Topic: Nikolay Miaskovsky (1881-1950)

[Dundonnell]

Just received it; a wonderful disc and a great introduction to Myaskovsky's music. Both symphonies are amongst Myaskovsky's finest and I had forgotten what a great work Symphony 15 is. The valedictory No 27 is perhaps my favourite (together with nos 6, 17, 21 and 25), very moving in view of the circumstances of its composition (Myaskovsky dying of cancer and under critical dissaproval following Zhdanov's denunciation of leading composers).

All this for £5.00   

Just listened to this disc. I have admired Miaskovsky's music for a very long time and have all of the symphonies released so far in my collection(with quite a few duplications). I had not listened to any of them for quite a long time and had forgotten how intensely moving No. 27 actually is. When one takes account of the tragic circumstances of Miaskovsky's last two years-for the reasons you describe-the music makes even more impact. I can never understand the notion that the appreciation of music should in some way be disassociated from the context in which it was written. Here was the most respected teacher in Soviet Russia who had produced a stream of beautiful but essentially conservative works humiliated by the Communist party machine.
Within two years he was dead. To produce such a glowing and triumphal score as the twenty seventh symphony is testimony to his spirit and the power of music!

[vandermolen]

Just listened to this disc. I have admired Miaskovsky's music for a very long time and have all of the symphonies released so far in my collection(with quite a few duplications). I had not listened to any of them for quite a long time and had forgotten how intensely moving No. 27 actually is. When one takes account of the tragic circumstances of Miaskovsky's last two years-for the reasons you describe-the music makes even more impact. I can never understand the notion that the appreciation of music should in some way be disassociated from the context in which it was written. Here was the most respected teacher in Soviet Russia who had produced a stream of beautiful but essentially conservative works humiliated by the Communist party machine.
Within two years he was dead. To produce such a glowing and triumphal score as the twenty seventh symphony is testimony to his spirit and the power of music!

I think that you have stated this very eloquently and I totally agree with what you say. Do you know the Myaskovsky website? It is very informative and there are some good photos;

http://www.myaskovsky.ru/?mode=main

Am listening to Svetlanov's performance of Symphony 27 on the new Alto disc. The performance of the slow movements is overwhelming, the best I have ever heard (ie the older Svetlanov on Olympia and Polyansky on Chandos...never heard the Gauk).

This really is a wonderful disc (for£5.00!) and I can't recommend it strongly enough. Best introduction I know to Myaskovsky (or Miaskovsky).

[Dundonnell]

Ah, I had assumed that the Svetlanov performance of the 27th on the Alto disc was the same one as on the older Olympia disc(coupled with the Sinfonietta in A minor) where his orchestra is described as the USSR Academic Symphony Orchestra but I do see that the timings are slightly different.

Incidentally, I seem to remember a letter-may have been in "International Record Review"-which gave a quite excellent survey of all the principal Russian orchestras with their confusing name changes over the last twenty years. Must try to look it out again!

[The new erato]

And vol 12 with symphony 16 & 19 form Alto on the January prerelase list on Mdt.

[vandermolen]

And vol 12 with symphony 16 & 19 form Alto on the January prerelase list on Mdt.

Received it today; wonderful CD (and for £5.00!). No 16 is new to CD in the UK. It was written to commemorate an air disaster; the loss of the gigantic "Maxim Gorky" in an air accident in 1936. It is "populist" to some extent and shows Miaskovsky (during the depths of Stalin's purges) trying to come to terms with the regime. The funereal slow movement is one of his finest creations and has one of those tunes which remain in the memory long afterwards. Symphony No 19 for band is also a fine work.

[The new erato]

Received it today; wonderful CD (and for £5.00!). No 16 is new to CD in the UK. It was written to commemorate an air disaster; the loss of the gigantic "Maxim Gorky" in an air accident in 1936. It is "populist" to some extent and shows Miaskovsky (during the depths of Stalin's purges) trying to come to terms with the regime. The funereal slow movement is one of his finest creations and has one of those tunes which remain in the memory long afterwards. Symphony No 19 for band is also a fine work.

Sent from mdt yesterday (with the new disc of Koechlin string quartets in a series which will include them all). Really looking forward to it!

[vandermolen]

Sent from mdt yesterday (with the new disc of Koechlin string quartets in a series which will include them all). Really looking forward to it!

Let us know what you think. Next up are symphonies 17 and 21 and next winter nos 23 and 24. I think that these are four of the finest Myaskovsky symphonies. I wish that RCA would reissue Morton Gould's recording of Symphony 21.

[rubio]

The violin concerto is excellent. There is a good modern recording of it by Vadim Repin with Gergiev. Also a 1939 recording with Oistrakh, or a recording by Grigory Feyghin.

