Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 2/Zaporozhy Cossacks

Reinhold Gliere (Composer), Edward Downes (Conductor), BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Edward Downes
• Composer: Reinhold Gliere
• Audio CD (October 28, 1992)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B000000APP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,742 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The victim of its successor, April 15, 2003

By 

I. J. J. Nieuwland "Ilja Nieuwland" (Den Haag) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 2/Zaporozhy Cossacks (Audio CD)

Admittedly this symphony sounds rather conventional when compared to the wide sweeps of Glière's third symphony, 'Ilya Muromets'. However, it stands miles above the average, somewhat tired, Russian symphony of the late nineteenth century. Also, its place in the shadow of its successor is not entirely justified. While that one is far more unusual in its general approach, it also tends to spread its thematic material rather thinly, whereas this second symphony is full of fresh, well-carried-through ideas. It is generally (to me at least) more fun to listen to, also because it lacks the pretentiousness of the third. The 'filler' is a piece based on Repin's picture of the Cossacks writing an insulting letter to the tsar. It is a neoromantic piece in the mould of so much unremarkable Soviet music - recognizable as Glière maybe, but Glière well past his peak (his only worthwile Soviet piece that I know must be 'The Bronze Horseman'). Buy it for the second symphony, which is played excellently by the Downes' BBC Philharmonic - like everything in his Glière series, actually.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Russian Romantic Legacy, June 14, 2002

By 

Shuji Ogino (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 2/Zaporozhy Cossacks (Audio CD)

Compared to his famous and gigantic 3rd Symphony (Ilya Murometz), Gliere's 2nd symphony is not well known. However, this symphony already reveals his mature style of late romanticism although the scale is considerably smaller than his 3rd. If you like his long, sweeping 3rd symphony (especially I like Harold Farberman's recording), I am sure you also like this compact 2nd symphony. Sir Edward Downes and BBC Philharmonic played enthusiastically.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A splendid symphony and a rather dull coupling, well played, June 5, 2011

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 2/Zaporozhy Cossacks (Audio CD)

Gliére's third symphony is a spectacular work, wonderfully atmospheric, imaginative and powerful. His first is an intermittently interesting but overall mediocre student work. What about the one in between? The second symphony has fared relatively well on disc. It is a skillfully written, tuneful and effective affair, typical of symphonies composed during the Russian Silver Age, and without particularly many traces of originality. But still - any fan of music from that period will need to have it. There is hardly a dull moment in the whole work, from the energetic, urgent, galloping first movement and the captivating folk-heroic wash of colors in the finale. Gliére must have had fun composing it, and it is certainly fun listening - full of vigor, color, imaginative textures and turns. It is even decently well argued, and no theme or idea is flogged for more than it can bear.

The performances are very good; sweeping and dramatic, even if I could imagine sharper rhythmic attacks and some loosening of the reins - tempos are well-judged, but some more hell-for-leather engagement would not have gone amiss. Still, this is overall impressive playing, and the sound is very good (my immediate thought that the sound could have been even more in-your-face is probably a consequence of having listened to and become used to this kind of music from older Soviet recordings and not part of an objective assessment of the actual quality of the sound). So: a splendid work in very fine performances.

The coupling, however, is problematic. The Zaporozhy Cossacks was written in 1921, one would expect Gliére to put his penchant for urgent, forward-moving and colorful music that is so evident in the symphony to great effect. He doesn't. This is second-rate note-spinning. Yes, there is some colorful Russian character about it, and the conclusion is actually pretty impressive, but it is filled with pages of inconsequential, meandering material before that. I intermittently suspected the performances were to blame, and that the music would work had the speed been cranked up a couple of notches; without having heard any alternative performances I cannot really be sure, but I do strongly suspect the blame must be on the composer. Still, this is (to repeat myself) a very worthwhile release for the thoroughly engaging symphony.