Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936)

[Albion]

I don't think that Glazunov has quite managed his own thread here yet, which is perhaps surprising as most of his music is still criminally unsung. I'm just listening to the complete Naxos recording of Raymonda (1898) and thoroughly enjoying it - even the supposedly-weak third act!

Never less than entertaining, and sometimes much more, Glazunov's scores deserve more consistent exposure: I also have the Brilliant box set of symphonies cobbled from Chandos and BIS recordings, Ashkenazy's The Seasons, an excellent Chandos Jarvi disc (Stenka Razin, The Sea, Spring and From the Middle Ages) and separate downloaded items from other volumes in the Naxos series:

The Forest, Op.19 (1887)
Wedding March, Op.21 (1889)
Une fete slave, Op.26a (1888)
Oriental Rhapsody, Op.29 (1889)
The Kremlin, Op.30 (1890)
Triumphal March, Op.40 (1892)
Carnaval Overture, Op.45 (1892)
Cortege Solonnel, Op.50 (1894)
From Darkness to Light, Op.53 (1894)
Chant du Menestrel, Op.71 (1900)
Overture Solonnelle, Op.73 (1900)
Ballade, Op.78 (1902)
Le Chant du Destin, Op.84 (1908)
Finnish Fantasy, Op.88 (1909)
Finnish Sketches, Op.89 (1912)
Cortege Solonnel, Op.91 (1910)
Karelian Legend, Op.99 (1916)

Is his music popular amongst other members of the forum and has anybody heard Serebrier's new double-disc set of the concertos yet - is it up to the exceptionally high standard of his RNSO symphony cycle? I'm hoping that a box-set will be in the offing before too long! 

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I'm sure Glazunov would be disappointed if you did not augment that collection with the addition of the 4 Hyperion Helios volumes of Stephen Coombs and the piano music, and the 3 MDG discs of the Utrecht String Quartet with the string quartets and other music for string quartet. All as rewarding as the orchestral music - and maybe the neighbours would appreciate it!

[Albion]

Thanks, Peter - these could well be up for consideration at some point. Even when patently boiling the pot (as in the Triumphal March, Op.40) Glazunov never fails to tickle the ear with suave turns of melody or glittering orchestration (occasionally coming up with something quite startling, such as the proto-minimalist tintinnabulations of In the Cloisters from The Kremlin, Op.30). Perhaps he was one of those many composers whose abundant and forbidding productivity has ultimately contributed to the present concentration on just a few works.

It's remarkable that, given his exceptional melodic gifts, Glazunov did not write an opera - but his choral music is worth hearing, especially the two cantatas in the Brilliant box. 

[Alan Howe]

The Serebrier concertos set is excellent - but I haven't had the time to make any comparisons yet. However, it's such an inexpensive way of getting these works (I used it get hold of the cello/saxophone/horn pieces I didn't have), that I'd recommend it anyway.

Here are some excerpts if they might help persuade you:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Alexander-Glasunow-Violinkonzert-op-82/hnum/4970346

[alberto]

I reply to the first question by Albion. I like Glazunov and, maybe also for chronological reasons, I have even more Glazunov's Cd than him: even the ballet oddly titled "Lady Soubrette" by Svetlanov (however I haven't the Serebrier records).
Of course in actual concert life, scant place for Glazunov. I have attended (in decades) : three performances of the Violin Concerto  (between the soloists Hahn and Kavakos, between the conductors Svetlanov and Bychkov); one performance
of the fifth Symphony (cond. Barshai); one suite from Raymonda (cond.Lazarev), one encore from Raymonda (Svetlanov).
As far as recordings are concerned, in the LP era to find Glazunov -except a few titles- was difficult (few western recordings, aleatory availability of USSR recordings).
Much better times for Glazunov in the CD era. 

[FBerwald]

As a Glazunov fanatic who has sampled almost all the symphonies-set out there let me (once again) point out the criminally overlooked and unsung (Symphonies 1-8) set - Neeme Järvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. He makes a compelling case for each and every symphony. I do wish this set was reviewed somewhere!!!

[Amphissa]

As with most Russian composers, I've collected quite a lot of Glazunov over the years.  My preference has always been recordings on vinyl, and I've always liked the recordings by Russian orchestras and conductors, mostly on the old Melodiya label. But I managed to gather up a pile of CDs as well.

Glazunov wrote some good music for cello and orchestra, the Concerto Ballata Op. 108 and the Chant du Minestrel Op. 71. Both are available in numerous recordings. I tend to prefer Rostropovich.

Of the two Piano Concertos, I like the 2nd best. Although I've picked up recordings on CD, I prefer Alexeyev with the Moscow Radio & TV Symphony conducted by Nikolaevsky on vinyl. I don't really like the performance of Coombs much.

