COMPOSERS: Grechaninov
LABELS: Chandos
WORKS: Symphony No. 1; Snowflakes
PERFORMER: Ludmila Kuznetsova (m-sop), Tatiana Jeranje (contralto); Russian State SO & Symphonic Cappella/Valery Polyansky
CATALOGUE NO: CHAN 9397 DDD
Snowflakes, songs of childhood beautifully sung by female chorus (plus splendid mezzo) to Polyansky’s deft encouragement, have all the vignette charm of Mussorgsky (or Debussy) in comparable vein. The Rimsky-dedicated symphony is an 1890s essay in classic Russian School vein: tuneful, but less memorable than Stravinsky’s similar effort. Polyansky keeps it commendably taut, but some stiffness results. The simple Missa Sancti spiritus with organ frankly drags. Roderic Dunnett
Grechaninov: Symphony No. 1; Snowflakes
Snowflakes, songs of childhood beautifully sung by female chorus (plus splendid mezzo) to Polyansky’s deft encouragement, have all the vignette charm of Mussorgsky (or Debussy) in comparable vein. The Rimsky-dedicated symphony is an 1890s essay in classic Russian School vein: tuneful, but less memorable than Stravinsky’s similar effort. Polyansky keeps it commendably taut, but some stiffness results. The simple Missa Sancti spiritus with organ frankly drags. Roderic Dunnett
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:13 pm