This disc highlights
yet another of the many talented composers
from Soviet times whose careers or creative
urge was stifled by the State. This
suffocation was driven by the misguided
concept that Art could only be of value
if it accurately reflected the forward
struggle of working people in the building
of Socialism and Communism. Any artists
that could not or would not hone their
works to fit this goal were marginalised
at best or suppressed altogether. We
are lucky, therefore, that people such
as Shostakovich, whilst appearing to
conform, still managed to compose works
of lasting worth. In his chamber music,
he created a private world in which
he so often mirrored the disappointment
and bitterness he felt, and which resonated
with the concert-going public in his
country as part of their collective
experience.
The interesting and
informative liner notes with this CD
describe how closely the lives of Popov
and Shostakovich resembled each other.
They were both born within two years
and died three years apart. Both began
as pianists, later on choosing composition
as their main career. Both composed
much music for the theatre and for films.
Both were branded as "formalists"
by the authorities that oversaw things
artistic. This ridiculous term was made
to cover anything they considered non-conformist
and which did not fit the concept of
"socialist realism". It was
used against dozens of composers as
well as writers, graphic artists, stage
directors, film-makers. For many that
was the end of their careers, since,
without official sanction their works
would neither be published nor performed.
Popov’s Symphony No.1
was one such casualty of this anti-artistic
notion. Unlike Shostakovich and Prokofiev,
Popov was pushed to the very margins
of society. Though he completed six
symphonies in later years he never fulfilled
the promise that the present work demonstrates.
Yet with typical irony this work had
a description by Popov that struck just
the right note: "I dedicate this
symphony to my dear father, a worker
and fighter on the front of proletarian
culture (educating young workers). It’s
about 1) Struggle and failure 2) Humanity
and 3) The energy, will and joy of the
victor’s work". In 1932, with only
the finale to complete the symphony
won second prize in a competition for
a symphony to commemorate the 15th
anniversary of the October Revolution.
This had been organised jointly by the
Bolshoi Theatre and the Young Communist
League newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.
The orchestration took Popov a further
two years and the symphony finally had
its premiere in Leningrad on March 22,
1935. It was banned the very next day
on the grounds that it reflected "the
ideology of classes hostile to us".
Although the ban was withdrawn a month
later Popov was affected by Pravda’s
denunciation of Shostakovich and the
symphony was pronounced as "formalist".
It was never performed again in his
lifetime.
A weak beat reminiscent
of the start of Stravinsky’s "Rite
of Spring", gets the first movement
off to a cracking start. The main theme
is driven along but then meets a sad
second subject that gives way to a kaleidoscope
of sound rushing forward in a thrilling
and demonic way. All three ideas are
then fused into a vast central development
section and later on there is a return
to the first theme before the movement
simply evaporates. The slow movement
begins in a tranquil enough way. There
was even an English pastoral feel to
part of it that reminded me of Vaughan
Williams. In the background however
there is a sense of impending turbulence
that eventually inches its way in to
dominate much of the rest of this movement.
This rises to a peak characterised by
a hailstorm of notes before the movement
comes to rest in the peaceful way it
began. The final movement throws us
back into chaos with braying brass contrasted
with cheeky themes on piccolos and xylophone.
If you think you recognise them then
that’s because Shostakovich borrows
from it for the finale of his Fifth
Symphony and the second movement of
his Seventh Symphony. The central section
of the finale is a tumultuous powerhouse
where ideas are spat out white hot from
Popov’s musical furnace. Remember that
this is the movement that Popov described
as "the energy, will and joy of
the victor’s work", as you listen
to this immense force culminating in
the ringing of bells as it reaches its
conclusion.
This is an extremely
satisfying work and poignant when you
know the background. It is difficult
to understand why it is still hardly
known. It has so many echoes of Shostakovich
and Prokofiev and of other Soviet composers.
Many Soviet works have this mind-set
in common. Very probably it reflects
a shared experience of turbulent post-revolutionary
times for artists from the late 1920s.
It make for exciting listening and this
Symphony is thoroughly recommended.
Shostakovich’s Theme
and Variations, op.3 (1921-2) is a delightful
and hugely accomplished work dating
from the composer’s third. year at the
conservatoire. It shows the fantastic
promise of the sixteen year old and
is a great contrast to the thunder and
lightning of Popov’s symphony. The deconstruction
of the theme simply stated at the outset
then gently played with is brilliantly
successful. Whilst it is less than typical
Shostakovich - not surprisingly for
such a young man at the very start of
his career - it is nevertheless reminiscent
of his ballet and some of his film music.
The Theme and Variations are brimful
of luscious melodies and an inventiveness
that was to become the hallmark of the
greatest composer to have come out of
the Soviet era. Everyone should hear
it. There are no records of it ever
having been performed in his lifetime
so it is very exciting to have come
across, if, like me you are a Shostakovich
aficionado.
Steve Arloff
London Symphony Orchestra/ Botstein 
