Lesser known Russian/Soviet composers

[Cato]

Any recommendations for later Soviet-era composers who flirted with the avant-garde, aside from Alfred Schnittke? I am aware of the reasons why composers of this species might be uncommon, but I suspect Schnittke must not be the only one...

I have often recommended Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov: he is a master of uniting traditional-sounding music with avant-garde techniques in his film scores especially, yet also in concert works.

  Check out at least Tracks 1 and 15, if you do not have time to hear the entire score.


Ovchinnikov's Symphony #1 is an all-around favorite!

Alexander Nemtin was involved in electronic music in the 1960's.  This work uses a large symphony orchestra in a collage style at times:

[vandermolen]

I have often recommended Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov: he is a master of uniting traditional-sounding music with avant-garde techniques in his film scores especially, yet also in concert works.

  Check out at least Tracks 1 and 15, if you do not have time to hear the entire score.


Ovchinnikov's Symphony #1 is an all-around favorite!

Alexander Nemtin was involved in electronic music in the 1960's.  This work uses a large symphony orchestra in a collage style at times:

+1 for Ovchinnikov including that fine War and Peace movie score.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ovchinnikov+bondurchak&&view=detail&mid=0C832DD549B888266B420C832DD549B888266B42&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dovchinnikov%2520bondurchak%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBVR%26%3D%2525eManage%2520Your%2520Search%2520History%2525E%26sp%3D-1%26lq%3D0%26pq%3Dovchinnikov%2520bondurchak%26sc%3D0-22%26sk%3D%26cvid%3D1E54A6281DDC4EF8840346EF351DA6F9%26ghsh%3D0%26ghacc%3D0%26ghpl%3D

[relm1]

Thank you! Any particular works from these composers? I have heard a bit of Gubaidulina and have a couple of her works on CD that I ought to revisit. I don't have a note from any of the others.

As starting point, a lot of us really like Shchedrin's Symphony No. 1.  I think Tishchenko's Violin Concerto (sometimes called Violin Symphony) is very good.  For Galina Ustvolskaya, I like her symphony No. 2 and 5.

[vers la flamme]

As starting point, a lot of us really like Shchedrin's Symphony No. 1.  I think Tishchenko's Violin Concerto (sometimes called Violin Symphony) is very good.  For Galina Ustvolskaya, I like her symphony No. 2 and 5.

Oh, wow, I didn't realize Ustvolskaya wrote that many symphonies. I had her in my head as more of a chamber music composer. Thanks for the recs. I shall seek them out.

[vandermolen]

As starting point, a lot of us really like Shchedrin's Symphony No. 1.  I think Tishchenko's Violin Concerto (sometimes called Violin Symphony) is very good.  For Galina Ustvolskaya, I like her symphony No. 2 and 5.

Shchedrin's 1st Symphony is marvellous - my favourite of his works.

[vers la flamme]

Is it only available on an OOP Melodiya CD?

[relm1]

Is it only available on an OOP Melodiya CD?

I don't know but it is also on youtube. 

[vandermolen]

Is it only available on an OOP Melodiya CD?

There are two recordings AFAIK (Anosov and Svetlanov)
I think that only the Svetlanov was released on CD.

[vandermolen]

LPs of Shchedrin's 1st Symphony and the CD:

[vers la flamme]

How is the sound on those?

[vandermolen]

How is the sound on those?

The Svetlanov CD is best as far as I remember but I enjoyed the Anosov just as much. I don't listen on an especially sophisticated system (NAD CD player and amp, Wharfedale speakers).

PS I note that Amazon.com has the Svetlanov/ Melodiya CD available for c.$20.00

[T. D.]

I just read of Gaziza Zhubanova (from Kazakhstan) on a chess site. She was mentioned in coverage of a tournament there.

[Maestro267]

What a wild way to discover a composer!

[T. D.]

What a wild way to discover a composer!

Yes, but "obscure" venues often like to publicize cultural attractions.
Zhubanova was a famous resident of the city where the tournament took place. Some nice photos at

https://en.chessbase.com/post/17-year-old-daneshwar-bardiya-wins-aktobe-open-in-kazakhstan

(from Chessbase link)

The Aktobe Regional Philharmonic Concert Hall, which served as the venue for the chess festival, is named after Zhubanova.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I just read of Gaziza Zhubanova (from Kazakhstan) on a chess site. She was mentioned in coverage of a tournament there.

I haven't listened to the second (lower) work that you linked to, but enjoyed listening to the first movement of the top one (still listening).  I see that it was written in 1983.

