A philosopher, possibly Confucius, once said that
a suitable curse on someone would be that “they live in interesting
times”. It is possible to say we all do always. Depending on precisely
when and precisely where some could be cursed with living in
truly
‘interesting’ times.
Nikolai Miaskovsky certainly did for he, along with millions in Russia,
saw some of that country’s most turbulent era. He was born in
Ukraine, part of the Russian Empire at the time and later a Soviet Republic,
in 1881. That was the same year that Tsar Alexander II was killed by
a bomb in an attack by members of Narodnaya Volya (The Peoples’
Will). It was the fifth attempt to assassinate him, the third by the
group. Two more Tsars would come and go before the revolution swept
away the House of Romanov forever together with the world as Miaskovsky
and his fellow Russians knew it.
His father, a General in the Tsar’s army and an engineer was murdered
by Red Guards while waiting for a train during the period of the civil
war (1919-21). Miaskovsky too trained as an engineer officer but eventually
pursued his preferred career as composer studying under Lyadov and Rimsky-Korsakov.
That was at the St Petersburg Conservatory where he became lifelong
friends with Prokofiev and from which he graduated in 1911. At his death
in 1950 from cancer he had composed around 90 works and is considered
‘father of the Soviet Symphony’ writing no fewer than 27.
While he was not known as a great experimenter he was an early champion
of the music of Stravinsky and his music does show flashes of innovation
with these three piano sonatas exhibiting several examples. The Sonata
no.2 is quite a ‘modern’-sounding work considering it was
written before the First World War. It is dominated by the
Dies Irae
theme which is introduced around four minutes in. It quotes the piece
as paraphrased by Liszt in the work for piano and orchestra
Totentanz.
That work was modelled on its origin in Gregorian plainchant but drew
its inspiration from its appearance in the last movement of Berlioz’s
Symphonie Fantastique which had so impressed Liszt when he heard
its premiere in 1830. Miaskovsky’s sonata is quite monumental
in scope despite its relatively short length with powerful chords throughout
that pound out that frightening theme in a menacing fashion. The third
is a little more restrained, very beautiful and with an overall sad
and anxiously reflective nature to it which is never resolved.
The fourth, by far the longest of the three, is cast in three movements
with the first lasting almost as long as each of the previous sonatas.
It once again involves crashing chords as well as some quiet passages
with the second movement bringing some well deserved relief in the form
of a gentle and very lovely interlude. The final movement is in a somewhat
lighter and more upbeat mood than the first.
Miaskovsky’s father told him that to be truly liberated one had
to battle and conquer oneself and musicologists have written that these
three sonatas are representative of this struggle rather than any comment
on the times he lived in or, later, the system he lived under. He was
always somewhat detached from politics or religion and though he didn’t
write works that were considered ‘controversial’ in the
context of the Soviet reality he was nevertheless caught up in the accusations
of ‘formalism’ levelled at him, his friend Prokofiev and
Shostakovich. Despite this he still braved criticism by championing
‘modern’ works by being a leader in the Association for
Contemporary Music along with the composers Alexander Mosolov, Gavriil
Popov and Nikolai Roslavets all three of whom got into hot water
with the authorities.
Miaskovsky’s piano works are generally less well known than some
of his symphonies though that is hard to understand when you’ve
heard these since there is much to admire and plenty of difficulties
to challenge any pianist. Lydia Jardon rises to those challenges with
an obvious reverence for the music which translates into beautifully
sensitive and thoughtful playing making this a disc that will be of
interest to all lovers of the Russian School of piano writing. Hitherto
there have been few recordings available of his piano sonatas, notably
by Endre Hegedüs on Marco Polo and Murray McLachlan on Olympia
so this is a welcome addition to these. It is to be hoped that it will
also help to change attitudes towards Miaskovsky’s compositions
which are generally represented in most people’s minds by a few
of his symphonies. This disc shows that there is clearly a lot more
to Miaskovsky than many people think.
Steve Arloff
Miaskovsky review index