The Violin Concerto has received many recordings by top violinists and orchestras, and most of them are very good. This also gets performed in concert more than any other Glazunov work.

Of course, the 5th Symphony has been the most popular over the years. The barn-burner final movement is irresistibly exciting. I have countless recordings, but I admit that my favorite performance is by Lazarev with the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest - a live performance got from radio broadcast. I'm not sure whether it was ever released commercially. Other than that, I tend to only play the recordings I have on Russian vinyl by Rozhdestvensky, Ivanov and Fedoseyev. I find Anissimov's performance on Naxos a bit tepid.

I've not yet heard the entire Serebrier set of recordings, only the 8th with the Raymonda Suite. I keep waiting for the entire set to be released as a box.

[mbhaub]

As a Glazunov fanatic who has sampled almost all the symphonies-set out there let me (once again) point out the criminally overlooked and unsung (Symphonies 1-8) set - Neeme Järvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. He makes a compelling case for each and every symphony. I do wish this set was reviewed somewhere!!!

As a fellow Glazunov fanatic, I too appreciate the Jarvi set, but I have to say I didn't appreciate Orfeo's pricing! 20 years ago when they came out, who could resist them? But they were and still are very expensive compared to the Naxos set, and especially to the Bis box with the complete symphonies. Jarvi certainly whips up the excitement, and doesn't over-interpret the music, and the Bamberg orchestra does just fine. But when it comes down to it, Rozsdestvensky on Olympia still holds top honors for me. He gets a more visceral response from his excellent Russian forces, wobbly horns and all. The sound is a but fierce at times, but I can listen through that. The Serebrier's are easily second best, and for collectors now, the way to go since the Olympias are no longer available. I should also like to add that Walter Weller's recording of 4 & 5 is extremely fine and well worth seeking out.

[edurban]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Pristine Audio's new reissue of the Elena Glazunov performances of the 2 piano concertos, very favorably reviewed by Rob Barnett on another site (with a link to the company for ordering & audio samples)

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Feb11/glazunov_PCs_pasc249.htm

Mme. Gavrilova-Glazunova-Tarnowsky-Gunther was adopted by Alexander Konstantinovich after he married her mother in 1929.  Somewhat confusingly, Elena had given the Paris premiere of the 2nd concerto under Glazunov's baton the previous year.  The recordings were made, I believe, in 1956.  Alois Melichar conducts the Hamburg Philharmonic.
The pianist's close connection with Glazunov makes these a must hear, although whether you feel you must own them is another question.  Mme. Glazunova was still playing well in the 50s, her tempos are generally slow, but passagework is clear and often sparkling.  She takes the Big Tune at 1:36 in No.1 as a real wallow, but then I grew up on John Ogdon's brisk way with this somewhat episodic movement and prefer less indulgence.
Incidently, all info about Elena on the internet seems to be copied from the same Wikipedia article, which gives birth and death dates for her 2nd husband (!) but not for the pianist herself.  Does anyone know her dates?

David

[Peter1953]

Dear friends, I like to buy the complete symphonies. Which set do you recommend (I’m not interested in the price, but in the quality).

[Albion]

Unhesitatingly, Serebrier on Warner - just available as single discs at the moment although there is a strong chance that they will be boxed up at some point:




Simply the most exciting, sympathetic and beautifully played recordings around (IMHO)! 

[Alan Howe]

Definitely Serebrier, Peter!

[Peter1953]

Thanks very much, Albion and Alan. I will not wait for a box set… I simply can’t.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

You won't go wrong with Serebrier, Peter. But my view - simple as it is - is that you also won't go wrong with Jarvi, Polyansky, Rozhdestvensky (cf mbhaub's interesting post above), or a complete set that so far hasn't been mentioned - the BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Tadaaki Otaka on BIS. (The latter has given me just as much pleasure as any of the others).

So if only for the sake of defending the reputation of Jarvi and all the others, don't think the difference between Serebrier and the others is the difference between the perfect and the very good. None of these recorded performances match up to Glazunov in the concert hall - 'spectacle' is I think one ingredient of Glazunov, and there's no sight quite like that of an orchestra in full flight and playing their hearts out!

And no desire to introduce a heresy into this thread. Glazunov is very exciting and often lovely yes - but I don't find him ultimately satisfying. Not as satisfying (and challenging to both mind and ear) as another Russian composer born 16 years after Glazunov, and who outlived him by 14 years - but that's another story!

[eschiss1]

... I think you mean Myaskovsky though to my mind (and I'm a fan) he's sort of Polish-Russian-Soviet in a way. Mostly Russian, though, and maybe you mean Medtner- my mind for dates is mush this afternoon (1881-1950 vs. 1880-1951 is an invitation to have a reference right by you... yipe!) but- anyways.