Search - Vainberg, Fedoseyev, Ussr Radio Symphony Orch :: Vainberg Symphonies 6

Exceptional Repertoire!

Michael A. Steele | Michigan, U.S.A. | 12/27/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone whose blood stirs upon hearing the music of Shostakovich should, without hesitation, dive into the music of Moishei Vainberg. The composer was so close to the master on a personal and philosophical level and we hear a direct progresion from one to the other. Although the recordings on the Olympia label tend to be thin and at times lacking in technical perfection, they are, nonetheless, the only way for the courageous listener to hear some truly outstanding repertoire. Along with the Tishchenko 5th Symphony (also on Olympia and very hard to find) the two symphonies here are among the most worthy compositions to come out of the Soviet Union in recent decades. If it ever gains the advocacy of a major conductor, the music of Vainberg (these two works included) will take their rightful places among the 20th Century's great works, albeit somewhere slightly below Shostakovich's masterful creations. If you are a connoiseur of orchestral music (Vainberg is also responsible for outstanding piano sonatas and string quartets) you should get this recording and it's companion issues in the cycle series from Olympia. Here's to hoping for recordings of this music on better labels and with better performances."

A perfect performance save for the whooping cough victims

Michael A. Steele | 10/07/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This must have been a special performance for the local tubercular society since what would otherwise be an outstanding performance is marred by the incessant coughing-up of lung matter by various members of the audience who are so dedicated to thwarting the performance with their glottal spasms that after a point, you start to recognise them individually thus leading to a state of temporarily induced mania in which one focuses on the laryngal malfeasance of others rather than a beautiful piece of music. "