Pancho Vladigerov - Orchestral Works, Vol. 3 (Alexander Vladigerov)

Information

Composer: Pancho Vladigerov

CD1:

• Lyulin Impressions, Op. 63
• Jewish Poem, Op. 47
• 6 Symphonic Novelettes
• Dramatic Poem, Op. 52 "Song to Peace"

CD2:

• 6 exotic Préludes, Op. 17
• 3 Concert Pieces, Op. 57
• Improvisation & Toccata for Orchestra, Op. 36a

CD3:

• 3 Impressions for Orchestra, Op. 9
• Solitude, Op. 10 No. 3 (Version for Orchestra)
• 3 Pieces for String Orchestra
• Symphonic Legend, Op. 8

Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Alexander Vladigerov

Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra / Pancho Vladigerov

Date: 2022

Label: Capriccio

http://capriccio.at/pancho-vladigerov-orchestral-works-3

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Review

Capriccio’s Vladigerov series of reissued Balkanton LPs continues inexorably on its way. Vladigerov’s tendency to revisit earlier material and orchestrate it has also been a distinctive feature of this series, so it’s likely that you will have encountered some of the music in its original guise for solo piano. When, however, a composer is as colourful, expansive and filmic in his orchestrations, that can’t be a bad thing. The three CDs are well packed with good things sourced from the early to mid-70s.

The first disc gives us one of his last works, the 1972 Lyulin Impressions, a three-movement suite that marries liveliness with a cinematic elegy and then unleashes a finale full of comic verve and light-hearted frolics, based on the antics at a Country Fair. The Jewish Poem that follows dates from 1951 and is full of sonorous and romantic expression – a symphonic poem, in effect, without any obvious Hebraism. Vladigerov embraced his racial identity really only after the Second War had revealed the full extent of the horrors. Six Symphonic Novelettes (1964-65) are orchestrations of piano originals that he had just written and whilst they’re given titles, they’re not obviously descriptive, more evocative. The Dramatic Poem, with which the first disc ends, dates from 1956 and has some Straussian influence - resplendent, dramatic and intense.

The second disc leads off with his orchestrations of the Six Exotic Preludes, piano originals of the mid-20s. These are pretty symphonic in scale – much longer than one would ordinarily expect of orchestrated works by him later – and they’re romantically scored, full of luscious colour, wind arabesques, soaring melodies triumphantly declaimed, complete with Spanish-Moorish elements. This isn’t a set to be listened to straight through as the last two of the six, in particular, are so alike in many ways but extracted one at a time, like a grape at a feast, they work fine. The Three Concert Pieces date from 1959-60 and show another side to his palette - impressionism and Debussian elements in the first, the Arioso, though thenceforth it’s prime cuts of Vladigerov – bright, brassy exuberance, with bombastic Romanticism full of the reddest of red meat. To conclude disc two there’s the Improvisation and Toccata for Orchestra in which Romanticism is contrasted with a Bulgarian Toccata of rich flair and not a hint of academicism.

Three Impressions for Orchestra, Op. 9 date from 1920 and once again suggest a melding of Debussy and fiesta. The third of the set is a piece of richly overheated Wagneriana. The Solitude Prelude examines the Artist’s alone-ness, though in none-too serious fashion other than the bell chimes. The only recording actually conducted by Vladigerov – other than his son Alexander, who directs everything else – is the Three Pieces for string orchestra, which are all modestly scaled examples of very Light Music. The last piece in the set is one of the longest, the Symphonic Legend, Op.8 a 1941 revision for orchestra of a 1919 original which originally sported a text. Strongly shaped, sometimes tempestuous but always powerfully romanticised in ethos this makes for a finely considered envoi, as it shows Vladigerov corralling all his great strengths as composer, orchestrator and romantic.

Once again one can’t have any complaints about the superior nature of the remastering by Martin Klebahn in Vienna, nor Christian Heindl’s booklet notes, which are in German and English. This is a series in which the high standards never drop.

-- Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International

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Pancho Vladigerov (13 March 1899 – 8 September 1978) was a Bulgarian composer, pedagogue and pianist. He is arguably the most influential Bulgarian composer of all time, and was one of the first to successfully combine Bulgarian folk music and classical music. Vladigerov marked the beginning of a number of genres in Bulgarian music, including violin sonata and piano trio. He was also a very respected pedagogue; his students include practically all notable Bulgarian composers of the next generation, such as Alexander Raichev, Alexander Yossifov, Stefan Remenkov, and many others, as well as the pianist Alexis Weissenberg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancho_Vladigerov
https://vladigerov.org/en/

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Alexander Vladigerov (1933-1993) was the son of the great Bulgarian composer Pancho Vladigerov. He graduated from the Bulgarian State Conservatoire in 1956, where he studied conducting under Vladi Simeonov and piano and composition with his father. From 1958 he worked as conductor of the Pleven, Plovdiv and Ruse Philharmonics, and as conductor of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra (from 1969 until his death). Vladigerov was a guest conductor in many countries of Europe, Japan and Cuba. He has made numerous performances and recordings of stage and symphony works by P. Vladigerov.

https://www.operasofia.bg/en/staff/aleksandar-vladigerov

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