Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-4. Sonata No. 1, In D Minor, Op. 6 (29:30)
5. Sonata No. 3, In C Minor, Op. 19 (13:11)
6-8. Sonata No. 6, In A Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 2 (18:11)
9. Sonata No. 2, In F Sharp Minor, Op. 13 (13:35)
Credits:
Piano – Murray McLachlan
.jpg)
Without fail, these are two works that should jump to the top of any list of alternatives to the warhorse violin concertos. Here are two powerful works that possess every quality that defines `classic' except perhaps the passage of sufficient time. Bold, lyrical, rhythmic, charming, dramatic and thought-provoking are just a few of dozens of adjectives that could describe this music. Add to that a superb performance at a fantastic price and you have your newest must-own compact disc.
Myaskovsky's fame lies predominantly in his work as a symphonist. With twenty-seven such works to his credit, he is considered by many to have been one of the leading exponents of the genre in the twentieth century. His violin concerto was his first attempt at such a work, and he spent considerable time studying the similar works of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev, his friend and schoolmate. The late 1930s were a fertile time for violin music in Russia, due mostly to the rise of the so-called "Russian violin school," with David Oistrakh and Leonid Kogan at its helm, winning competitions all over Europe.
Myaskovsky wrote his concerto for and dedicated it to Oistrakh. A large sweeping work in three movements, the first of which is longer than the latter two combined, the concerto owes far more to the composer's nineteenth century predecessors Rimsky-Korsakov and Balakirev, than to any sort of modernist ideal. The opening movement is both dramatic and lyrical and as its title implies, passionate. The adagio is tuneful and circumspect, while the rollicking third movement is very dance-like.
Although Mieczylaw Vainberg was a disciple and pupil of Myaskovsky, his style, although still conservative, leans more toward his friend and colleague Shostakovich than to any nineteenth century composer. Born in Poland in 1919, Vainberg's early promise was as a pianist, but his hopes for a major career were dashed by the Nazi invasion of Poland during the Second World War. He fled to, and was accepted warmly in Russia, although on more than one occasion he ran afoul of the authorities. At one time he was arrested for being an "enemy of the state" only to be rescued by Shostakovich’s intervention and ultimately, the death of Stalin.
His concerto is of much tighter construct than the Myaskovsky, consisting of four movements nearly equal in technical challenge, musical expression and length. Of particular note is the passionate, melancholy Adagio. Although not particularly melodic, (you are not likely to leave the room whistling the tunes) there is a formal and thematic unity about the work that makes the listener eager to find out what comes next.
And what of Ilya Grubert’s playing? In short, it is utterly refreshing. Here is a soloist that takes command of the stage, is not afraid of a risk or two, and plays in a manner that reflects his feelings for the music. When called for, his playing can be as lyrical as the finest soprano, yet he never shies away from putting forth a bit of gypsy abandon, allowing his tone to even at times be a bit gritty. This is by no means a criticism. Grubert digs into the strings, coaxing every last ounce of sound and spirit out of them. This is indeed a player worth watching, and if this recording is harbinger at all, there are great things yet to come.
Dmitry Yablonsky leads a finely honed instrument in the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. Gone is the customary Russian blatting and out of tune wailing in the brass section. His strings are warm and lush, and there is a rhythmic tautness to the playing. He paces both concerti perfectly, never hurrying the fast passages and never belaboring the slow ones.
Recorded sound is excellent. Program notes by Per Skans hold the reader’s interest, and provide the correct balance of analysis, historical background and anecdote.
These are two composers who deserve further attention. Hopefully, a few more successful recordings such as this one will propel this music off the silver disc and into the concert hall. Go buy this one and enjoy some unusual yet highly accessible delights. (Kevin Sutton, naxos)
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-3. Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 44
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996)
4-7. Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 67
Credits:
Orchestra – Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor – Dmitry Yablonsky
Violin – Ilya Grubert.jpg)
.jpg)
As stock in Bartók's string quartets dropped in the West, stock in Shostakovich's string quartets rose. But increasing interest in the Soviet composer's 15 quartets failed to spark a similar interest in the 13 quartets by fellow Soviet composer Nikolay Myaskovsky. In the digital age, there has so far been only one recording of the complete cycle, the Taneyev Quartet's from the early '80s. Previously released in the West by Russian Disc in the '90s in diverse couplings, the Taneyev's recordings are reissued here by Northern Flowers in much more sensible chronological order. Thus the first volume contains the composer's first three published string quartets of his Opus 33 set from 1930 (the fourth and final quartet from Opus 33 will presumably appear as the opening work of the second volume).
