Khachaturian: Symphony 2 / Gayaneh

Aram Khachaturian (Composer), Neeme Jarvi (Conductor), Scottish National Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Scottish National Orchestra
• Conductor: Neeme Jarvi
• Composer: Aram Khachaturian
• Audio CD (October 28, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B000000AML
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,690 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No one can do Uplifting and Dramatic like Khachaturian, January 3, 2001

By 

R. Kelly Wagner "[e-mail]" (MD, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Khachaturian: Symphony 2 / Gayaneh (Audio CD)

For years, it was difficult to find a recording of this piece. It's still not nearly as well known as it should be. This is a magnificent work, and it does LOUD in a magnificent way that only Khachaturian can. I think this work should be among the "top 100 pieces of music of the 20th century" and it's a shame it hasn't been well enough known to be on that list in most people's minds.

Trumpets. Lots of trumpets. Horns. Lots of horns. Did I mention lots of trumpets? This piece requires considerable augmentation of the standard symphony orchestra. (I have the score. I love reading brass parts while they are playing.)

Please listen to this, and then call your classical station and request them to play it, too, so that it will become as well known as it deserves.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 20th century masterpiece, June 1, 2001

By 

Benjamin R. Garrison (Lynnwood, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Khachaturian: Symphony 2 / Gayaneh (Audio CD)

I liked Khachaturian's 'Masquerade Suite' a lot and decided to give this symphony a shot. WOW. How did this elude me for all these years? Why is this work relatively obscure? It is a profoundly riveting, lush and moving symphony. One can almost hear a question being put to the Russian people as the German army is invading: "We are being attacked, comrades. Well, what are we going to do about it?" The answer in musical terms is to fight back with the spirit of a thousand trumpets. Toward the end of the symphony the 'questioning' motif suddenly reappears--only this time with confidence and victorious inspiration. This is a masterpiece that you'll want to listen to over and over again. And then, if you are like me, you'll want to listen to his 3rd Symphony which is also mind blowing--and even LOUDER.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 stars for symphony, Gayaneh excerpts not rated, July 25, 2004

By 

J. Vich "A. R." (Prague, Czech Republic, EUROPE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Khachaturian: Symphony 2 / Gayaneh (Audio CD)

From all three available recordigns of Khachaturian's Symphony No.2, I would rank this one between No#1 (Khachaturian/VPO) and No#3 (Tjerknavorjan/Armenian PO). But due to terrible, unacceptably poor sound quality of Decca VPO recording, many people will choose slightly worse interpretation with Jarvi, instead of ultimate, but badly recorded Khachaturian's own one. Anyway, this recording of the symphony is good.

Few excerpts from Gayaneh are not good, honestly - they are performed really messily (sorry to say this) - so I am not rating it with any stars. For this composition, I'd strongly recommend you Temirkanov with Royal Philharmonic, they are unbeatable.