Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov - Symphony No. 1; Mtzyri; Armenian Rhapsody (Gary Brain) mp3

Information

Composer: Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov

1. Mtzyri, symphonic poem, Op. 54 (after Lermontov)
2. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 46: I. Adagio - Allegro risoluto
3. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 46: II. Scherzo
4. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 46: III. Elegia. Larghetto
5. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 46: IV. Finale
6. Armenian Rhapsody, Op. 48
7. Caucasian War March, Op. 42 No. 4

Claudia Barainsky, soprano (1)
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Gary Brain, conductor

Date: 1998
Label: Conifer

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Review

Tchaikovsky thought kindly of Ippolitov-Ivanov personally, but had reservations about his talent as a composer. Perhaps he detected too much of his own manner in the younger man, whose symphony does indeed reflect a style that even in 1908, the year of the premiere, was beginning to sound out of date. But Tchaikovsky also doubted his originality, and over a symphonic span no amount of orchestral colourfulness can do duty for substance. The Scherzo, for instance, sets off as bright as Borodin, but for lack of real rhythmic or harmonic drive is soon forced to collapse into a fruity slow section that does not prove quite succulent enough. The Larghetto similarly goes through the motions of a grave elegy, without real sustaining melodic strength, and the outer movements expose still more another of the problems, a lack of harmonic direction to keep the attention alert.

Ippolitov-Ivanov is on much steadier ground with Mtsiri (a work not before recorded), which is based on a Lermontov poem actually sung towards the close. The simple events of this tale of a lay brother refugee from a monastery are graphically depicted, the more successfully when the method is pure narrative illustration without much need for musical organization. The Armenian Rhapsody and the March from the Caucasian Sketches are cheerfully appealing short pieces of travelogue. Gary Brain and the Bambergers do excellently by them, and make out as good a case as they can for the symphony.

-- John Warrack, Gramophone

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/May08/Ippolitov_arkiv_75605513172.htm
http://www.classical-music.com/review/ippolitov-ivanov

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Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov (19 November [O.S. 7 November] 1859 – 28 January 1935) was a Russian composer, conductor and teacher. He studied composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1875-1882 with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, whose influence was to remain strong. Ippolitov-Ivanov's works, which is rarely heard today, include operas, orchestral music, chamber music and a large number of songs. His style is similar to that of his teacher. As well as original works, he completed Modest Mussorgsky's opera The Marriage. As a teacher, Ippolitov-Ivanov's pupils included Reinhold Glière and Sergei Vasilenko
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Ippolitov-Ivanov

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Gary Brain (12 August 1943 – 20 April 2015) was a New Zealand timpanist and conductor. Brain began his career as a timpanist, studying with Werner Tharichen, the timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic. He was principal timpanist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra from 1968 until 1989, when an accident damaged his wrist beyond repair. After that he retrained as a conductor, studying under Rafael Kubelík for four years, and attended master classes with Lorin Maazel. He was a professional conductor, conducting and recording with various orchestras in Europe, from 1990 until his death. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Brain

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MP3, 320kbps

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