Glazunov Symphonies

[Herman]

I like Glazunov's Raymonda ballet music.

[nut-job]

I like Glazunov's Raymonda ballet music.

Actually that's quite a nice piece.  Seasons is also attractive, and I should hear that violin concerto that got a good mention above.  My trouble with Glazunov is he seems to think of a symphony as a giant jello mold into which to pour music.

[The new erato]

Raymonda is tuneful and nice, I agree, but ultimately relatively forgettable compared to Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky's ballets.

[Harry]

Raymonda is tuneful and nice, I agree, but ultimately relatively forgettable compared to Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky's ballets.

But why for heavens sake should one compare? You can take Glazunov as he comes right?
Actually, but that's only my humble opinion, there is no need at all to compare composers.
Like women, every one of them is unique, and that is the thing to remember.

[Harry]

Actually that's quite a nice piece.  Seasons is also attractive, and I should hear that violin concerto that got a good mention above.  My trouble with Glazunov is he seems to think of a symphony as a giant jello mold into which to pour music.

Next time you meet him, simply ask that question, instead of assuming something, that is coming out of your own fantasy!
You either like a composer or not, but do not judge him as if you are entitled to do that.
First accomplish anything that comes close to his compositions, and than maybe, and only maybe you are allowed to express your private opinion to the public.
No offense Nut job, but I get rather irritated by your demeaning opinion of Glazunov.

[Herman]

Raymonda is tuneful and nice, I agree, but ultimately relatively forgettable compared to Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Stravinsky's ballets.

"Ultimately relatively forgettable?" What does that even mean? And why invoke such an Alzheimerian view of music.

All music is ultimately relatively forgettable, compared to the best Mozart and Bach composed. The best parts of Raymonda strike me as better than most of Swan Lake. BTW you forgot Delibes.

As it happens there is not a whole lot of good ballet music, and there's no reason to throw out a perfectly nice piece.

[The new erato]

Like women, every one of them is unique, and that is the thing to remember.

If you like everyone too much, that can get you into trouble.

[Daverz]

My favorite Glazunov works are The Seasons and From the Middle Ages.

[flyingdutchman]

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/4007507

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3786891

I ask because I don't think it's likely, but would like to get one of them.  Does anyone have either of these?

[eyeresist]

Found this comment to an Amazon review:

By the way, I've just found out that the new Relief set of the symphonies are NOT the studio recordings. Interestingly, they are LIVE recordings made in the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory from roughly the same period! I am looking forward to buying this as well. But the Venezia set ARE the studio recordings. HMV Japan has them for sale.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1EW1TX3NJ8ZJC

Note that he has not actually heard the recordings.

[fuhred]

Hi, it looks like Fedoseyev only recorded one cycle of the Glazunov symphonies. I bought both the Venezia issue and the Relief issue. I really wish I hadn't bought the Relief one.

What annoys me is that the new Relief set claims to be 'live recordings'. They LIE!! These are the same studio recordings that Venezia issued already. However, avoid the Relief set like the plague! The transfers are disgraceful: they are a quarter-tone flat throughout, and the sound is (slightly) distorted at times. I would suggest that these were transfers from LPs rather than the original master tapes. Relief adds the Valse de Concert No.1 as a filler on disc three, but that's the only bright spot to be found here.

If you want the Fedoseyev, buy the Venezia set from HMV Japan, the transfers are outstanding and it's cheaper too! If you do get lumbered with the Relief set, make sure your CD player has pitch control.

[eyeresist]

Hmm. It sounds like Relief is basically a pirate label. Let's avoid them. (Venezia seems to be the domestic Russian distributor of the Melodiya catalog.)

[flyingdutchman]

I was in Tokyo so I bought the Venezia set.