Balakirev: Symphony No. 2; Tamara; Piano Concerto, Op. 1

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 2 in D minor
Composed by Mily Balakirev
Performed by BBC Philharmonic Brass

2. Concerto for piano & orchestra/1 in F sharp minor, Op 1
Composed by Mily Balakirev
Performed by BBC Philharmonic Brass, Howard Shelley

3. Tamara, symphonic poem
Composed by Mily Balakirev
Performed by BBC Philharmonic Brass

Tracks:

I. Largo/Allegro Vivo/Alla Breve/Piu Animato
II. Scherzo. Vivo/Poco Meno Mosso/Tempo I/Coda. L'istesso Tempo
III. Andante
IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato/L'istesso Tempo/L'istesso Tempo/Tempo Di Polacca
Overture To King Lear
In Bohemia: Larghetto/Allegro Moderato/Allegretto/Larghetto/Allegro Moderato (Come Sopra)/Poco Piu Animato/Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo/Poco Piu Animato
II. Scherzo All Cosacca. Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Fuoco Ed Energico/L'istesso Tempo. Theme Russe
III. Romanza. Andante
IV. Finale. Tempo Di Polacca/L'istesso Tempo/Poco Piu Mosso/Coda. L'istesso Tempo
Allegro/Moderato/Maestoso/Risoluto/Meno Mosso. Piu Moderato/Tempo I. Piu Mosso/Meno Mosso/Cadenza/Tempo I. Piu Mosso/Meno Mosso
Tamara

Customer Reviews:

An Appealing Balakirev Package from Chandos.......2005-12-14

A deal, this is, as far as I'm concerned. It comes into direct competition with a similar, two-fer-one deal from Hyperion featuring Evgeny Sventlanov and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The pairing is a bit different, though both offer the two symphonies, of course, and Balakirev's orchestral masterpiece, "Tamara." While Svetlanov gives us two overtures on Russian themes, Vassily Sinaisky gives us "In Bohemia," scored similarly to "Tamara" but more lighthearted and focused more on melody than on color, plus the Piano Concerto No. 1, here sounding somewhat more convincing than on another Hyperion recording with Malcolm Binns. While there is probably not much to choose between Binns and Chandos's house pianist Howard Shelley, Sinaisky gives the orchestral accompaniment more character, and the recording on Chandos is better as well. A curiosity in the Sinaisky set is Balakirev's "Overture 'King Lear.'" It starts out with a regal fanfare recalling the "Procession of the Nobles" from Rimsky's Mlada but then follows the sad course of Lear's story. For a work entirely absent from concert halls, it's pretty effective, worth an occasional hearing.

That leaves the two most important works, the symphonies. Some reviewers have found Sinaisky's interpretations uninvolved and uninvolving. Perhaps this is true compared to recordings I've not heard, for which I apologize. However, next to the Svetlanov First, which I have heard, Sinaisky's holds its own handily, having maybe a bit more atavism and rugged grandeur about it. Chandos's recording, too, is slightly finer, with just that much more heft and maybe a tad better stereo placement. The Second Symphony isn't as commanding as the First--as important a work in the history of Russian music as, say, Borodin's well-loved Second. But Balakirev's Second has its points, too, and its gentler, more refined way is captured well by Sinaisky and his orchestra. Again, the sound is top of the line.

So perhaps you could come up with more hard-hitting performances by shopping around, but to find all this interesting music in one package, well performed and stunningly recorded, is a deal-maker for me.

Balakirev: Symphony No. 2; Tamara; Piano Concerto, Op. 1

Average customer rating:

Balakirev: Symphony No. 2; Tamara; Piano Concerto, Op. 1

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IYN6
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 in D minor: I Allegro ma non troppo
Symphony No. 2 in D minor: II Scherzo alla cosacca: Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco ed energico
Symphony No. 2 in D minor: III Romanza: Andante
Symphony No. 2 in D minor: IV Finale: Tempo di polacca
Piano Concerto, Op. 1 in F sharp minor
Symphonic Poem: Tamara

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