At first, I was thinking that I had heard some of her music before, but upon digging further, I found that I was confusing her with the Azerbaijani composer *Franghiz Ali-Zadeh.

PD

p.s.  *I discovered her music when I listened to a Kronos Quartet CD.

[T. D.]

I haven't listened to the second (lower) work that you linked to, but enjoyed listening to the first movement of the top one (still listening).  I see that it was written in 1983.

At first, I was thinking that I had heard some of her music before, but upon digging further, I found that I was confusing her with the Azerbaijani composer *Franghiz Ali-Zadeh.

PD

p.s.  *I discovered her music when I listened to a Kronos Quartet CD.

I listened to a considerable chunk of the vc and it sounded pretty good.

I once attended a full concert of Ali-Zadeh's music! I think it was at Miller Theatre (Columbia U), NYC circa 2000. I enjoyed it and later heard the Kronos recording among others. Ali-Zadeh was getting a lot of attention around that time, but seemingly didn't stay "hot" very long.

Zhubanova was of course considerably earlier, during the Soviet era, and had to mix local (Kazakh) folkloric elements with the obligatory glorification of the Motherland, etc. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I listened to a considerable chunk of the vc and it sounded pretty good.

I once attended a full concert of Ali-Zadeh's music! I think it was at Miller Theatre (Columbia U), NYC circa 2000. I enjoyed it and later heard the Kronos recording among others. Ali-Zadeh was getting a lot of attention around that time, but seemingly didn't stay "hot" very long.

Zhubanova was of course considerably earlier, during the Soviet era, and had to mix local (Kazakh) folkloric elements with the obligatory glorification of the Motherland, etc. 

Yes, I noticed earlier via your link that one of the works that she had written was called "Ode to the Communist Party"; I suspect that I'll take a pass on listening to that one!  I did like (re her second symphony) how she interwove a woman's singing with the orchestral work and detected what I suspect were certain folk elements in her music (though I truthfully don't know what traditional Kazakh music sounds like).

What other recordings of Ali-Zadeh's music have you heard?  And thoughts?

PD

[Roy Bland]

Zhubanova's son Alibi Mambetov who died prematurely some years ago

[T. D.]

Yes, I noticed earlier via your link that one of the works that she had written was called "Ode to the Communist Party"; I suspect that I'll take a pass on listening to that one!  I did like (re her second symphony) how she interwove a woman's singing with the orchestral work and detected what I suspect were certain folk elements in her music (though I truthfully don't know what traditional Kazakh music sounds like).

What other recordings of Ali-Zadeh's music have you heard?  And thoughts?

PD

As often happens, I was greatly impressed by the live music I heard but less so by the recordings I encountered.

I recall liking the mugam (based on trad. Azeri) piece(s?) I heard, but the best-known is the title track of the Kronos album.

There's an all-Ali-Zadeh CD on BIS (c. 1997), but I don't think I ever bought it (certainly don't have it now). That'd be a starting point.

Looking at Wiki, I see a work for cello and prepared piano on a Yo-Yo Ma Silk Road recording. I'd like to hear that.

Also: "Konstantin Manaev: Ali-Zadeh: Chamber Music for Cello, GWK Records (2014)", which contains the cello/prepared piano piece just mentioned. Looks like it may be on Spotify (I'm not a streamer).

[Added] Four pieces from the Manaev album are on Youtube. I can't listen right now (work).
Manaev's Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCelurQCsA0MGlpYv1a-Q_IA

[Pohjolas Daughter]

As often happens, I was greatly impressed by the live music I heard but less so by the recordings I encountered.

I recall liking the mugam (based on trad. Azeri) piece(s?) I heard, but the best-known is the title track of the Kronos album.

There's an all-Ali-Zadeh CD on BIS (c. 1997), but I don't think I ever bought it (certainly don't have it now). That'd be a starting point.

Looking at Wiki, I see a work for cello and prepared piano on a Yo-Yo Ma Silk Road recording. I'd like to hear that.

Also: "Konstantin Manaev: Ali-Zadeh: Chamber Music for Cello, GWK Records (2014)", which contains the cello/prepared piano piece just mentioned. Looks like it may be on Spotify (I'm not a streamer).

[Added] Four pieces from the Manaev album are on Youtube. I can't listen right now (work).
Manaev's Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCelurQCsA0MGlpYv1a-Q_IA

Thank you for the links and your comments.  I'll do some further exploring. 

PD