Sixth....kept expecting to hear voices! I even had a momentary panic thinking the booklet was wrong or the CDs were mislabeled (I'd never heard the work before so couldn't identify it by sound). But I subsequently read (in wiki, I think) that Svetlanov omitted the choir, possibly for financial reasons. Anyway, you've read my mind  ;D  I'll track down List.

Sarge

Sarge,

The Kondrashin version on Russian Disc is the greatest performance on CD, but difficult to track down.  There is a later (Kondrashin) Melodiya version which is very good but unfortunately the magical flute episode in the trio of the scherzo is played too fast IMHO. This is one of my all time favourite moments in all music, as is the entry of the choir in the finale. The Jarvi on DGG is the best recording and a strong performance. Stankowsky on Marco Polo was poorly reviewed when it appeared (the first CD version) but I rather like it and for me it works in a kind of understated way(both the flute and choir episodes are effectively realised). Dudarova on Olympia still seems to be around and unlike most of the old Olympias is reasonably priced. It is an ok version and at least it has the choir. I like the Ural Philharmonic - obviously not the Leningrad Philharmonic of the Mravinsky period but it is a deeply felt version, which I enjoy. I hope that the Stankowsky version gets on to Naxos as that will make the Symphony better known.
"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).

vandermolen

Sarge,

My one and only Musicweb review was of the later Kondrashin version, which you might find of interest - as I comment on the other recordings (apart from the List which was issued subsequently)

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/May06/Myaskovsky_6_MELCD1000841.htm
"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).

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 03:37:40 AM
Sarge,

The Kondrashin version on Russian Disc is the greatest performance on CD, but difficult to track down.  There is a later (Kondrashin) Melodiya version which is very good but unfortunately the magical flute episode in the trio of the scherzo is played too fast IMHO. This is one of my all time favourite moments in all music, as is the entry of the choir in the finale. The Jarvi on DGG is the best recording and a strong performance. Stankowsky on Marco Polo was poorly reviewed when it appeared (the first CD version) but I rather like it and for me it works in a kind of understated way(both the flute and choir episodes are effectively realised). Dudarova on Olympia still seems to be around and unlike most of the old Olympias is reasonably priced. It is an ok version and at least it has the choir. I nlike the Ural Philharmonic - obviously not the Leningrad Philharmonic of the Mravinsky period but it is a deeply felt version, which I enjoy. I hope that the Stankowsky version gets on to Naxos as that will make the Symphony better known.

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 03:42:01 AM
Sarge,

My one and only Musicweb review was of the later Kondrashin version, which you might find of interest - as I comment on the other recordings (apart from the List which was issued subsequently)

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2006/May06/Myaskovsky_6_MELCD1000841.htm

Thank you for the additional information and recommendations. I was intrigued by what you said of the Järvi recording in a previous message: that the drumbeats could be heard. That's the kind of clarity I appreciate in a recording although it doesn't necessarily trump other considerations. Off to read the musicweb review now.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

vandermolen

#135
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 02, 2010, 03:49:43 AM
Thank you for the additional information and recommendations. I was intrigued by what you said of the Järvi recording in a previous message: that the drumbeats could be heard. That's the kind of clarity I appreciate in a recording although it doesn't necessarily trump other considerations. Off to read the musicweb review now.

Sarge

You are most welcome. The conductor of the Ural Philharmonic is, I should have said, Dmitri Liss not 'List' ::)

ps You wont go wrong with the Jarvi on DGG, but not that easy to find at a reasonable price (in the UK) at least.
"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).

vandermolen

#136
Sarge,

Just checked; the Jarvi DGG version is available at c $15.00 on the US Amazon site.

ps Just to confuse you there are a couple of enthusiastic reviews of the Liss version on the UK Amazon site - and you can get it dirt cheap.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myaskovsky-Symphonies-Nos-6-10/dp/B000GRU6WY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1272802511&sr=1-1
"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).

Sergeant Rock

#137
Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 04:14:30 AM
Sarge,

Just checked; the Jarvi DGG version is available at c $15.00 on the US Amazon site.

ps Just to confuse you there are a couple of enthusiastic reviews of the Liss version on the UK Amazon site - and you can get it dirt cheap.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myaskovsky-Symphonies-Nos-6-10/dp/B000GRU6WY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1272802511&sr=1-1

Thanks...and I found Liss even cheaper at amazon.fr (10 Euro for a new copy). Ordered it. Really appreciate your help in sorting through the available versions. By the way, I found used copies of the first Kondrashin, Dudarova and Stankowsky also but I think I'll stop with one purchase for now.

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 04:06:35 AM
ps You wont go wrong with the Jarvi on DGG, but not that easy to find at a reasonable price (in the UK) at least.

I couldn't find it at all in Germany or France.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Drasko

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2010, 04:06:35 AM
You are most welcome. The conductor of the Ural Philharmonic is, I should have said, Dmitri Liss not 'List' ::)
Liss was conducting Miaskovsky's 6th here in Belgrade few months ago, I had tickets but couldn't go. Who knows when/if I'll get the next chance to hear the piece live :P

Quote from: Sergeant Rock link=topic=1523.msg410828#msg410828
I couldn't find it at all in Germany or France.

http://www.amazon.de/Sinfonie-6-Järvi/dp/B000066I70
http://www.amazon.fr/Miaskovski-Symphonie-n°6-Nikolaï/dp/B000066I70

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Drasko on May 02, 2010, 04:40:52 AM
Liss was conducting Miaskovsky's 6th here in Belgrade few months ago, I had tickets but couldn't go. Who knows when/if I'll get the next chance to hear the piece live :P

I feel your pain, dude. That is a pity.

Quotehttp://www.amazon.de/Sinfonie-6-Järvi/dp/B000066I70
http://www.amazon.fr/Miaskovski-Symphonie-n°6-Nikolaï/dp/B000066I70

I searched yesterday for Järvi and again today and amazon's search machines came up with nothing. I then went through each page after searching simply for "Miaskovsky" and "Myaskovsky" and again could not find Järvi on either amazon site. Weird. I'm either blind or amazon is trying to gaslight me  :D

Anyway, thanks for the links. I should just hire you to do all my searches for me  ;D

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"