Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 3 'Ilya Muromets'

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Glière (1875-1956) was one of the late Russian nationalists, along with Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov, whose music collectively captures the waning years of Romanticism in Russia. Glière's Symphony No. 3, Ilya Muromets, of 1912 takes its thematic cues from Richard Wagner, particularly Wagner's German nationalism in such tales as the Nibelungenlied. Ilya Muromets is a hero of Russia's golden age--similar to Odysseus and Achilles--and the symphony paints the tale of his moody adventures and his lifelong journeying. It is probably Glière's greatest symphony, imbued with the sense of something irretrievably lost because of the rise of Communism. --Paul Cook

Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 3 'Ilya Muromets', Music, Reyngol'd Moritsevich Gliere, Sir Edward Downes, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, 20th/21st Century Symphony, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Symphonic

Average customer rating:

Ranks Among the Best Ever

Gliere:Symphony no 3 / Downes, BBC Philharmonic

Well focused, highlighting Ilya's strengths, in fine sound

Reinhold Gliere: Symphony No. 3 'Ilya Muromets'

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gliere, Reinhold | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Glière: The Red Poppy (Complete Ballet)

Glazunov: Symphony No. 6 / The Forest

ASIN: B000000AOZ
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Andante Sostenuto
Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Allegro Risoluto
Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Andante
Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Allegro - Andante - Allegro
Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Allegro Tumultuoso - Tranquillo - Giocoso
Symphony No.3 In B Minor: Poco Meno - Maestoso Solenne

Amazon.com

Glière (1875-1956) was one of the late Russian nationalists, along with Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov, whose music collectively captures the waning years of Romanticism in Russia. Glière's Symphony No. 3, Ilya Muromets, of 1912 takes its thematic cues from Richard Wagner, particularly Wagner's German nationalism in such tales as the Nibelungenlied. Ilya Muromets is a hero of Russia's golden age--similar to Odysseus and Achilles--and the symphony paints the tale of his moody adventures and his lifelong journeying. It is probably Glière's greatest symphony, imbued with the sense of something irretrievably lost because of the rise of Communism. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Ranks Among the Best Ever.......2006-03-10

This symphony must be counted in the list of the top 10 or so greatest symphonies ever written.
That is elite company, to be sure, but Gliere earns that distinction with this exceptional entry into the canon of symphonic literature.
There is nothing small about this symphony. It is a vast musical landscape, but one that is easy to understand. Gliere employs tight, compact writing stretched out over a lengthy 75 minute musical canvas. It is a descriptive work filled with intoxicating, hypnotic moments.
I could go on forever, but I'll leave it up to you to experience this excellent, well executed performance of one of the most wondrous, magical symphonies ever put to paper.
My highest recommendation.
Enjoy!

Gliere:Symphony no 3 / Downes, BBC Philharmonic.......1999-11-23

Excellently played. Compared to other recordings that I have heard, it seems very legato, especially the contrabassoon solo in the second movement. I believe that this is the best recording of this wonderful music available.

Well focused, highlighting Ilya's strengths, in fine sound.......1999-09-14

Downes is well focused and objective in his conducting. The result is a performance that might lack some of the thrills and spills of (say) Stokowski or Ormandy, but emphasises the work's symphonic strength and minimises any feeling that the work is simply too long. No prospect here of spilling over onto 2 CDs, despite being absolutely uncut, unlike some other versions (notably Stokowski who excises half of the score!). The BBC Philharmonic play splendidly. The recording from BBC's Manchester Studios is aptly spacious and well balanced.

Gliere: Symphony No. 3, Op. 42 "Ilya Murometz"

Average customer rating:

Botstein is captivating but Downes's the real thriller!
Playing 9/10, recording 7/10, musical interpretation 2/10
Not among the best
A total, unmitigated disaster from every point of view!
An Ilya for the Ages

Gliere: Symphony No. 3, Op. 42 "Ilya Murometz"
Reinhold Gliere , Leon Botstein , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00007GZAT
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Tracks:

I. Wandering Pilgrims: Il'ya Murometz And Svyatogor
II. Il'ya Murometz And Solovei The Brigand
III. At The Court Of Vladimir The Mighty Sun
IV. The Heroic Deeds And Petrification Of Il'ya Murometz

