Alexander
GLAZUNOV
Orchestral Works
Fantasy The Sea op 28
Oriental Rhapsody op 29
Ballade op 78
Cortège Solennel op 91
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Igor
Golovchin
Recorded at Mosfilm Studio, Moscow, in May 1996
NAXOS 8.553512
[68:35]
Crotchet
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While Glazunov is not exactly in the top flight of composers I've never
understood why only the Violin Concerto and The Seasons - until
recently at any rate - have held a place in the standard repertoire. The
symphonies and piano concertos contain much no less attractive music in a
rich late-romantic vein.
All the works on this disc were new to me - as I imagine they will be to
most listeners - and I looked forward with some eagerness to reviewing it.
In the event I must reluctantly report that the music gripped my attention
only spasmodically, and its neglect is therefore not surprising. Glazunov
composed with effortless fluency, was a master craftsman with an especially
fine grasp of form and, as a protégé of Rimsky-Korsakov, capable
of brilliant orchestral effects; but as a melodist, his inspiration was fitful.
The Sea, a one-movement piece composed in 1889 and lasting just over
20 minutes, follows a precisely declared programme (basically: calm, storm,
return to calm). The central storm section is vividly conceived; the outer
'calm' sections somewhat static. The longer Oriental Rhapsody, which
dates from the same year and to which Glazunov also assigned a definite
programme, has six movements. A spectacular finale (clearly inspired by
Rimsky-Korsakov) comes as welcome compensation for the longueurs of
much of the other movements.
The Ballade (1902) is also in ternary form and is much less overtly
Russian in character than the earlier pieces. It reveals moments of elegiac
beauty but its material fails to sustain interest even for 15 minutes. The
Cortège Solennel (1910) is a dignified ceremonial piece, notable
for its expert scoring, especially for brass.
The performances are first-class and the recording clear and warm, if a little
'boxy' at times.
Adrian Smith
