4.0 out of 5 stars
Anissimov's slower tempi ideal for Symphony No.4, January 19, 2012
This review is from: Glazunov: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4 (Audio CD)
Compared to Vladimir Fedoseyev's breakneck exhilarated pace at which he conducts Glazunov, Anissimov might sound, to some, downright laconic and labored. But fear not...there is much to like here. Anissimov's set of Glazunov's symphonies are the slowest of the bunch but who else from the Mighty Handful but Glazunov wrote such EXQUISITELY beautiful and expertly orchestrated music where you eagerly wait for the Adagio movement to begin. How wonderful it is to see so many sets of Glazunov's symphony now being recorded where historically it was Melodiya's Fedoseyev and Svetlanov who until recently were Glazunov's only well-recorded exponents. The sound on this disc receives FIVE stars as do all of Anissimov's set on Naxos.
I've always had a special place in my heart for Glazunov (or as I spell him Glazounov). Critics of Glazunov often cite as their primary complaint that Gespadin Glazunov music's is almost filled with too much melodic invention and not enough musical "development". I never agreed with this and often thought that better suited as a criticism of Scriabin (whose music I admire, too). But Glazunov, ever the conservative and non-avant gardiste remains sheltered in that "second tier" status of Russian composers inexplicably. I cannot agree. Anissimov as I indicate in the title of this review has got everything right in this recording of the First and Fourth symphonies.
Four-and-a-half stars.
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