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Saturday, July 24, 2021

Alexander Grechaninov - Symphony No. 3; etc. (Valery Polyansky)


Information

Composer: Alexander Grechaninov
  • (01) Symphony No. 3, Op. 100
  • (05) Cantata 'Kvalite Boga' (Praise the Lord), Op. 65

Ludmila Kuznetsova, mezzo-soprano
Russian State Symphonic Cappella
Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Valery Polyansky, conductor

Date: 1999
Label: Chandos

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Review

Tchaikovskian blood flowing through the veins warms the flesh of Grechaninov's Third. The work was premiered in Kiev in 1923, the year before the composer left for Paris. At 6.20 in the first movement one of those gracious nostalgic flute melodies of which Glazunov was a pastmaster floats by in eloquent confidence. The second movement makes equally poignant use of the upper woodwind. I was reminded somewhat of Madetoja's Second Symphony which also has Tchaikovskian leanings. The rolling and carolling woodwind of the andante sounds like a relaxed version of Schumann (Rhenish Symphony) with a dash of Elgar. Grechaninov writes consistently very well for the woodwind. The antiphonal effects of the finale are wonderfully unstuffy although the insurgence at 3.07 of a sub-Rimsky 'rumpus' is not the strongest part of the symphony.

The cantata, in contrast with the smooth 'Establishment' ring of the other two masses, is a much more clearly Russian work. It is a masterpiece of elation and exalted peaks. The rapt inwardness of the cries of 'Vruju' from Janacek's Glagolitic Mass, Vaughan Williams' Magnificat and something of the singing swing of Paul Paray's St Joan Mass (wonderfully done by James Paul on Reference) comes across in Grechaninov's work. Time after time the composer comes up with inspired music. The regal vision and rippling motion of the final panel of the triptych is a remarkable inspiration with significant roles for the flute and trumpet. A wonderful discovery.

Once again the recording is crisp and punchy with enough space around the voices and orchestra to flatter the grand scale of Grechaninov's vision.

-- Rob BarnettMusicWeb International

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Alexander Grechaninov ( 25 October [O.S. 13 October] 1864, Kaluga – 3 January 1956, New York City) was a Russian Romantic composer. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory where his main teachers were Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky. He subsequently moved to St. Petersburg where he studied composition and orchestration with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Grechaninov wrote five symphonies, the first premiered by Rimsky-Korsakov; four string quartets, two piano trios, sonatas for violin, cello, clarinet, piano and balalaika, several operas, song cycle Les Fleurs du Mal and much other music.

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Valery Polyansky (born 19 April, 1949 in Moscow) is a Russian orchestral and choral conductor. Polyansky studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where his teachers included Boris Kulikov and Odisei Dimtriadi. Since 1992 he has been a chief  conductor and artistic director of the State Symphony Capella of Russia which consists of a symphonic orchestra and a choir, numbering more than 200 artists. Polyansky is recognized today as a leading interpreter of the works of Sergei Rachmaninov and a number of other neglected Russian composers such as Alfred Schnittke, Sergei Taneyev and Nikolai Miaskovsky.

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