Amazon.com

This flamingly multicolored, unashamedly grand-scaled symphony receives a performance here so sonically beautiful that it's practically visible. The work is programmatic and tells of the heroic deeds of a medieval knight-strongman, (translated as) "Il 'ya from the town of Murom." Given the orchestration--quadruple woodwinds, four trumpets, eight horns, four trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, two harps, celeste, and strings--he comes across as a combination of Superman, Batman, Robin Hood, and Wagner's Siegfried. Leon Botstein brings out great warmth in the London Symphony's string section, the flute bird-curlicues in the second movement are luscious, and, in general, his leadership has nice forward propulsion in a work that can easily sound bloated. If this sort of huge, Romantic palette is your cup of tea--and it is sort of irresistible--then look no further. This realization is ravishing, and Telarc's sound is an audiophile's dream. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Botstein is captivating but Downes's the real thriller!.......2003-05-19

Between Tchaikovsky's and Myaskovsky's Sixth Symphonies (of 1893 and 1923 respectively), there are a few Russian symphonies written in-between them that surely stands out as among the finest in the genre: Glazunov's Eighth, Scriabin's Third, Rachmaninov's Second, and Gliere's monumental masterpiece of 1911. This score (Wagnerian in scope), which calls for quadruple woodwinds, eight horns, four trumpets, tuba, four trombones, an opulent percussion department including a celesta, two harps, and strings, combines the epic traditions of Borodin and Glazunov (to whom it's dedicated). It is strongly nationalistic in outlook, picturesque in its programming, and a strong defender of Late Romanticism. And yet notwithstanding its popularity, this score suffers from some oblivion beyond Russian borders and, in the past at least, fell victim to some rather heavy cuts especially in the outer movements (like the Stokowski and the Nathan Rakhlin recordings, the latter which is otherwise a thrilling and an exemplary account under the Melodiya/Columbia/Russian Disc labels-all nla). Thankfully, few and more recent recordings happen to be totally faithful to this extraordinary music, the earliest of such featuring Hermann Scherchen and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (under the deleted Westminster Gold LP label-and a very hair-raising state of affairs at best).

Charles B. Yulish's fascinating notes in that Melodiya/Columbia LP recording explains that Ilya Murometz, according to historians, emerged in the 10th or 11th century, about the time Kiev became a focal point in northern Russia as a center for commerce. However, Kiev became also a focal point for invaders, which prompted Prince Vladimir, son of Sviatoslav, to build a ring of fortresses to protect the city. Vladimir, who became the first to consolidate Russia, enlisted northerners for defense purposes. Ilya was among the knights recruited, and he is often credited for helping Vladimir achieve various nationalistic goals, such as bringing Christianity to Russia. Vladimir converted to Christianity, though historians differs as to why (to marry Anna, the daughter of Emperor Basil II or was it due to some calculated ploy to power). Whatever the reason, Ilya's adventures and escapades, as Yulish observes, is best understood through the Russian bylina, a secular folk song equivalent to spiritual verses often spoken poetically. Gliere, quite a master of storytelling and picturialism, wrote his own story line for the purposes of the music, which is well detailed in Anthony Burton's synopsis for this recording.

Not forgetting even for a moment the Rakhlin's classic Melodiya recording or Sir Edward Downes very theatrical approach to the score, Leon Botstein, whose approach reminds me a good deal of Scherchen's, makes a very strong case for this work, and the London Symphony Orchestra responds with upmost conviction, authority, and flair. Their's a performance that ripe in more ways than one. What I like particularly about Botstein's reading is the buildup from the first movement's andante sostenuto into the very exciting and thrust forward allegro risoluto section. Even the tranquillo misterioso is arresting in its own right. But turn to andante second movement "Il'ya Murometz and Solovei the Brigand" and even the mysterious layers behind each note are well captured. The finale "The Heroic Deeds and Petrification of Il'ya Murometz" is well served also, and Botstein's sense of urgency brings extra dimensions of drama to it, though as the expense of the expansiveness especially in the climax (where after the Tartars multiplied themselves, Il'ya and his bogatyrs were turned to stones as they flee towards the mountains).

