Glazunov's glass of vodka

Started by vandermolen, June 01, 2008, 02:00:51 AM

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Maestro267

Quote from: Daverz on November 21, 2019, 02:37:59 PM
And the Serebrier cycle is very fine and an incredible bargain. 

[asin] B07D58Y2VL[/asin]

I already had the Concertos element of this box, in a separate two-disc set. My "Seasons" is the "filler" for disc 2 of a set that contains Prokofiev's ballet Cinderella.

Maestro267

#201
Picked up the complete Raymonda today. Listening now. Very very enjoyable to listen to, though I do wish the liner notes contained a more detailed track-by-track synopsis. Either that or, once again, ballet manages to turn what can be explained in a few short sentences, into 2 and a half hours of music.

SonicMan46

Glazunov remains of much interest in this thread which is good!  ;D

For me, no posts in a while but I've acquired a lot of his music - this morning, listening to the discs shown below; also have all of the other volumes on MDG w/ the Utrecht String Quartet; Piano Concertos w/ Coombs on Hyperion; and the José Serebrier 8-CD box of Symphonies & Concertos (including the violin & saxophone).

My question - Coombs recorded four volumes of the piano music - I really enjoy the first two discs and the reviews have been excellent; so, worth while obtaining V. 3 & 4? Thanks for any comments - Dave

   

Florestan

Quote from: SonicMan46 on February 25, 2020, 08:03:13 AM
My question - Coombs recorded four volumes of the piano music - I really enjoy the first two discs and the reviews have been excellent; so, worth while obtaining V. 3 & 4? Thanks for any comments - Dave

I'd say yes, they are as good as the first two.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Maestro267 on February 24, 2020, 08:19:36 AM
Picked up the complete Raymonda today. Listening now. Very very enjoyable to listen to, though I do wish the liner notes contained a more detailed track-by-track synopsis. Either that or, once again, ballet manages to turn what can be explained in a few short sentences, into 2 and a half hours of music.

Raymonda's been on my radar for quite a time and I haven't managed to listen to it. I should remedy that soon.
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

SonicMan46

Quote from: Florestan on February 25, 2020, 08:38:51 AM
I'd say yes, they are as good as the first two.

Thanks Andrei - Dave :)

vandermolen

What a shame that Glazunov was never able to complete his Ninth Symphony. The valedictory fragment which he left behind in short score is IMO one of his finest creations. A sad, searching, poignant and lyrical example of Glazunov at his best. I'm increasingly inclined to agree with Harry of this forum that he is a very underrated composer. This CD would be a great introduction to his music:
"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).

Brian

The first page of Helen Oyeyemi's 2012 novel Mister Fox. I wonder which symphony the narrator refers to.

vandermolen

Quote from: Brian on March 03, 2020, 06:59:31 AM
The first page of Helen Oyeyemi's 2012 novel Mister Fox. I wonder which symphony the narrator refers to.
Interesting! My wife, however, often complains about 'the noise'.
"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).

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Brian on March 03, 2020, 06:59:31 AM
The first page of Helen Oyeyemi's 2012 novel Mister Fox. I wonder which symphony the narrator refers to.

His 'loudest' symphony for me it's the 5th with that potent and festive last movement. It could be that, who knows.
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

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on March 03, 2020, 06:45:05 AM
What a shame that Glazunov was never able to complete his Ninth Symphony. The valedictory fragment which he left behind in short score is IMO one of his finest creations. A sad, searching, poignant and lyrical example of Glazunov at his best. I'm increasingly inclined to agree with Harry of this forum that he is a very underrated composer. This CD would be a great introduction to his music:


I agree with you about the neglect of his music, but there are many recordings available of his music nowadays, so, at least, he's not being completely neglected by conductors or musicians. I think one of the problems with Glazunov is not really the music itself but people's attitudes about the era he wrote the music in --- he was still writing in a Late-Romantic style until the very end and he had no desire to really experiment in terms what some of the later Soviet composers were doing (Shostakovich was one of his later students). He kept doing what he did, but, boy, did he do it incredibly well! He belongs in the same category as Rachmaninov, for example, who could be accused of the very things that Glazunov was doing with his music --- that kind of Late-Romantic style, but both of these composers retain their own unique sound-worlds and neither of them could be mistaken for another composer. I think one of the things that attracts me to Glazunov is not necessarily the melodies themselves but the continuous melodic line and how it unfolds and develops, but also his sense of rhythm. From my understanding, his music is difficult to perform, but I'd go so far to say it's difficult to interpret as well, because it is my belief that this music doesn't necessarily jump off the pages when it's played, although this could be said of many composers' music. Looking forward to digging more into this composer's music.

