Replay
A Russian Birthday: Collective Works by Russian Composers (including Glazunov, Liadov, Scriabin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Sokolov, Vitols, Winkler, Evald, Artsybushev) The Shostakovich Quartet. Recorded: 1974- 1976 (Olympia OCD 575)
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Friday night was music night at the St Petersburg home of wood magnate, patron and publisher Mitrofan Belyayev (1836-1904), an amateur violist whose generosity and enthusiasm facilitated weekly soirees involving Russia's 19th-century musical elite. Hence the Friday Polka, a charming five-minute morceau forged jointly by Glazunov, Liadov and Nikolai Sokolov, and the more ambitious "collective" (practical rather then political) set of Variations on a Russian Theme that includes notably original contributions from Rimsky-Korsakov, Liadov, Felix Blumenfeld and Victor Evald, not to mention less striking variations by Glazunov, Scriabin (surprisingly), Artsybushev, Vitols, Winkler and Sokolov.
Of course, variations are, by their very nature, bound to facilitate divergent styles, whereas the more ambitious String Quartet "B-La-F" (Belyayev's notational signature) saw Rimsky fashion the hefty opening Allegro, Liadov the charming Scherzo, Borodin a brief Spanish-style Serenade and Glazunov round things off with a highly professional finale. A nice idea, yes, but hardly a cogent musical argument. I rather preferred this CD's title piece, a Belyayev birthday present concocted by Glazunov, Liadov and Rimsky, affably melodious and rich in Slavic resonances.
The performances are vigorous, warm and somewhat unrefined, the recordings fairly close-set (with some audible pre-echo) and the annotation extremely helpful. Inessential, perhaps - but a most attractive (and instructive) indulgence.
ROBERT COWAN
Next week on the Record Reviews page: Robert Cowan reviews the Beulah reissue of Edouard van Beinum's 1940s recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto; Stephen Johnson and Edward Seckerson compare notes on Wolfgang Holzmair's new Philips recording of Schumann's Dichterliebe
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments