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