Customer Reviews

Glazunov: Symphony No. 8; Commemorative Cantata; Poème Lyrique

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Glazunov's Eighth Symphony, written in 1906 during Russia's tumultuous period, demonstrates the composer's maturity as an instinctive yet a very good symphonist. The first movement is quite contrasted between the optimism and some of the disturbance and it is not quite easy to come off. Its confident, somewhat assertive opening played by the strings and brass, gives way to the lyrical warmth at 2'06" that have a sense of poignancy about it, even more so at 5'53" when the articulation becomes more disturbed and wanting of inner tranquility. The lyrical warmth remains, however, and serves as a reminder of the Russian past not quite as tumultuous as it was by the turn of the Twentieth Century.

But turn to the middle movements and witness Glazunov's well known emotional equilibrium thrown out the window. In terms of emotional depth and the somewhat earth-shattering intensity, this very fine Mesto movement clearly out-rivaled the previous slow movements of his symphonies. The beginning bars of the movement is rather outside of Glazunov's usual style, with a forceful, volcanic tutti rather Tchaikovskian in vein (by the strings, then brass with timpani). The melancholy is at all present here and I find captivating how the climax, a reprise of the forceful tutti of the beginning, manages to be menacing yet so advanced in it melodic language (Scriabin comes to mind here in particular). But the Scherzo (more of a Rondo) is rather menacing also. Elena Glazunov-Gunther, the composer's adopted daughter, called the movement "diabolical." It's swirling passages of the strings especially towards the end is fierce in temperament. There's hardly anything gaiety about it. But the finale is quite an exception to that, even though it starts off reflectively as though the composer was stepping back for a moment and catching his breadth. Did this sense of struggle turned hopefulness (real or imagined) of this movement, and of this Symphony for that matter, have any anticipation or influence on the later generations of composers during the era of Stalinism and the Great Patriotic War?

The other works on this disc are likewise very attractive. The Commemorative Cantata (to celebrate the one-hundredth birthday anniversary of Alexander Pushkin) was written in 1899 during the heights of Glazunov's career and fame. The text, provided by Grand Duke Constantine Romanov, is, at least for the most part, genuine though lacking in ingenuity (sentimental doggerel are David Nice's good choices of words here, for the text runs a risk of robbing the full meaningfulness of the occasion). But the music is quite witty and flawless, with Glazunov thematic invention and craftsmanship on their usual high plane. The moderato is particularly an enchantment and a foretaste to Rimsky-Korsakov's later operas. Glazunov's earlier work, Poeme Lyrique (1884-1887), shows us why Tchaikovsky warmed to this work. It's sentimentality is not in question here. But the underlying beauty and passion in this score set the stage for the later Glazunov we grew to admire and even adore.

The performances here are exceptionally fine from this team. Like Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Valeri Polyansky is very visionary in the Symphony while never too impulsive (I like the reflective qualities he brings forth in the first movement). The Mesto movement is particularly well played, with the climax that comes off with powerful menace, yet with no mania, appropriately so. And while Anissinov's treatment of the Scherzo movement brings out the devilish qualities of it most successfully, Polyansky is never less than being convincing. Polyansky's ways with the finale have its virtues too, with the beginning that's again reflective. As with the Poeme Lyrique, the Commemorative Cantata is likewise a pleasure of hearing under his hands (and the singing of Ludmilla Kuznetsova and Vsevolod Grivnov are excellent). The approach to the Cantata is stylish, though not too adorned of the reading, and while the Russian State Symphonic Cappella remains first class, the Russian State Symphony Orchestra is becoming more of a well-tuned ensemble. The strings are attractively well-bloomed and full bodied while the brass have a wonderful presence about it (it's well blended and polished).

The recordings are clear, warm, and lucid. Moreover, David Nice's booklet essay is of a demonstration class, though he perhaps could've mention a possible Sibelian influence upon this momumental work (or conversely). It's rather striking how Mr. Nice raises the question of whether Elgar studied Glazunov's music before embarking on his Second Symphony, not just because he raises the question per se, but also because he was not the first person to do so, given that Glazunov's music was well played in Russia and the West during Elgar's time (with Bax being among his more ardent of admirers). It goes without much saying that the recorgnition of Glazunov's musical art and influence have yet to achieve a more fuller bloom outside Russia.

So, with that said, this album is warmly recommended.

Glazunov was one of those composers rooted in the nineteenth century who seem to have aspired to attain a level of High Competence (Charles Villiers Stanford was another). Over the course of composing eight symphonies, Glazunov showed a firm command of form and produced music that was often attractive but only fitfully distinctive (Brahms by way of Rimsky-Korsakov may be imagined looking over Glazunov's shoulder). Compare Glazunov to Tchaikovsky, who struggled with symphonic form while creating works that are immediately engaging and have a clear individual voice.

Based on his recordings of the Glazunov symphonies, Polyansky takes late Karajan as his model: smooth, strings-dominated interpretations that tend to blend the orchestra voices into a silky homogeneity. On this recording, Polyansky guides the orchestra through the symphony with little sense of engagement or much in the way of shaping the material for some dramatic impact, which I think Glazunov intended here and there.

Add to this the distant, rather airy production and you end up with a mostly pleasant, but unengaging performance. There are long stretches that are like listening to the music from the lobby.

Things perk up in the Commemorative Cantata, once you get used to Ludmila Kuznetsova's nasal timbre.

The Poème lyrique is given a vivid performance in fuller sound, making it the jewel of this compact disc. (Both the Commemorative Cantata and the Poème lyrique were recorded two years prior to the symphony; that earlier session had better results in the audio.)

If you are looking for more fully realized performances of the Glazunov symphonies (and other orchestral works) try the series with Alexander Anissimov conducting on Naxos. Vladimir Fedoseyev has some flavorful recordings of Glazunov. For those who are looking for a full table of Glazunov, WCJ (Warner Classics and Jazz) has reissued at a good price the Evgeny Svetlanov set of the symphonies recorded in 1989-1990 (the set includes several other symphonic works, including Stenka Razin). I think all of these are preferable to Polyansky, based on this recording.

There is little to say about this unfortunate recording, which like the 5th symphony by the same forces, lacks sensitivity and

is poorly balanced. Usually the Chandos team get a wonderful balance, so it is quite strange that in this series the balance is so poor. Winds are quite far. Brass often dominates the strings in full orchestral passages. Sometimes intonation is questionable.

A new version of the wonderful 8th symphony is still waiting to be made (unless I missed it).

L.R.

London, England