J

A more sophisticated evaluation of G's music than your dismissal of it a few years ago as "too sugarcoated for my taste", with "no fire".

Do you still feel that?

Mirror Image

Quote from: J on May 22, 2020, 11:05:11 PM
A more sophisticated evaluation of G's music than your dismissal of it a few years ago as "too sugarcoated for my taste", with "no fire".

Do you still feel that?

No and the reason I don't is because I've come to accept the music on its own terms. It's one thing to just not be attracted to the music, but I have always had an ear for what Glazunov was doing and the seed was initially planted. Even if I did dismiss him, I knew after stating that could possibly lead to a backlash. :)

vandermolen

I am tempted by the Serebrier box but have most of the releases on single CDs  ::)
I enjoy the Fedoseyev and Svetlanov sets more than the Polyansky:
"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).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 23, 2020, 06:49:51 AM
I am tempted by the Serebrier box but have most of the releases on single CDs  ::)
I enjoy the Fedoseyev and Svetlanov sets more than the Polyansky:


Svetlanov really has the full measure of Glazunov's music. I'd say that Serebrier does as well, but his interpretation is more Western (not that this is a bad thing of course), but he gets beautiful results in all the performances of his I've heard so far. What do you think of Serebrier, Jeffrey? Also, have you heard Rozhdestvensky's symphony cycle?

Dima

#215
When I was once in conductor's Golovanov flat, on his desk it was standing bust of Glazunov as you can see on photo:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M0LBYqnDWJc/maxresdefault.jpg

It was amazing, because it's very rare even in Russia. You know Golovanov made many recordings of Glazunov music.
It's a pity but now symphonies of Glazunov does not sound in concerts in Russia, and he have bad reputation as composer.
My favorite Glazunov symphony - No.3. It's on the same level with the best Tchaikovsky symphonies. I know all recording of it and like more Fedoseev and Boris Khaykin versions. If you listen to final of 3d symphony with Khaykin you will clearly hear how Glazunov music influenced Sibelius.

vandermolen

Quote from: Dima on May 23, 2020, 07:53:32 AM
When I was once in conductor's Golovanov flat, on his desk it was standing bust of Glazunov as you can see on photo:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M0LBYqnDWJc/maxresdefault.jpg

It was amazing, because it's very rare even in Russia. You know Golovanov made many recordings of Glazunov music.
It's a pity but now symphonies of Glazunov does not sound in concerts in Russia, and he have bad reputation as composer.
My favorite Glazunov symphony - No.3. It's on the same level that best Tchaikovsky symphonies. I know all recording of it and like more Fedoseev and Boris Khaykin versions. If you listen to final of 3d symphony with Khaykin you will clearly hear how Glazunov music influenced Sibelius.
Great photo Dima! Recently I've come to appreciate Symphony No.3 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

#217
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2020, 06:53:11 AM
Svetlanov really has the full measure of Glazunov's music. I'd say that Serebrier does as well, but his interpretation is more Western (not that this is a bad thing of course), but he gets beautiful results in all the performances of his I've heard so far. What do you think of Serebrier, Jeffrey? Also, have you heard Rozhdestvensky's symphony cycle?
I've enjoyed the Serebrier performances John but agree with your point about it sounding rather 'western'. I like a more authentic 'soviet' feel to it. In this respect I prefer Fedoseyev, Svetlanov, and Boris Khaikin. Olympia issued some terrific performances with Rozhdestvensky conducting.

This is a really good CD set:
"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).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 23, 2020, 07:59:47 AM
I've enjoyed the Serebrier performances John but agree with your point about it sounding rather 'western'. I like a more authentic 'soviet' feel to it. In this respect I prefer Fedoseyev, Svetlanov, and Boris Khaikin. Olympia issued some terrific performances with Rozhdestvensky conducting.

This is a really good CD set:


Very nice, Jeffrey. 8) Järvi has done some good work in Glazunov as well like his recordings on Chandos. I love his performance of From the Middle Ages Suite. One of my favorites from Glazunov.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on February 26, 2020, 01:33:52 PM
Raymonda's been on my radar for quite a time and I haven't managed to listen to it. I should remedy that soon.

Be sure to get the Svetlanov recording on Melodiya. It's been reissued, so it shouldn't be difficult to track down.