Customer Reviews

Glazunov: Symphonies (Complete); Cantatas; Famous Ballet Music; Violin Concerto [Box Set]

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Lovers of Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and early Tchaikovsky should waste no time in snapping up this astonishing bargain box. Glazunov lived to see himself considered an anachronism by enfants terribles like Prokofiev and Stravinsky. Nevertheless, despite the "wisdom" of received opinion, he DID grow as a composer. In the first movement of No.6, one hears harmonic progressions that became characteristic of the young Scriabin. No.8, perhaps his greatest symphony, has a great deal of the kind of pomp and angst one associates with Elgar.

Glazunov's symphonies have enjoyed a revival in the last 15 years. Collectors can choose among complete digital sets by Anissimov, Otaka and the present one by Polyansky. As of this date, Serebrier is about halfway through his series, and is getting very positive reviews. Svetlanov's series was briefly available on LP, and from internet scuttlebutt, I gather that Fedoseyev completed his too.

This set by Valeri Polyansky and the Russian State Symphony Orchestra is unquestionably the biggest bargain of the lot, but would be among the top picks at ANY price. Even Anissimov's series on NAXOS sells for more, and, although the Moscow Symphony is a first-rate orchestra, the performances are capable but routine. Polyansky's set costs about as much as two of Serebrier's discs put together. Even Otaka's bargain-priced box sells for more, but is shorn of the valuable fillers the discs had in their single CD releases.

The amazingly low price of this BRILLIANT set would count for nothing if the performances weren't so terrific. Polyansky's tempi are usually brisker than Anissimov's, although not always. The opening of No.1 is actually slower, adding Brahmsian breadth, yet it feels authentically Russian. (FYI, from an examination of timings, it looks like Serebrier's tempi are only slightly slower or quicker than Polyansky's, with the exception of slow movements, where Serebrier is sometimes MUCH broader.)

In Glazunov, Polyansky reveals himself as a master of the carefully built long climax. He never gives too much too soon, controlling himself and the orchestra, knowing when to back off in order to return with renewed intensity again and again. This is NOT to say that he is subdued--these vivid performances alternately caress, entice, generate sparks, and thunder--always at the right moment.

His rubato is sensuous and expressive. It does not draw attention to itself--it is not "posed for the camera"--and yet, the listener's sensibilities are ravished without knowing why. Music like this can easily degenerate into mere sound bathing. Polyansky never relaxes his grip on the structure, and points it in the right direction with riveting effect.

The Russian State Symphony Orchestra is a superb instrumental body. Gone are the days of Russian orchestras with nasal woodwinds, and saxophone-like horns. CHANDOS' sound is voluptuous--rich yet bright, full yet transparent--even the low bass has definition. There is also just enough hall ambience to surround the orchestra with a tingling shimmer without a hint of opacity. It's the aural equivalent of laying back in tsarist luxuriousness on a cushioned red velvet divan trimmed with gold braid and tassels, yet the effect is never suffocating or heavy.

Disappointingly, Polyansky didn't record No.7--that gap is plugged here, oddly, with a performance from the complete set by Otaka and the BBC Symphony of Wales! Luckily, it is excellent, and certainly more lissome than Anissimov. Compared to the RSSO, the strings are leaner, the brass, a little darker, and there is less hall ambiance. Why wasn't Polyansky's series completed? Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during the dealings among BRILLIANT, CHANDOS and BIS! How BRILLIANT gets labels to cooperate like this, I can't imagine, especially in this case, where Otaka's and Polyansky's competing bargain boxes were re-issued almost simultaneously. Let's be grateful to all concerned for this beneficial compromise!

Adding to the outrageous attractiveness of Polyansky's set are generous fillers--foremost is an excellent performance of the Violin Concerto. Other items are a suite from the ballet "Raymonda" (with Yondani Butt and the London Symphony Orchestra), two rare cantatas, and various short works. The chorus and the singers are good, although soprano Olga Lutsiv-Ternovskaya sometimes has a little trouble negotiating the upper reaches of the unexpectedly somewhat Italianate coloratura writing on CD#2, track 10, beginning at about 2:45.

The only thing that would have made this set even more attractive would have been the inclusion of Yudin's orchestration of the surviving fragment of No.9. The solution is to buy Anissimov's Symphony No.3, which is coupled with this fragment (Glazunov: Symphonies 3 & 9).

Even if one intends to wait two or three years and see how Serebrier's series turns out, this excellent set is available NOW, and at this price, there's no reason to hesitate! Go for it!

