great Russian composers

[listener]

a bit price-y, might be in a nearby library:
History of Music in Russia from Antiquity to 1800 - Vol. 1
Nikolai Findeizen
Translation by Samuel William Pring
Edited and annotated by Miloš Velimirovic and Claudia R. Jensen with the assistance of Malcolm Hamrick Brown and Daniel C. Waugh

http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=41658

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

And if not, why not?  Russians must have been writing music, why don't we know it?

Until the 18th century, Russia was pretty much isolated from most Western cultural currents, including the development of art music that took place in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. So after the forced Westernization started under Peter the Great, they had a lot of catching up to do, which began to show results around 1800 or so, with minor composers like Bortnyansky et al.

Before that, there was art music in Russia, but it was mostly Orthodox liturgical music.

[vandermolen]

Can't see Khachaturian in the composer list.
Here is a new release of his best symphony I think:
[asin]B01DEAKTC6[/asin]

[Scion7]

Is there a Russian Bach, for example? 

No.

The Russian principalities were conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century, then controlled by the Kipchak khanate of the Golden Horde for centuries.  After they finally threw 'the Mongol yoke' off, Russian nobles fought amongst each other until Ivan and Peter finally "unified" the country - but it was backward technologically and socially compared to western Europe.  There were no schools of higher learning and so forth until Peter the Great started bringing Russia "up to speed."  Therefore, no Renaissance or Baroque period in Russia - and no audience for it, either, until Russian society was ready for the Western European music tradition, outside of some church music.  Peter and Kat sent people to Italy and elsewhere for training for their courts - the first figures were some Ukrainian composers but the first Russian composer of importance is Glinka.  Soon, Russia becomes a hotbed of good and great composers - after Germany, arguably the 2nd most important country in Classical music (with the Italians also in the running) - with at least two towering geniuses - Tchaikovsky, and later Shostakovich.  Before and after,  lots of really fine people peppered throughout - Rubinstein, Scriabin, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Weinberg, and many good composers of somewhat lesser stature.

If they came to the party a little late, they more than made up for it.   A parallel might be seen with Britain in the 20th century.

[Mirror Image]

Can't see Khachaturian in the composer list.
Here is a new release of his best symphony I think:
[asin]B01DEAKTC6[/asin]

Very nice, Jeffrey. I'll have to revisit this symphony. I have Jarvi's and the composer's own performance.

[vandermolen]

Very nice, Jeffrey. I'll have to revisit this symphony. I have Jarvi's and the composer's own performance.

Me too John + the Stokowski. I think that Jarvi's is the best. I wish that RCA would issue Tjeknavorian's first LSO recording of Symphony 1.

[Roy Bland]

Book + cd on german/russian composers

The publication of the collection of author's articles "German Musicians in the City on the Neva" completes a large-scale three-year project. The book presents the work and destinies of outstanding German musicians, who since the middle of the 19th century, hand in hand with their Russian brothers in art, created the unique spiritual atmosphere of St. Petersburg. Luminous musicians and magnificent artisans who do not claim to be Olympus, they stood at the cradle of Russian opera (G. Raupakh), were the founders of Russian instrumental and conducting schools: (L. Maurer, K. Schubert, A. Henselt, A. Zabel, F. Gomilius). Their labors reformed the military musical art and education in Russia, the formation of professional orchestral and folklore performance was going on (F. Haase, G. Fliege, F. Niemann). The difficult role of keepers of the classical-romantic musical traditions in the new Soviet era was destined for O. Boehme, E. Reikhe, I. Armsheimer. In the process of historical events of the 20th century, all these names were forgotten or consciously ousted from the musical memory of St. Petersburg-Petrograd-Leningrad. The presented book restores the historical "connection of times", recreates the necessary links in the cultural chain of events of the 19th-20th centuries. All articles are distinguished by scientific validity, a high degree of research novelty, reliance on rare or published materials for the first time. At the same time, the texts are vividly and vividly presented, their content and meaning are accessible to a wide range of readers. The idea and implementation of the project is the result of the creative interaction of the Foundation for the Support and Development of Russian-German Relations "Russian-German Meeting Center" with the Hartow Charitable Foundation. The presentation of the book, undoubtedly, will be decorated with musical accompaniment with works from the CD released as part of the project. It presents sound portraits of the musicians presented in the exhibition - bright rarities in various genres.

Where: Mayakovsky Library, Fontanka River Embankment 44. 1st floor, Media Hall
When: April 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Free admission.
You will be able to purchase the book at the presentation.