Gavriil Popov 1904-1972

Started by vandermolen, January 18, 2010, 04:13:25 PM

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vandermolen

#100
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on May 26, 2022, 09:00:15 PM


A captivatingly absorbing piece bearing an unmistakable Russian spirit plenty of alluring gestures not devoid of certain depth.

The Symphony No. 4 hasn't received the first official recording yet. I hope it will see the light of day in the rather near future.
I think that, a bit like Nielsen's 6th Symphony, Popov's 6th Symphony tries to be 'Festive' (its subtitle) but is shot through with tragedy. Towards the end it seems to reference Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky - I find it very moving. 1,2 'Motherland' and 6 are my favourites.
"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

Bump for a very good composer.

I listened to the Chamber Symphony/Septet earlier, and then Symphony No.1, the Northern Flowers disc. So good. I wish more conductors and orchestras would take up Popov's music.

vandermolen

Quote from: vers la flamme on August 28, 2022, 06:39:26 PM
Bump for a very good composer.

I listened to the Chamber Symphony/Septet earlier, and then Symphony No.1, the Northern Flowers disc. So good. I wish more conductors and orchestras would take up Popov's music.
Totally agree. I consider him to be a major figure - especially his first two symphonies. No.1 in my opinion, is the only one, other that Weinberg's 5th Symphony, which bears comparison with Shostakovich's 4th symphony.
"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

It's listed as a concerto but its symphonic scale means I would also add Tishchenko's Violin Concerto No. 2 to that list.

vandermolen

Quote from: Maestro267 on August 29, 2022, 12:08:36 AM
It's listed as a concerto but its symphonic scale means I would also add Tishchenko's Violin Concerto No. 2 to that list.
I must give that another listen to. I'm sure that I have an old Olympia CD featuring 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

That's how I have it, yes. And I remember comparing it favourably to Shostakovich 4 within a few listens of it.

Roy Bland

SYMPHONY N.4 BY GAVRIIL POPOV»

On February 6, 2023, the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theater will host the world premiere of Symphony No. 4 «Glory to the Fatherland» («Слава Отчизне») by the Leningrad composer Gavriil Popov. Previously played only in fragments, the symphony will be performed in its entirety for the first time. It will be presented by the vocal ensemble «Arielle» led by Elmira Dadasheva and artists of the Mariinsky Theater. Unlike the composer's three previous symphonies, the Fourth Symphony was written for a mixed choir and soloists without the participation of an orchestra. The composition turned out to be so complicated that no orchestra dared to tackle it, and this four-movement symphony has never been performed in full. In 1949, when the composer completed work on the composition, only the second part of the symphony «Spring» («Весна») was performed.


https://www.mariinsky.ru/news1/2023/2_2023/01_2/

relm1

#107
Quote from: Roy Bland on February 01, 2023, 08:07:26 PMSYMPHONY N.4 BY GAVRIIL POPOV»

On February 6, 2023, the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theater will host the world premiere of Symphony No. 4 «Glory to the Fatherland» («Слава Отчизне») by the Leningrad composer Gavriil Popov. Previously played only in fragments, the symphony will be performed in its entirety for the first time. It will be presented by the vocal ensemble «Arielle» led by Elmira Dadasheva and artists of the Mariinsky Theater. Unlike the composer's three previous symphonies, the Fourth Symphony was written for a mixed choir and soloists without the participation of an orchestra. The composition turned out to be so complicated that no orchestra dared to tackle it, and this four-movement symphony has never been performed in full. In 1949, when the composer completed work on the composition, only the second part of the symphony «Spring» («Весна») was performed.


https://www.mariinsky.ru/news1/2023/2_2023/01_2/


Wow!  no wonder it was never available.  I hope they record it. 
...wait what?  It's just an acapella choir piece?  "Unlike the composer's three previous symphonies, the Fourth was written for mixed choir and soloists without the participation of an orchestra."

pjme

#108
With the help of Google:
""Composer Gavriil Popov, for whom Leningrad has become his hometown, has created a unique composition for a mixed choir and four soloists, where the choir takes on the difficult function of a symphony orchestra," says Elmira Dadasheva, artistic director and conductor of the Arielle vocal ensemble. – The composer created a rich choral texture, which refers us to the best examples of the Russian choral composer school – the works of Rachmaninoff, Taneyev and Grechaninov."

Indeed, Symphony No. 4 "Glory to the Motherland" for 4 Soloists and Chorus, Op. 47 (1949).

Maestro267

Again redefining what is a symphony.

Symphonic Addict

Once again I'm astounded by the monumental and ambitious String Quartet, op. 61 (1951), rightly named 'Quartet-Symphony'. One of the pinnacles of Soviet/Russian string quartet literature for sure. It's a work of marked gestures, at times intense and piquant, and imbued with noble profoundness. What impresses me the most is that in its 57 min. long the work holds incredibly well and grabs the attention, the musical material is strong to give a very good impression (at least it did that for me).

I'm very thankful to the Quartet Berlin-Tokyo for performing it for the first time and doing it so masterfully. A formidable masterpiece in my view.

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

vandermolen

Quote from: Løvfald on April 27, 2023, 06:46:44 PMOnce again I'm astounded by the monumental and ambitious String Quartet, op. 61 (1951), rightly named 'Quartet-Symphony'. One of the pinnacles of Soviet/Russian string quartet literature for sure. It's a work of marked gestures, at times intense and piquant, and imbued with noble profoundness. What impresses me the most is that in its 57 min. long the work holds incredibly well and grabs the attention, the musical material is strong to give a very good impression (at least it did that for me).

I'm very thankful to the Quartet Berlin-Tokyo for performing it for the first time and doing it so masterfully. A formidable masterpiece in my view.