Update of August 28, 2009: Today I noticed that Serebrier has completed his Glazunov series. I haven't heard any of it, so I can't be of help with a comparison. I can say that I wasn't disappointed with Polyansky--in fact, quite the opposite! Nevertheless, Serebrier's series has been garnering raves, so I guess it boils down to price. It's puzzling that the final volume containing Symphonies 1, 2, 3 and the fragment of 9 is described on AMAZON as being on a single CD--surely this is a misprint--it would HAVE to be TWO!

Pleasantly surprised to be exact. For the quality of performance and recordings engineered with a dynamite soundstage, this set is a MUST GET. The BRILLIANT CLASSICS label and engineers did a fine job. Did I mention its dirt cheap?
Dace was right....read his extensive review.

This boxed set of Glazunovsymphonies is excellent - balanced recordings with a great sound. The performances are excellent showing how a Russian Orchestra can play Russian music. I thought the version of Symphony No. 5 Op 55 was superb. The sound was good and the I thoroughly enjoyed these perfomances.

I found the cantatas a revelation- I was not familiar with any of the cantatas of Glazunov and the Coronation Cantata Op 56 especially was great.

I think this set of CD's was an excellent purchase and would not hesitate recommending this set to anyone exploring Russian Music and in particular the works of Glazunov who seems to be not as well known as a lot of other Russian Composers

Top notch recordings of very pleasing underrated music. Late romantic a la Tchaikovsky (first 3 symphonies especially), Kalinnikov, Rimksy-Korsakov.

One shouldn't expect much when finding a $30 7-disc set of classical CDs. Are they transfers of ancient recordings, warts and all? Did some fourth-rate orchestra perform them to sell on their whirlwind tour of southern Romania? When I found the set of symphonies not only to be good, recent recordings competently played but also to include some scarce bonuses, I was a happy customer indeed.

It would be easy to dismiss these performances with "I have heard better," but can anyone honestly say he's heard better recordings at this price level? I have longed listened to Fedoseyev's performances of Symphonies 1, 2, and 4 recorded on Mobile Fidelity Labs/ Melodiya CDs from the late 1980s, and later I acquired all of Glazunov's symphonies performed by the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Neeme Jarvi (distributed by Orfeo). Despite my prior bias toward Fedoseyev, I found the Bamberger recordings more cleanly punctuated and lively. The recordings in this set are good, though. I have to stress that the price makes this set an easy choice. The Fedoseyev and Jarvi recordings cost me $18.99 each back in the day. Approximately $114 for the six Jarvi discs vs. $30 for this set? Unless you are a Glazunov fanatic, it should be hard to resist this bargain.

Symphonies 1 and 2 exude an enthusiastic energy from the young Glazunov, a star among the Second Russian Nationalist School. One hears echos of Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin (sometimes even Balakirev) in his early works. He must have rewritten his Symphony No. 1 (op. 5) because it sounds more polished than his later Suite Charactéristique (op. 9), also included in this set. The suite at times sounds like Rimsky, sometimes Borodin, and the "Oriental" movement presages Ippolitov-Ivanov's later works.

This set could also have been called "Glazunov's Complete Cantatas" as it includes both his opp. 56 and 65. The former sounds reminiscent of Rimsky-Korsakov's secular cantatas. These are fairly scarce works (as is his op. 9 above), so buying the set to get these seldom-heard gems would not be unheard of.

Those new to Glazunov who like Russian Nationalist music will also enjoy his Violin Concerto (with its famous bravura passages in the third movement) and his ballet music. Music fans of today seem to think Chaikovsky had the market on 19th century Russian ballet cornered, but Glazunov gave him competition. The "Raymonda Suite", op. 57a, includes brilliant, happy music that is less saccharine than Chaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite". If you like Raymonda (or Chaikovsky's ballets for that matter), try finding a recording of his other ballet, "The Seasons." The Concert Waltzes (op. 47 and 51) on disc 3 are also accessible and enjoyable, and they round out this collection of orchestral works.

Here are some recommendations for new listeners of Glazunov that are easy to appreciate:

Op. 13: Stenka Razin, symphonic poem in B minor
Op. 21: Wedding March in E-flat major for orchestra
Op. 92: Concerto No. 1 in F minor for piano and orchestra

For those who like chamber music, try listening to his contibution to the collaborative string quartets "Quartet on the Theme B-La-F", "Les Vendredis", "Name Day" and/or "Variations on a Russian Theme for string quartet". They are pleasant products of the collective efforts of famous composers such as Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov and also truly obscure ones such as Maximilian D'Osten-Sacken, Nikolai Sokolov and Joseph Wihtol. A young Scriabin even contributed to the "Variations", although you'd never know if you were only familiar with his later works.

In brief, if you are new to Glazunov spend the $30+ and listen to this set! If you are only familiar with 19th century Russian music from Chaikovsky (and maybe a little from Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin et al), this will broaden your musical world for a small investment.