How is this violin concerto performed by Feyghin/Svetlanov on Melodiya? It's coupled with Svetlanov's account of the 22nd symphony.

[rubio]

It seems like there is a recently released 16CD-set of Svetlanov's symphonies (Warner Classics France) available from Amazon France for 64 EURO (a nice price, I think!). It says Orchestre D'Etat De Russie, and I guess these are the same as Russian Federation Academic SO? So are these recordings the same as the old Melodiya/Olympia CD's? I guess he cannot have recorded all of them twice?

http://www.amazon.fr/Int%C3%A9grale-Symphonies-Nikola%C3%AF-Miaskovsky/dp/B000XCTD5S/ref=sr_1_2/402-9098922-6672134?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194306386&sr=1-2

A nice write-up on musicweb:

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Nov02/Miaskovsky_survey.htm

or

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Mar02/miask6olympia1.htm

[Benny]

It seems like there is a recently released 16CD-set of Svetlanov's symphonies (Warner Classics France) available from Amazon France for 64 EURO (a nice price, I think!). It says Orchestre D'Etat De Russie, and I guess these are the same as Russian Federation Academic SO? So are these recordings the same as the old Melodiya/Olympia CD's? I guess he cannot have recorded all of them twice?

http://www.amazon.fr/Int%C3%A9grale-Symphonies-Nikola%C3%AF-Miaskovsky/dp/B000XCTD5S/ref=sr_1_2/402-9098922-6672134?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194306386&sr=1-2

A nice write-up on musicweb:

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Nov02/Miaskovsky_survey.htm

or

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Mar02/miask6olympia1.htm

Hi. I took a look at that package deal with Brilliant Classics and it appears to be a repackaging of the sixteen CDs originally sold on Russian Disc. The Svetlanov recordings of Miaskovsky's complete orchestral works were first issued by a private foundation on the label Russian Disc. Olympia used the same recordings, Alto is doing it now, and Brilliant Classics appear to have thrown a monkey's wrench in that marketing plan by getting the whole thing out before Alto is done. I think that's about right.

[vandermolen]

Hi. I took a look at that package deal with Brilliant Classics and it appears to be a repackaging of the sixteen CDs originally sold on Russian Disc. The Svetlanov recordings of Miaskovsky's complete orchestral works were first issued by a private foundation on the label Russian Disc. Olympia used the same recordings, Alto is doing it now, and Brilliant Classics appear to have thrown a monkey's wrench in that marketing plan by getting the whole thing out before Alto is done. I think that's about right.

Alto are very unhappy about this as they were licensed to issue the Svetlanov recordings, although I guess that those of us who have been collecting the Olympia/Alto set will wait for their remaining issues.  Alexander Gauk's fine old recording of Myaskovsky's 17th Symphony is just issued again in a Brilliant box set devoted to Gauk's recordings.

[Pierre]

I'm listening to Myaskovsky's Second String Quartet as I type this - played by the Taneyev Quartet (Russian Disc, where it's coupled with Quartets Nos 6 & 10; I believe that this recording's just been reissued on Northern Flowers, btw, but cw Quartets Nos 1 & 3). I'd forgotten what an excellent work this, and indeed Quartet No. 6 (can't quite remember No. 10 so look forward to reaching that work): a fascinating kaleidoscope of colours, but full of poignant melodies and in a very accessible style. Definitely worth looking out for.

[Dundonnell]

My copy of the newly released Alto CD of Miaskovsky(or should that be Myaskovsky?)'s Symphonies Nos. 17 and 21 has just arrived.
Looking forward to listening to the symphonies very much.

I notice that the booklet note is written by one "Jeffrey Davis". vandermolen is that you?

[ChamberNut]

I'm embarrassed to say I am not at all familiar with this composer.   

If this composer has some good Russian chamber music, I'll most definitely be interested. 

[Dundonnell]

I'm embarrassed to say I am not at all familiar with this composer.   

If this composer has some good Russian chamber music, I'll most definitely be interested. 

Sorry, ChamberNut, I am not familiar with Miaskovsky's chamber music but I do know that-in addition to 27 symphonies-he did write 13 string quartets which I suspect have the same vein of slightly melancholic nostaglia of the best of his symphonic music.

[vandermolen]

My copy of the newly released Alto CD of Miaskovsky(or should that be Myaskovsky?)'s Symphonies Nos. 17 and 21 has just arrived.
Looking forward to listening to the symphonies very much.

I notice that the booklet note is written by one "Jeffrey Davis". vandermolen is that you?