Wow! Never heard of this one and I greatly admire Popov's music and Schulhoff for that matter, whom I discovered through this Forum. Popov's symphonies 1,2 and 6 and Schulhoff's 5th Symphony in particular. I will be on the look-out for the SQ.
"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).

kyjo

Cross-posted from the "blown away" thread:

Popov: Symphony no. 5 in A major Pastoral (1956)



https://youtu.be/mP4HQ1rkLKU

(USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gurgen Karapetian)


Oh, my goodness! Where has this magnificent music been all my life? I've known Popov's first two symphonies for quite a while and like them both very much, but neither have quite blown me away. The 5th is an absolutely spellbinding and unique composition from the very first bar, beautifully and colorfully orchestrated with especially great writing for the harp, glockenspiel, and xylophone. Though Popov had to slightly "tame" the wildness and dissonance of his writing after his 1st Symphony to suit the Soviet authorities, his style in this symphony is far from conventionally "Socialist realist" and contains some really piquant harmonies and unusual textures. There's wonderful contrast between the beautifully idyllic outer movements and the more dramatic inner ones (subtitled Storm and Struggle). What's especially remarkable is how little this work resembles anything else written by other Soviet composers at the time - there's hardly a hint of Shostakovich to be found! The above Olympia recording is very good - fortunately, since it's the only one - but this work is very much in need of a dazzling modern recording in order to bring it to the wider audience it so richly deserves. Whilst I admire the abundant attention that Popov's contemporary Weinberg is receiving by the record companies, it would be nice if they also turned their attention to Popov and numerous other little-known Soviet composers whose music has barely seen the light of day.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

vandermolen

#113
Quote from: kyjo on July 04, 2023, 08:20:43 PMCross-posted from the "blown away" thread:

Popov: Symphony no. 5 in A major Pastoral (1956)



https://youtu.be/mP4HQ1rkLKU

(USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gurgen Karapetian)


Oh, my goodness! Where has this magnificent music been all my life? I've known Popov's first two symphonies for quite a while and like them both very much, but neither have quite blown me away. The 5th is an absolutely spellbinding and unique composition from the very first bar, beautifully and colorfully orchestrated with especially great writing for the harp, glockenspiel, and xylophone. Though Popov had to slightly "tame" the wildness and dissonance of his writing after his 1st Symphony to suit the Soviet authorities, his style in this symphony is far from conventionally "Socialist realist" and contains some really piquant harmonies and unusual textures. There's wonderful contrast between the beautifully idyllic outer movements and the more dramatic inner ones (subtitled Storm and Struggle). What's especially remarkable is how little this work resembles anything else written by other Soviet composers at the time - there's hardly a hint of Shostakovich to be found! The above Olympia recording is very good - fortunately, since it's the only one - but this work is very much in need of a dazzling modern recording in order to bring it to the wider audience it so richly deserves. Whilst I admire the abundant attention that Popov's contemporary Weinberg is receiving by the record companies, it would be nice if they also turned their attention to Popov and numerous other little-known Soviet composers whose music has barely seen the light of day.
Very interesting Kyle. Initially this disc did not make as much of an impression on me as did the one containing symphonies 1,2 'Motherland' and 6 'Festive' - clearly I need to listen to it again. I totally agree with your comment about record companies.
"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).

relm1

Quote from: vandermolen on July 04, 2023, 10:58:55 PMVery interesting Kyle. Initially this disc did not make as much of an impression on me as did the one containing symphonies 1,2 'Motherland' and 6 'Festive' - clearly I need to listen to it again. I totally agree with your comment about record companies.

I'm of the exact same opinion - No. 5 didn't leave an impression with me as much as the early ones did but will have to reinvestigate it.  Perhaps I was looking for another Shostakovich and that was my mistake.

AnotherSpin

#115
In the USSR, Gavriil Popov was known as the composer of music for many films and theatrical TV productions. Among others, he wrote music for the super-famous propaganda film Chapaev about the immensely popular Civil War hero -- there were hundreds of jokes (anecdotes) about Chapaev and his entourage, almost all of them ambiguous or salacious.

kyjo

#116
Quote from: relm1 on July 05, 2023, 06:10:32 AMI'm of the exact same opinion - No. 5 didn't leave an impression with me as much as the early ones did but will have to reinvestigate it.  Perhaps I was looking for another Shostakovich and that was my mistake.

Yes, that was your mistake! ;) Popov (at least in this symphony) sounds nothing like Shostakovich, with beautifully luminous, almost impressionist textures and a lack of the biting irony and bleak soundscapes characteristic of the more famous composer. (To which I, as not one of the world's greatest Shostakovich fans, say "good!" 8))
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

kyjo

Quote from: vandermolen on July 04, 2023, 10:58:55 PMVery interesting Kyle. Initially this disc did not make as much of an impression on me as did the one containing symphonies 1,2 'Motherland' and 6 'Festive' - clearly I need to listen to it again. I totally agree with your comment about record companies.

Definitely give the 5th Symphony another spin, Jeffrey - I'm sure you'll find much to enjoy in it. I'm really looking forward to exploring Popov's 3rd and 6th symphonies which are still unknown to me.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on July 05, 2023, 06:43:14 AMDefinitely give the 5th Symphony another spin, Jeffrey - I'm sure you'll find much to enjoy in it. I'm really looking forward to exploring Popov's 3rd and 6th symphonies which are still unknown to me.
I especially like No.6 'Festive' Kyle. Like Nielsen's 6th it tries to be 'upbeat' but is actually tragic - it shows the influence of Boris Godunov in one place.
"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

@kyjo your admiration prompts me to return to the work. Maybe tonight if I can get around to it. Like Vandermolen I'm afraid that disc left little impression, but I need to revisit. Big fan of the first two symphonies. I wish this composer was more performed in the present day.