Lesser known Russian/Soviet composers

[Cato]

I remember my mother taking me to see the film when it first came out - you had to go back to the cinema a week later for Part 2.  I subsequently saw it at least twice with friends at all day showings at the South Bank in London - a great experience. The Ovchinnikov score was available on a 'That's Entertainment' LP decades ago. It never made it to CD but a kind music contact made a copy for me. I have somewhere an LP of Ovchinnikov's Symphony No 2 (for strings if my memory is correct) - a deeply impressive work.  He has been rather ignored in the CD era. The theme accompanying Pierre's love for Natascha and the appearance of the Great Comet of 1812 in 'War and Peace' was a magical moment in the film score.

The whole situation is a scandal: apparently the best print of the film is in the Ukraine and a dispute about its ownership prevents it from being transferred to DVD.

ABC, a major American network, showed the entire movie over a week in the summer in the early 1970's.  The dubbing was excellent: I had seen a severely cut version in the 1960's, but was impressed by everything, especially the Ovchinnikovscore.  Only LP's of the score are available on Amazon: I had a copy which is now in the possession of my younger brother, who promised over 10 years ago to transfer everything.   

Absolutely incredible that Bondarchuk, who seems to have been the equal (or better) of e.g. Orson Welles in talent, is now nearly forgotten.

Ovchinnikov's concert music I have never heard, so you are quite fortunate to have found the Symphony #2.

He is 76 now.

[vandermolen]

The whole situation is a scandal: apparently the best print of the film is in the Ukraine and a dispute about its ownership prevents it from being transferred to DVD.

ABC, a major American network, showed the entire movie over a week in the summer in the early 1970's.  The dubbing was excellent: I had seen a severely cut version in the 1960's, but was impressed by everything, especially the Ovchinnikovscore.  Only LP's of the score are available on Amazon: I had a copy which is now in the possession of my younger brother, who promised over 10 years ago to transfer everything.   

Absolutely incredible that Bondarchuk, who seems to have been the equal (or better) of e.g. Orson Welles in talent, is now nearly forgotten.

Ovchinnikov's concert music I have never heard, so you are quite fortunate to have found the Symphony #2.

He is 76 now.

I have the three DVD version of 'War and Peace' but wish I had the five DVD version with interviews. It is one of my favourite films. A pity they could not feature the crucial railway station meeting betwee Pierre and the freemason in the filmbut that would never have been allowed in the USSR. Bondarchuk died quite young I think - yes, he deserves greater recognition. Ironically, in real life, he was married to the actress who played Helene in the film. I enjoyed the clips of Ovchinnikov talking and the wonderful musical extract from 'Andrei Rublev' which you posted.  Thank you. Ovchinnikov's music, to me, often seems to have a ghostly waltz - like quality to it, which is captivating.

[Karl Henning]

I've not seen the whole enchilada yet, but what I did see of it (back when I was in Petersburg) was wonderful.

[J]

Just in case it hasn't been noted, Ovchinnikov's Symphonies No.1&2 can be downloaded here:

http://files.mail.ru/8WM4DO

[Lilas Pastia]

Is this safe? Not to sound  too anal but I've had bad experiences with russian web sites

[Cato]

Is this safe? Not to sound  too anal but I've had bad experiences with russian web sites

I twice tried the download recommended by "J," but it would not work.  Frustrating!

[Lilas Pastia]

Arutiunian, anybody? This armenian soviet composer lived from 1920 to March 2012.

I downloaded some works of his and so far am very impressed. His Trumpet Concerto is easy to find on Youtube, but that's about it. A recent Chandos issue has appeared recently that pair 2 concertos (concertino for piano from 1951 and violin concerto from 1988) with a Sinfonietta for strings. The web site I looked at offered downloads of the two concertos, but not the Sinfonietta. I'll probably buy the record as these two works are so captivating.

Another download I found on the net (probably legal) has his Symphony from 1958. Santa Pizza! Talk about a coruscating, sweepingly cinematic score! Lots of noise and playing to the gallery - I can picture shoulder to shoulder Workers communing  and Party officials beaming as the work proudly displays the Nation, the Struggle, the simple Joys of children games under communist life, and the Road to Victory under Stalin's aegis. It's a big, emotionally communicative work replete with every orchestration overload trick in the book, and chockfull with good tunes. The whole affair is lots of good fun. I sincerely enjoyed it. It has enough musical qualities to help one put things in their proper perspective. It's actually substantially better than Shostakovich's contemporary 12th symphony and light-years ahead of Khatchaturian's vulgar symphonic hodge-podge aka as his 3rd symphony.

Some Large Symphony Orchestra from the Assembled Soviet Radios (these outfits tend to change names every Quinquennial Plan)  play it with total commitment under the enthusiastic leadership of Valery Gergiev. The sound is good enough. Live recording. The link is still active for those interested.

I recommend both concertos as well as the symphony.

[eyeresist]

Khachaturian rules, Arutiunian drools.

[Lilas Pastia]

Do you care to write at greater length?

[eyeresist]

N

[The new erato]

At least one of you guys are illuminating and worthy of thanks.

