Lesser known Russian/Soviet composers

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

+1. Nice recordings!

[Roy Bland]

https://cdmusic.cz/en/czech-contemporary/borkovec-p.-aslamas-a.-burian-e.f.-string-quartets-pavel-borkovec-quartet-%5Bid%3D0764460983296%5D

[Roy Bland]

Any specific Boyko work?

Also this
https://youtu.be/NgURd66FbqI

[Roy Bland]

On Eastern Soviet music
https://www.academia.edu/32760599/National_Form_and_Socialist_Content_Soviet_Modernization_and_Making_of_Uzbek_National_Opera_Between_the_1920s_and_1930s?email_work_card=title
https://www.academia.edu/40505174/Soviet_Music_as_National_Achievement_The_Development_of_Professional_Music_in_the_Tatar_ASSR_1928_59?email_work_card=title

[dhibbard]

Lydia Auster..... her piano concerto and various misc works are wonderful.... ballet music.. they were issued on Melodiya oin the  1970s

[Roy Bland]

[Roy Bland]

https://www.academia.edu/41753554/Legacies_of_Romanticism_in_the_early_Soviet_Symphony?email_work_card=title

[kyjo]

Speaking of Shaporin (1887-1966) I've been blown away by his 5 Pieces for Cello and Piano:

https://youtu.be/BTqDrb1xH6A

What soulful, passionate music, full of depth and inspiration! I'll have to seek out more of his music - I see he has a Symphony which hasn't been recorded.

[Roy Bland]

 world premiere of "Asja" ("Ася"), an opera by composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov based on the homonymous short story by Ivan Turghenev, will be presented in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on 6 June 2022.

[kyjo]

Further proof that there's excellent music out there by composers who we (even at GMG!) know very little about: Nikolai Peiko's (1916-95) Symphony no. 4 (1963-65):

https://youtu.be/hb-QBiG7pPg

(USSR SO/Svetlanov. There's also a recording on YT with Konstantin Ivanov conducting.)

While there are the expected whiffs of Shostakovich, Weinberg, Kabalevsky et al., this is quite a personal, exciting, and compact work. It's written in a broadly tonal idiom but with plenty of harmonic "spikiness", and with some terrifically imaginative orchestration in places. Actually, the composer I was reminded most of most was Einar Englund, specifically the "avian" arabesques of the solo flute which recall the Finn's Symphony no. 2 The Blackbird. Fans of any of the composers I mentioned need not hesitate! Hardly any of Peiko's music has been commercially recorded, but quite a bit of it is available on YT.

[vandermolen]

Further proof that there's excellent music out there by composers who we (even at GMG!) know very little about: Nikolai Peiko's (1916-95) Symphony no. 4 (1963-65):

https://youtu.be/hb-QBiG7pPg

(USSR SO/Svetlanov. There's also a recording on YT with Konstantin Ivanov conducting.)

While there are the expected whiffs of Shostakovich, Weinberg, Kabalevsky et al., this is quite a personal, exciting, and compact work. It's written in a broadly tonal idiom but with plenty of harmonic "spikiness", and with some terrifically imaginative orchestration in places. Actually, the composer I was reminded most of most was Einar Englund, specifically the "avian" arabesques of the solo flute which recall the Finn's Symphony no. 2 The Blackbird. Fans of any of the composers I mentioned need not hesitate! Hardly any of Peiko's music has been commercially recorded, but quite a bit of it is available on YT.

Sounds interesting Kyle - thanks for posting.

[kyjo]

Sounds interesting Kyle - thanks for posting.

I have no doubt you'd enjoy the Peiko very much, Jeffrey, given your proclivity for Soviet-era symphonism!

[vandermolen]

I have no doubt you'd enjoy the Peiko very much, Jeffrey, given your proclivity for Soviet-era symphonism!

It sounds like a fine crash-bang-wallop Soviet symphony (interspersed with moments of lyricism - just the sort of thing that I like! 

[Mirror Image]

I have to say of the lesser-known Russian/Soviet composers that Boris Tchaikovsky is probably my favorite. There's something absolutely alluring about his music, especially underneath the surface. I hear a compositional voice that, no matter the musical material, aches and has a yearning quality to it. This certainly applies to the Sebastopol Symphony, but also the Clarinet Concerto amongst other works.

[timwtheov]

@Mirror Image: must be the name!

Regarding Peiko, looks like Melodiya did release Svetlanov's recording. It's on Tidal (https://listen.tidal.com/album/139055986), and I'd imagine you could download it somewhere.

[Mirror Image]

@Mirror Image: must be the name!

It certainly didn't help him, but I argued with Karlo (North Star) about this and feel that there's no point in changing one's name unless it rhymes with a male or female body part.