Yes, Colin that is me.  Thank you for noticing. My colleagues at school have been kindly pointing out my syntax errors etc

I have been asked to do the notes for Symphony 23 and a Vaughan Williams CD of sting quartets (formerly on Unicorn). The Myaskovsky (actually I prefer the spelling "Miaskovsky", but Olympia and Alto use the "Y") CD you have is the first one I have ever written notes for (and possibly last ). Exciting but daunting.

Do let me know what you think.
 
Jeffrey

[vandermolen]

I'm embarrassed to say I am not at all familiar with this composer.   

If this composer has some good Russian chamber music, I'll most definitely be interested. 

Try the Cello Sonata No 2. A really beautiful work I think. There are several recordings around.

[ChamberNut]

Try the Cello Sonata No 2. A really beautiful work I think. There are several recordings around.

Thank you for the recommendation.  I'll be on the lookout! 

[Dundonnell]

Yes, Colin that is me.  Thank you for noticing. My colleagues at school have been kindly pointing out my syntax errors etc

I have been asked to do the notes for Symphony 23 and a Vaughan Williams CD of sting quartets (formerly on Unicorn). The Myaskovsky (actually I prefer the spelling "Miaskovsky", but Olympia and Alto use the "Y") CD you have is the first one I have ever written notes for (and possibly last ). Exciting but daunting.

Do let me know what you think.
 
Jeffrey

Congratulations on your excellent notes, Jeffrey! They are succinct and informative, setting the works in their proper historical context. 'Syntax errors'-oh, stuff and nonsense(as Victorian ladies used to remark). I had no idea, incidentally, that Miaskovsky(yes, I prefer that spelling too)'s father had been murdered during the Revolution and that the son had witnessed his father's murder. Possibly a unique claim to fame amongst composers?

Am listening to the CD now and will let you have considered views in due course. I do think that the Salutatory Overture is rather a 'pot-boiler' and that the CD does remind one of the 'unique' quality of Russian recording qualities! (I once had to sit through a concert in St.Petersburg by a folk orchestra of sorts. Sitting just above the brass section almost gave me toothache!).There is no mention on the cover of the CD when the pieces were actually recorded.

It will be interesting to compare Svetlanov's version of No.21 with Measham's on the old Unicorn CD.

Any idea when we might expect No.23-the Symphony on Kabardanian Themes?

[vandermolen]

Congratulations on your excellent notes, Jeffrey! They are succinct and informative, setting the works in their proper historical context. 'Syntax errors'-oh, stuff and nonsense(as Victorian ladies used to remark). I had no idea, incidentally, that Miaskovsky(yes, I prefer that spelling too)'s father had been murdered during the Revolution and that the son had witnessed his father's murder. Possibly a unique claim to fame amongst composers?

Am listening to the CD now and will let you have considered views in due course. I do think that the Salutatory Overture is rather a 'pot-boiler' and that the CD does remind one of the 'unique' quality of Russian recording qualities! (I once had to sit through a concert in St.Petersburg by a folk orchestra of sorts. Sitting just above the brass section almost gave me toothache!).There is no mention on the cover of the CD when the pieces were actually recorded.

It will be interesting to compare Svetlanov's version of No.21 with Measham's on the old Unicorn CD.

Any idea when we might expect No.23-the Symphony on Kabardanian Themes?

Thanks very much Colin for your kind comments about my booklet notes, they have helped to restore my faith in myself!

The information on the murder of General Miaskovsky came from the notes for the Kondrashin 1978 recording of Symphony 6 on Melodiya (not the famous old Russian Disc recording), which is my one and only review for the Music Web. I have not seen it mentioned elsewhere but Ikkonikov's biography of Miaskovsky (1944) makes no mention of the death of Miaskovsky's father, but it has the ring of truth about it.

Alto have asked me to do the notes for Symphony 23 by early June, so I guess it will come out around August. They are in a rush because of the appearance of the Warner box set of the complete symphonies. Gauk's performance of Symphony 17 in the Brilliant box set is the best I know, though it's an old recording. Gauk was the dedicatee of Symphony 17.

Just received a great CD from a contact in Slovenia (sounds like a spy film!). Gauk's 1949 recording of Myaskovsky's 27th Symphony (transferred from an ancient LP). I am unaware of it ever appearing on LP let alone CD in the UK. Sad that it was not included in the Gauk box set on Brilliant (which I very strongly recommend). The recording is rather crackly, but the performance is wonderful. When the Slovenian guy gets his mono recording machine later in the year, he is going to do another transfer for me. Let me know if you want a copy. Very happy to do it but have to wait until my daughter is home from university as she is the only one who knows how to do it.

Thanks again Colin,

Jeffrey