Each of the three works is distinctly different in form but conspicuously the same in content. The First in A minor is a massive four-movement work of unrelenting gloom. The Second in C minor is a more compact but no less disconsolate work. The Third, actually a rewritten version of a quartet from 1911, is in two huge movements, a grimly monumental Allegro non troppo malinconico followed by a bleakly desolate Tema e variazioni. Late-romantic in gesture and harmonic language, all three works show Myaskovsky's compositional mastery along with his obsession with darkness, despair, and death. The performances sound like more than another gig for the Taneyev. There's real grit in the group's tone and honest emotion in its intensity. The Soviet-era stereo recording is rough at climaxes but cleaner than one might have guessed considering the source. While not for everyone, Myaskovsky's quartets may appeal to listeners looking for a middle ground between the pessimism of Rachmaninov and the nihilism of Shostakovich. James Leonard
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-4. String Quartet No.1 In A Minor, Op.33, No.1 (28:58)
5-7. String Quartet No.2 In C Minor, Op.33, No.2 (19:23)
8-9. String Quartet No.3 In D Minor, Op.33, No.3 (26:31)
Cover – Boris Kustodiev, Hay-Making, 1917
Taneyev Quartet :
Cello – Josif Levinzon
Viola – Vissarion Solovyev
Violin – Grigory Lutsky, Vladimir Ovcharek.jpg)
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-4. String Quartet No.7 In F Major, Op. 55 (1941)
5-7. String Quartet No.8 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 59 (1942)
Cover – Boris Kustodiev, Winter : Shrovetide Merry-Making, 1919
Taneyev Quartet :
Cello – Josif Levinzon
Viola – Vissarion Solovyev
Violin – Grigory Lutsky, Vladimir Ovcharek 
The fourth volume in Northern Flowers' reissues of the Taneyev Quartet's recordings of the string quartets by Russian composer Nikolay Myaskovsky joins together his Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh works in the genre. All three come from the later years of the Great Patriotic War, but only the Ninth in D minor was entirely conceived and executed then. The Tenth in F major and the Eleventh in E flat major were conceived much earlier: the Tenth is a rewritten version of an unpublished youthful quartet, while much of the Eleventh is purloined from songs and short piano pieces written in the '30s. This means that only the restless and impassioned Ninth Quartet is recognizable as a work by Myaskovsky, while the Tenth and Eleventh seem too cheerful and ingratiating to be by the usually gloomy composer. As always in this series, the Taneyev Quartet gives its all to the music. Though its all does not always include a tight ensemble or a unified approach to intonation, it does include an ardent sense of phrasing and a sympathetic feeling for Myaskovsky's music, qualities that count for a lot in these otherwise unrecorded works. Recorded in the early '80s, the stereo sound here is plain, direct, and unadorned. James Leonard
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-3. String Quartet No. 9 In D Major, Op. 62 (1943)
4-7. String Quartet No. 10 In F Major, Op. 67, No. 1 (1907-1945)
8-11. String Quartet No. 11 In E Flat Major, Op. 33, No. 2 (1945)
Cover – Boris Kustodiev, Spring, 1921
Taneyev Quartet :
Cello – Josif Levinzon
Viola – Vissarion Solovyev
Violin – Grigory Lutsky, Vladimir Ovcharek 
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1-4. String Quartet No. 12 In G Major, Op. 77 (1947)
5-8. String Quartet No. 13 In A Minor, Op. 86 (1949)
Cover – Boris Kustodiev, Bathing, 1921
Taaneyev Quartet :
Cello – Josif Levinzon
Viola – Vissarion Solovyev
Violin – Grigory Lutsky, Vladimir Ovcharek 
Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950)
1. Sonata No. 2 In F Sharp Minor Op. 13 (12:37)
2. Sonata No. 3 In C Minor Op. 19 (12:10)
3-5. Sonata No. 4 In C Minor Op. 27 (22:29)
Credits :
Piano – Lydia Jardon.jpg)
Tomes are available annotating the importance of this recording. The musical and social impact of Miles Davis, his collaborative efforts wit...