[André]

Since we've had threads devoted to American, British, Scandinavian and Japanese composers, I thought that it was time for a Russian/Soviet one. Of the lesser known ones, Miaskovsky stands out for me, a key linking figure between the 19th Century nationalist figures (Rimsky, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev, Liadov etc) and the great 20th Century figures like his friend Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Miaskovsky is well served on CD now with a complete set of symphonies on Warner and the Olymia/Alto set of symphonies being completed in August. In some ways, though, the best introduction is the one and only Naxos CD of Miaskovsky symphonies, containing two of the best, No 24 and 25. There is a separate Miaskovsky thread here too.

Gavril Popov (1904-72) is another great figure, whose First Symphony is the only one I know, apart from Vainberg's (or Weinberg's) Symphony No. 5 which stands comparison with Shostakovich's 4th Symphony. A terrifically compelling manic score.

Vissarion Shebalin (1902-63) is another composer whose music has meant a lot to me, especially symphonies 1 (like Miaskovsky) and the moving, valedictory 5th Symphony. Sadly, with the demise of Olympia his music is now difficult to find on CD.

Finally, for now, there is Vadim Salmanov (1912-78) , whose four symphonies, on a double CD set are well worth exploring. Mravinsky obviously thought highly of them as he recorded them all. Nos 1 and 4 are my favourites, No 2 is also a fine score. I have been listening to No 4 a lot recently. It was premiered by Mravinsky in 1977, not long before Salmanov's death (the performance is the one featured in the set) and there is a photo of Mravinsky and Salmanov together, at the premiere in the accompanying booklet. One critic described it as a "farewell symphony" and the last movement is very touching. The symphonies are a bit derivative of Shostakovich but I think that Salmanov is still well worth exploring. I am about to explore his string quartets, which are highly regarded by some.

These are just a few composers, but I look forward to reading about others.

I last listened to that Melodiya set of the Salmanov symphonies in 2016 (March 26, to be precise  ). I remembered not having been bowled over. I listened to it again today and now I understand sort of why: the sound is sometimes rough - extremely rough in the case of symphony 1, where the percussion badly saturates the soundstage. Since it's a crash-bang-wallop movement ( ) it kind of ruins the show. At least it did for me. Also, these being live performances, various bronchial episodes occur every now and then, which is rather unfortunate.

The music is often very fine, even with the derivative bits accounted for. And there's a clear sense of progression in the composer's métier and artistic vision. Symphony no 4 (1976) in particular breaks up with the stalinist/soviet mold and offers a much more contemporaneous feel. I think it's a near masterpiece. New performances of the first 2 symphonies are badly needed, although I doubt they would equal the electric tension generated by Mrawinsky in these live performances.

[vandermolen]

I last listened to that Melodiya set of the Salmanov symphonies in 2016 (March 26, to be precise  ). I remembered not having been bowled over. I listened to it again today and now I understand sort of why: the sound is sometimes rough - extremely rough in the case of symphony 1, where the percussion badly saturates the soundstage. Since it's a crash-bang-wallop movement ( ) it kind of ruins the show. At least it did for me. Also, these being live performances, various bronchial episodes occur every now and then, which is rather unfortunate.

The music is often very fine, even with the derivative bits accounted for. And there's a clear sense of progression in the composer's métier and artistic vision. Symphony no 4 (1976) in particular breaks up with the stalinist/soviet mold and offers a much more contemporaneous feel. I think it's a near masterpiece. New performances of the first 2 symphonies are badly needed, although I doubt they would equal the electric tension generated by Mrawinsky in these live performances.

I read the quoted passage with great interest and then realised that I had written it  . Yes André, those Salmanov recordings are a bit rough I agree, but they do not stop me appreciating his music. Since I started the thread, like John/MI I have come to discover the music of Boris Tchaikovsky and, like John, greatly enjoy the 'Sevastopol/Sebastopol Symphony' - which I consider a major work. You are right that we could do with modern recordings of the Salmonov symphonies. Eshpai is another very worthwhile composer, especially, for me, symphonies 1,4,5 and the Songs of Mountain and Meadow Mari.

I also agree with the view of the (much missed) Colin/Dundonnell who recommended Kabalevsky's unaccountably neglected 4th Symphony (although a modern recording on CPO does exist). Maximilian Steinberg's 2nd (DGG) and 4th symphony(Dutton) were revelations to me and thankfully in modern recordings.

[Mirror Image]

Jeffrey, outside of that Sebastopol Symphony recording on Chandos, what else do you own of Boris Tchaikovsky's music?

[vandermolen]

Jeffrey, outside of that Sebastopol Symphony recording on Chandos, what else do you own of Boris Tchaikovsky's music?

Hi John.
A Hyperion disc with the Chamber Symphony etc
Naxos - Symphony No.1
Russian Disc - Symphony No.2 (+ I have another recording featuring Symphony No.2)
+ this one