[eyeresist]

At least one of you guys are illuminating and worthy of thanks.

Well, I thought a gratuitous drive-by attack on Khachaturian deserved a gratuitous drive-by response

[Lilas Pastia]

Thanks for your reply. I assume you know both Khatchaturian's 3rd symphony (which version have you heard BTW, maybe your experience of it was more favourable than mine?) and the 4 Arutiunian works I have listened to, repeatedly ( in the case of his symphony I assume you have heard Gergiev's broadcast, as I did).

I have considered AK a great composer for a few decades already. His place is quite secure in my mind and I find no reason to change my favourable opinion. Even after listening to his 3rd symphony.

[eyeresist]

Thanks for your reply. I assume you know both Khatchaturian's 3rd symphony (which version have you heard BTW, maybe your experience of it was more favourable than mine?) and the 4 Arutiunian works I have listened to, repeatedly ( in the case of his symphony I assume you have heard Gergiev's broadcast, as I did).

I have considered AK a great composer for a few decades already. His place is quite secure in my mind and I find no reason to change my favourable opinion. Even after listening to his 3rd symphony.

I don't know the Arutiunian works, and wouldn't venture a serious opinion on them. From my own experience, I would agree that there are some Soviet composers, whose works are virtually unrecorded, who have written top-ranking pieces. (I assume you know the trumpet concerto from the Nanut recording?) I'm not sure why you felt the need to put other composers' works down in order to raise Arutiunian up. It may end up having the opposite effect from that intended, and turn people off.

Regarding the Khachaturian 3 (originally a "symphonic poem"), I find its forthright strangeness endearing, I enjoy many moments in it, and I feel it may actually be a masterpiece that has not yet been understood. Or perhaps it is the only allure of an enigma.  I have recordings by Kondrashin and Tjeknavorian - the Kondrashin is superior. I have ordered the Glushchenko recording, and hopefully it hasn't gone astray on the way from Europe (it's been a few weeks now). From what I've heard of Glushchenko, I don't expect Kondrashin to be knocked off his post - which is a shame in a way, because as good as he is, I think his habitual stalwart fierceness enables only part of the music to emerge at its best.

See, I can be articulate - when I'm fully awake

[Lilas Pastia]

End of quarrel. You simply read more in my comment than I wrote. I specifically wrote about a single AK work I happen to have listened to in 2 versions this month - and as I've mentioned, a composer I appreciate in many genres and works. I don't call that a 'gratuitous drive-by response' to a composer's oeuvre. And certainly not an attempt to elevate one by putting one down in order to elevate the other. Ma basta !

I'm sure you'll have the time and occasion to listen to the Arutiunian works (esp. as the downloads are there for you to use) and draw your own conclusions. I sincerely believe that, in the best tradition of 'soviet' composers of the time, Ariutunian will eventually come to be widely listened to .

[eyeresist]

I specifically wrote about a single AK work I happen to have listened to in 2 versions this month

Just out of curiosity, which versions did you hear?

[Lilas Pastia]

Stokowski and the Chicago orchestra, and Kondrashin with the Moscow Philharmonic. I also have another version under Tjeknavorian, which I haven't listened to in a few years. 

[dyn]

unfortunately i've never been able to find much in the majority of Soviet orchestral music—not only is it largely overblown, bombastic, long-winded late-romantic genericness, but the conditions under which it was written leave a rather sour taste in my mouth. (Most of the composers didn't necessarily enjoy writing it, either...) there are some new names to me in this thread, though, whom i'll look for (Nosyrev, Lyatoshynsky, Popov—whose rather appealing Chamber Symphony i have heard before actually)

in line with my typical interests, i've looked into the work of some younger (post-Soviet) Russians & Ukrainians who write in a basically Lachenmann-/musique-concrète-influenced style, notably Dmitry Timofeev, Alexander Chernyshkov and Alexander Khubeev. they're all based in Western Europe as far as i know now, and samples of their works can be heard on soundcloud for those who are interested. in line with my atypical interests i recently found two string quartets by Anton Stepanovich Arensky which i quite enjoyed; they reflect both Chaikovsky and the classicised romanticism of Schumann and Dvorak, which i see nothing wrong with. (i'm also reminded of Grieg in places.)

[calyptorhynchus]

In the glory days of Unsung Composers the 'Soviet Composers" thread came up with some gems of downloads (hope they're still there in the archives). Here's a quick list from my iPod

Adzhemian
Akhinian
Astvatsatryan
Bardanashvilli
Khagagortian
Machavariani
Mansurian
Nasidze
Nurymow
Tsintsadze
Zhubadnova

All of these write symphonies, concertoes or chamber music in a late-Romantic manner keeping in mind the folk-music of their respective republics (Armenia, Georgia, Khazakstan &c). Many of these pieces are just beautiful, turn your heart over type music, and I sooner listen to it than almost anything else the C20 has produced.

I guess the composer who is most like these who is best known in the West is the Latvian Vasks, much though he would hate to be labelled "Soviet".

[vandermolen]

And don't forget Balanchivadze, whose 1st Symphony (complete with organ episode) I like very much.