Alexander Tcherepnin: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4; Piano Concerto No. 6

Alexander Tcherepnin (Composer), Lan Shui (Conductor), Singapore Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Singapore Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Lan Shui
• Composer: Alexander Tcherepnin
• Audio CD (December 15, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bis
• ASIN: B00003NHBE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #292,225 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling performances of a world class orchestra!, December 30, 1999

By	David A. Hollingsworth (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

Alexander Tcherepnin (1899-1977), the most famous of the Tcherepnin family, was not an advant garde composer, though close to it occassionally. From time to time, he would reflect on his Russian heritage he grew up with (such as in his Russian Dances op. 50 of 1933 for example). After his time in both Japan and China, then in Paris and finally in the United States, his music from the 1940s and beyond is somewhat more cosmopolitan. The cosmopolitanism where one can witness some of the Oriental musical idioms mixed in with European and American musical ideals and expressionism of the time (for instance, his Fourth Piano Concerto and his Third Symphony). Does this remind you of Alan Hovhannes? Tcherepnin's music is complex, but his blend of musical ideas remain accessible. An astonishment no doubt.

The impressive Third Symphony (1952) has that blend of Oriental stylistc elements and Western musical ideals. Listening to the Second and Third movements of the Symphony, Aaron Copland propped up in my mind. The final bars of the Second movement (Adagio) has that American-like triumph similar to the the ending bars of Copland's Third Symphony (or Leonard Bernstein's Second Symhony for that matter).

Tcherepnin's Fourth Symphony (1958), by comparison, is more simplistic and traditional than the Third Symphony (and the first two symphonies). The first movement is a classic sonata form, the waltz-like second movement is cheerful, whereas the Finale is solemn (a memoriam to his mother who passed on on December of 1958). Overall, the Fourth Symphony adheres to the Russian tradition more so than the previous three symphonies.

The Piano Concerto no. 6 (1965) is the most difficult work on this disc. The concerto is among Tcherepnin powerful and demanding late endeavors (of the 1960s and thereafter). Where the Andante (2nd movement) is reflective and relaxed with the nice and accessible oboe theme, the outer movements are of stunning energy. Tcherepnin once again returned to his Russian roots in using the Russian folk-song "Do Not Flood, My Peaceful Don" at the climax of the Finale. The folksong and the themes stated previously gave the work a astonishingly energetic coda.

The performances of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra under Lan Shui were well done throughout. Nothing but refinement, commitment, emotional flair, and excitement exist and the newly appointed music director Lan Shui really kept his orchestra on their feet. On the Fourth Symphony, Lan Shui and the Singapore Symphony gave as convincing of a performance as one by Wing-Sie Yip and the Czecho-Slavak State Philharmonic (Marco Polo CD). However, the performance of the Shui and the Singapore Symphony in Tcherepnin's Sixth Piano Concerto is more convincing and refined than the Chetham's Symphony Orchestra under Julian Clayton (Olympia CD) and the pianist Noriko Ogawa in this BIS recording performed with greater zest and excitement than Murray McLachlin. To be fair, the Chetham's Symphony is an youth orchestra and their performances of Tcherepnin's Piano Concerti were altogether well done and prepared, though not as experienced.

I look forward to future recordings of the Singapore Symphony, which is now a world class orchestra and Lan Shui convinces me as an outstanding, energetic, imaginative, innovative conductor. Noriko Ogawa is now a renowed pianist, to my delights, and I also look forward to her future recordings.

As with the BIS recording (BIS-CD 1017) of Tcherepnin's First & Second Symphonies and his Fifth Piano Concero, this BIS recording is highly recommendable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The third symphony is a masterpiece, February 18, 2004

By	SRS (Ohio) - See all my reviews

It's very strange that Tcherepnin's Third Symphony is practically unknown in the musical world. It should be part of the canon. Melodic 20th century music is generally preferred by audiences and this is an example of melodic music that isn't anachronistic. Symphonies all over the world should embrace this piece. How many more times does Cincinnati's symphony need to play Tchaikovsky's 4th, for instance? Critic Leslie Gerber dismissed the piece, finding fault with his use of the pentatonic scale. Well, that's what makes the symphony so beautiful. To me, the piece sounds like a combination of Asian and British themes, and that unusual combination works extremely well.

I haven't warmed up to Tcherepnin's other symphonies. The clarity and warmth the pentatonic scale brought to the Third made the difference between decent symphonies and a masterpiece.

The piano concerto is somewhat bombastic and I definitely prefer the sparse and crystalline 5th. Get the other disc from BIS with Lan Shui for that. It's a very idiosyncratic composition, but one I've listened to countless times (as with the Third symphony).