Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 / Glinka: two overtures

Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 / Glinka: two overtures

Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 / Glinka: two overtures

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CD Details

Composer: Vasily Kalinnikov
Composer: Mikhail Glinka
Conductor: Samuel Friedmann
Orchestra: Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-03-11
Music Label: Arte Nova Classics
Soundtracks:

Symphony no 1 in G minor: 1st movement, Allegro moderato - Vasily Kalinnikov
Symphony no 1 in G minor: 2nd movement, Andante commodamante - Vasily Kalinnikov
Symphony no 1 in G minor: 3rd movment, Allegro non troppo - Vasily Kalinnikov
Symphony no 1 in G minor: 4th movement, Allegro moderato - Vasily Kalinnikov
Russlan and Ludmilla: Act 3 Dances - Mikhail Glinka
Capriccio brillante on the theme 'Jota aragonesa' - Mikhail Glinka

Music reviews of Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 / Glinka: two overtures

Music Review: Only Friedmann convinces me this is a truly great symphony
Rating: 4 Stars

Kalinnikov's first symphony is a little-known delight, waiting to be discovered by admirers of Russian music or nationalistic Romantic symphonies in general. Sadly, Kalinnikov's career was troubled by his impoverished origins, which forced him to abandon his studies at the Moscow Conservatory (he continued studying at the Moscow Philharmonic Society). He struggled with low-paying orchestral jobs, until Tchaikovsky assisted him into a post which he shortly had to leave when he contracted tuberculosis at age 27. He moved to the healthier environs of Crimea and continued composing, dying at the age of 34. Despite his sad life story, this music is bright and vivacious and truly memorable, in the same musical family as Borodin, Rimsky Korsakov and the early symphonies of Tchaikovsky.

Samuel Friedmann is undoubtedly a talented conductor. He shows a strong understanding of the Kalinnikov symphony, playing with emotion and character, but also with notable orchestral clarity. His tempos are perhaps on the slow side but this is only problematic in the first movement, which perhaps needs a bit more drive to balance it against the other movements. The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, a "pick-up" ensemble often used by labels such as Naxos, is not first rate (the main problem is occasional weakness in the violins) but enthusiastic, diligent and well-recorded.

There is not much choice for this symphony at the moment. I have heard the performance on Naxos and found it generally inferior: Kuchar lacks the folkish energy of Friedmann (Kuchar's tempos are usually faster but feel slower); the slow movement lacks the hushed magic found in the Friedmann, and most importantly Kuchar cannot match Friedmann in the grand finale. Friedmann broadens the tempos to make the final minutes sound truly magnificent - Kuchar sounds perfunctory by comparison. Also, the Naxos sound has the same grey veil of reverberation that troubled Kuchar's excellent Prokofiev cycle, recorded in the same venue.

The Svetlanov recording is efficiently played but the sound is on the poorer side of 1960s/70s Soviet. He is better than Kuchar, but again the finale sounds perfunctory - only Friedmann convinces me this is a truly great symphony. I haven't heard the Kondrashin recording, but I assume the sound would be somewhat dated. In all, for this symphony, this recording is the best and first choice.

Both Kuchar and Svetlanov include the second symphony, while Friedmann only includes a couple of Glinka overtures, which to be honest are not very interesting. Svetlanov's recording of the 2nd symphony is troubled by some squawking winds, but is nonetheless superior to Kuchar's performance, so he is to be preferred in that work. They both take the first movement rather too fast (Jarvi is even faster here); I think Friedmann has shown that grander tempos bring out the best in this composer. If only Friedmann could have recorded the second symphony as well!

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Description of Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 / Glinka: two overtures

Samuel Friedmann graduated from the Kharkov Conservatory as a violinist in 1964 and from the Leningrad Conservatory as a conductor in 1966. In 1973, he immigrated to Israel and began his international career. He has been Musical Director or Chief Conductor of the Haifa Symphony in Israel (1973-75), the Württembergische Philharmonie in Germany (1979-83), and the St. Gallen Opera House in Switzerland (1983-89).

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