Eshpai Symphony; Piano Concerto(Vol.2)

Andrey Yakovlevich Eshpay (Composer), Evgeny Svetlanov (Conductor), Andrei Eshpai (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Andrei Eshpai
• Conductor: Evgeny Svetlanov
• Composer: Andrey Yakovlevich Eshpay
• Audio CD (August 24, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Albany Records
• ASIN: B00000K2N9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,362 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Rather powerful stuff, May 5, 2011

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G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eshpai Symphony; Piano Concerto(Vol.2) (Audio CD)

Andrei Eshpai (b.1925) has been relatively well served on disc, and deservedly so. All fans of modern, active, rhythmically fierce and powerful, always essentially tonal, music will want to investigate his output. Shostakovich and Bartók seem to be major influences, but there are also traces of (Mari) folk music and even jazz. The Concerto for Orchestra is a case in point; it is a frenzied, powerful work combining Shostakovich with a "jazziness" almost reminiscent of Bernstein. The textures are boiling and active - Eshpai is not afraid of things sounding a little garish at times - and the rhythms are (generally) ferocious. It starts out in a blaze, pounding onwards until it is succeeded by a calm, slightly bluesy but rather Russian theme led by a muted trumpet (and later a double bass) over a lush layers of strings, which again leads into a powerful, violent conclusion. It is an enjoyable work, to be sure, strident and even cheeky - not a masterpiece on the level of the composer's fourth and fifth symphonies, but still well worth hearing.

The second piano concerto is cast in three movement; it is more dissonant than the orchestral concerto, but still based on the same forward-pushing, uncompromising aggressive activity. The symphony is a more serious and focused work, but still full of color and ferocity. It opens with a burst of dissonance leading into a lyrical but slightly chilly development, building up to a grinding, colorful climax before returning to the solemn lyricism. It ends with a lengthy, clenched-teeth heroic but very effective conclusion. At 33 minutes it is certainly a substantial work, and while it may not be an unconditional masterpiece it never threatens to outstay its welcome.

The performances are generally very good, if overall stronger on unbridled power than refinement; still the slow, lyrical parts are very well done (plenty of impressive solo contributions from the orchestra). While all works are performed by the USSR State, Large Symphony orchestra under Svetlanov the recording dates vary - and so does the sound. The sound for the orchestral concerto (studio-recorded in 1974) and the symphony (recorded in 1992, live at the premiere) is decent, though very much in-your-face and somewhat grim. The piano concerto was recorded in 1972 in mono (live recording of the world premiere), and is unsurprisingly rather constricted. A recommendable release of rather exciting, powerful music, and although I would recommend newcomers to start with the fourth and fifth symphonies this would be a good place to go next.