Search - Nikolay Myaskovsky, Dmitry Yablonsky, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra :: Nikolay Myaskovsky: Symphonies Nos. 24 & 25

Fine renditions of Myaskovsky's War-related Symphonies, but.

David A. Hollingsworth | Washington, DC USA | 09/23/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like many of Soviet's notable and front-ranked composers, Myaskovsky wrote a series of works during the Great Patriotic War. These compositions, especially the String Quartets (Seventh through Eleventh) as well as the composer's Twenty-Second Symphony "Symphony-Ballad" are generally reflective during that turmoil. It must be pointed out though that whereas his Symphonies nos. XXII & XXIV portray Myaskovsky's anguish and that sense of resolve (and in the Twenty-Fourth, contemplation), his Quartets and piano pieces are in ways reflective, though more in an escapist mode, envisioning life in more optimistic, transparent terms.The Twenty-Fourth Symphony, op. 63 (to the memory of his friend Vladimir V. Derzhanovsky) was written during the same year Shostakovich completed his Eighth (in 1943). Whereas the first movement of Twenty-Second shows sort of a picturesque subtlety of bleakness in mood, disturbance in character and poignant in anguish (like that of Shostakovich's Eighth), the first movement of the Twenty-Fourth is rather heroic, a sense of determination filling the air. But turn to the 6/8 metered molto sostenuto tripartite second movement, and the profundity of melancholy is apparent. Stylistically and structurally, this movement shares similarities with the Largo movement of the Twenty-Second. But whereas the mournfulness is apparent in the First War symphony, such characteristic is more striking in that opus 63. The finales of these works are rather determined also: cinematic in scope not too foreign from an approved Soviet film score. But like Shostakovich's Eighth, that sense of contemplation at the final bars of the Twenty-Fourth is rather inescapable: it's heartfelt, honest, and quite a testament of the uncertainty this War brought. So, while this Symphony has its limitations, it is neither cheap or shallow. The Twenty-Fifth Symphony (of 1946) is neither cheap or shallow either. It does not have (nor need) Shostakovich's wittiness over nervous tension type of a musical statement in his Ninth. It is instead a beautiful and ultimately an inspirational piece, not quite short of the depth that becomes among Myaskovsky's hallmarks. The piece, like the Second Cello Sonata and the Cello Concerto, shows us why nostalgia is not a dirty word. The composer's sense of dignity is of abundance here and the heart-wrenched poetics in the Adagio first movement maintain that highly important virtue (how resounding is that secondary theme re-appearing in the closing measures of this work). Structurally, this movement is sort of a slow-moderately slow-slow variational design (close to a familiar ABA format) while the second movement is quite lyrical in a subdued-introspective manner and more straightforward in design and appeal. But the finale is quite memorable too, if a bit wanting in tighter argument and musical thought. But the apotheosis-like coda is simply inspirational and to me among the finest in all of music (given the composer who went through a great deal of trials and tribulations). Four years later, Myaskovsky's Twenty-Seventh Symphony would serve as that inspirational and meaningful coda of his harsh yet ultimately influential life. Performances here are clear-leveled and polished, slightly more so than Svetlanov and his Russian Federation Symphony Orchestra. The Naxos recording is more clear and not as dullish as the decently sounding Olympia re-issue of the Russian Disc/Melodiya CDs, although the former lacks a bit in intimacy. But, they're hardly compensations for the depth and sonority that are in some levels missing in these renditions. Svetlanov brings out the nostalgia of the Twenty-fifth Symphony even more and his closing of this work is very special to say the least. Even this late, great Maestro brings extra dimensions of epic and anguish in the immediate predecessor (and the contemplative ending have that extra feeling to it). Svetlanov's orchestra sounds at times under-rehearsed yet wonderfully alive. It's that orchestra's performances that don't exaggerate the works, just connect with them beyond the one-dimensionalism with the poignancy of anger, contemplation, defiance, and resolve that truly stands out. The Moscow Philharmonic, however lacks that special distinctiveness and that classic Russian poetry after Kondrashin's exodus (it's well blended, but the strings lack body comparatively). Choices in tempi has much to do with this, and Yablonsky, quite an accomplished conductor and musician in his own right, is a shade too swift & mechanical in his approach at places (especially in the first movement of the Twenty-Fifth). Svetlanov, meanwhile, just simply milk every melody to its final drop and it pays off even more wondrously."

Two Wonderful Symphonies. More to Follow?

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 09/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky (1881-1950, sometimes transliterated as Miaskovsky) was one of the most prolific symphonists of the twentieth century (along with Hovhaness and Brian)--he wrote twenty-seven. The music seems to reside somewhere between Tchaikovsky and the more euphonious productions of Prokofiev. His procedures tend to be classical in that he makes frequent use of counterpoint and of sonata-allegro, cyclical and variation forms. As Eric Schissel has written, he has a tendency to 'go canonic with scant excuse.' I've acquired many of the symphonies on the Olympia label (reissues of Melodiya/Russian Disc releases), conducted by the late Yevgeni Svetlanov, and have his recording of the 25th (coupled with the 1st), but I'd never run across the 24th symphony until this release. This disc features the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by its principal guest conductor, the young and immensely talented cellist/conductor Dmitry Yablonsky whose recent hugely effective recordings of Prokofiev's 'Alexander Nevsky' and of the Shostakovich 'Jazz Suites' I've reviewed here.The 24th Symphony in F minor, Op. 63, begins with a wonderful fanfare that later figures as one of the three main themes of the first movement. The memorable and seemingly simple third theme is almost a 'motto' and turns out to appear in all three of the symphony's movements, a cyclical feature that occurs often in Myaskovsky's writing. After a quiet middle movement the third, Allegro appassionato, starts with another fanfare which leads to a dramatic main theme that may indeed be a variation of the 'motto' heard earlier. After a dramatic peroration the movement ends quietly, almost wistfully. This symphony is notable for its tight construction, some unusual harmonies, memorable themes and its dramatic shape. The Symphony No. 25 in D-flat major, Op. 69, opens with a slow quiet string and low brass chorale-like theme that leads to yearning second theme, with vaulting first violins, that then veers off into D-flat minor, the key in which the movement ends. The short second movement, also in a slow tempo and also in a minor key, is introduced by a long meandering theme in the violas. It eventually brightens to end in A major. The finale, the longest movement at 13 minutes, is a sonata-form movement introduced by urgent string triplet chords that lead immediately to a dramatic violin theme that dominates the movement. The second theme is brief and subdued; it is quickly superseded by the insistent first theme and eventually leads to an extended development section in which the two main themes are combined contrapuntally--there is a delightful fugato section that features brash trumpets--and taken through several foreign keys before coming to dramatic climax and then--suddenly--a full stop, at which point the recapitulation restates the opening but becoming quieter and more hushed before a sudden and, to me, unexpected triumphant and joyful finish. I was able to compare this new recording of the 25th symphony with one by Svetlanov and, truth to tell, there is little to choose between them. The sound on the Naxos disc is marginally clearer; the Olympia's sound is slightly recessed. The Svetlanov may be somewhat more subtle in the slower sections, and certainly the suavity of his orchestra's strings is noticeable. On the other hand, Yablonsky is, to my ears, more exciting in the dramatic sections of the 25th. Of course, there is the budget price of the Naxos disc to consider. I do not know if this issue will be the first of a Myaskovsky series from Naxos. One hopes so.Recommended.TT=66:07Scott Morrison"