Alexander Glazunov - Symphonic Poems (Neeme Järvi)

Information

Composer: Alexander Glazunov

1. Stenka Razin, symphonic poem in B minor, Op. 13
2. The Sea, orchestral fantasy in E major, Op. 28
3. Spring, musical picture in D major, Op. 34
4. From the Middle Ages, orchestral suite in E major, Op. 79: I. Prelude
5. From the Middle Ages, orchestral suite in E major, Op. 79: II. Scherzo
6. From the Middle Ages, orchestral suite in E major, Op. 79: III. The Troubadour's Serenade
7. From the Middle Ages, orchestral suite in E major, Op. 79: IV. Finale. The Crusaders

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Date: 1986-1989
Label: Chandos

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%207049

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Review

If anything the sound in the Glazunov piece is even fuller and more vivid, and there the players seem even more committed, quite uninhibited by the brassiness of much of the writing. In such a performance this quarter-hour piece makes an attractive and colourful bonus, outshining the relatively few previous accounts we have had. Written when Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov's favourite pupil, was only 20, it has all the energy of youth and thrives from uninhibited treatment like this. The recording lives up to the superlative standards set by Chandos in its recordings of the SNO, full and spacious, atmospheric yet detailed.

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [2/1987, reviewing CHAN 1191]

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PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: ***

So considerable was Glazunov’s technical armoury and familiarity with earlier Russian idioms that he could turn out quantities of polished compositions with or without the benefit of solid thematic material. Stenka Razin remains an impressive score, while The Sea is strongly atmospheric; but neither the slight yet immaculately manicured Spring nor the Middle Ages suite leaves much impression beyond that of impeccable academicism. Committed performances, however, even though the sound is cloudy.

-- George Hall, BBC Music Magazine

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Alexander Glazunov (10 August 1865 – 21 March 1936) was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor. He served as director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory between 1905 and 1928 Glazunov was significant in that he successfully reconciled nationalism and cosmopolitanism in Russian music. While he was the direct successor to Balakirev's nationalism, he tended more towards Borodin's epic grandeur while absorbing a number of other influences, including Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral virtuosity, Tchaikovsky's lyricism and Taneyev's contrapuntal skill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Glazunov

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Neeme Järvi (born June 7, 1937 in Tallinn) is an Estonian conductor. He studied at the Leningrad Conservatory under Yevgeny Mravinsky and Nikolai Rabinovich, among others. Järvi was Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Gothenburg Symphony (1982-2004), Royal Scottish National Orchestra (1984-1988), Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1990-2005) and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (2012-2015), among others. He made over 400 recordings for labels such as BIS, Chandos and Deutsche Grammophon and best known for his interpretations of Romantic and 20th century classical music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neeme_J%C3%A4rvi

http://www.neemejarvi.ee/

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