This in turn arises a problem I have with Botstein's recording. Going back to Downes's 1991 Chandos recording with the BBC Philharmonic, and it is Downes who articulates the expansiveness and the spaciousness that make the story-telling more intriguing yet absorbing. Botstein is effective in this regard, but Downes is much more than that. Their timings in the first three movements are very identical, and yet it's Downes who unfolds the story behind the score more naturally. It is this momentous, heavily-scored piece where accentuation does indeed count, otherwise some of the effects would be drowned (Farberman understood this in the well, far-searching Unicorn-Kanchana recording). For example, the climax, and the poco meno section preceding it, is absolutely captivating in Downes' hands while Botstein is too fleeting and comparatively thinner in tone. And credit shall be given to Downes' BBC Philharmonic, the ensemble with more body and weight, and with more sonorous phrasings throughout than Botstein's orchestra. Furthermore, the Chandos recording sounds more intimate and involving than Telarc, with the bloom and atmosphere wonderfully at present so as to give the sound more vitality and reverberance.

So, with a couple of reservations, this disc is very collectable, for Botstein, at least for some I suspect, may have set new standards in performing Gliere's masterpiece. But as for me, Botstein's performance remains a tad too symphonic while Downes' very theatrical approach serves the music even better (even to the point of using a component home theater surround system rather than going out to see an action-packed film).

Playing 9/10, recording 7/10, musical interpretation 2/10.......2003-03-23

At last a superbly recorded version of this great epic in the full version with no cuts. The playing of the LSO is technically little short of perfect, but I'm reminded of the old days of 78 rpm records, where conductors had to choose a faster speed to get a piece to fit. This seems to be what Botstein has done to meet the 80 minute CD limit. To my taste (and I have listened to all the Gliere 3 recordings) the vast epic canvas has been spoiled, with many of Gliere's metronome marks ignored. The mystery of the forest music in movement 2 is glossed over and becomes a canter - how can it be possible for Botstein to romp through in 20:14 while Farberman takes a correctly spacious 28:33?

So if you are looking for a recording of this piece:
- for the full version at the correct tempi, choose Farberman with the Royal Philharmonic, on 2 CDs
- for technical excitement, but few spine chills, go for LSO with Botstein
- for a good compromise, get the BBC Philharmonic with Downes
- as an excellent introduction, see if you can find a record of the Philadelphia Orchestra with Ormandy - cut to only 65 minutes, but all the best music.

For further info about Gliere and his Third Symphony, see my website (type 'gliere' into Google and look for clarihorn).

Not among the best.......2003-03-11

I was eagerly anticipating hearing this, but I am disappointed by it. The primary flaw is that the tempos are just too fast, losing the sonorous, spacious quality that it requires. It is amazing how much difference it makes when the second movement is performed in 20:14 rather than 21:33 as it is on the Downes/BBC recording (the best one available); it sounds as if there is much more difference than that. It is well played, but not terribly transparent and feels extremely rushed. I feel that the very best tempos are found on the old (1952) Scherchen recording on Westminster, although the performance isn't perfect (in 1952, essentially a live performance!). I would love to see it released on CD, although it's highly unlikely. The Downes/BBC version is rather slow in places, but it certainly is played extremely well and the recording sounds terrific. I think it is considerably better than this one.

A total, unmitigated disaster from every point of view!.......2003-03-10

I have known this work in score (all 413 pages of it) for nearly 50 years now - and have been attentive to every recording that has surfaced. Some performances cut the guts out of the piece making a mockery of Gliere's carefully crafted architecture. Others come close to the mark. The only recording to follow GLIERE's markings accurately is still available and is conducted by Harold Farberman. The only recording which, if not entirely accurate tempo-wise, is sonically quite spectacular, and that is Sir Edward Downes'.

The present recording is a colossal disaster from every perspective. When a recording announces itself as being "complete and uncut" and yet, in this case, has a performance time of 72 minutes, you know something is terribly wrong. I was antipating a solid performance from Leon Botstein, and spectacular sonics from Telarc. Neither is the case. Telarc's engineers have totally missed the boat on this recording: The LSO sounds like it was recorded in a Turkish bath house, the acoustics are so terrible. There is no definition, no balance, everything sounds muffled and totally out of kilter. This is astonishing given Telarc's past record of superlative orchestral recording.

The LSO plays at its usual high level - but is totally sabatoged by Botstein's absolute dismissal of Gliere's tempo markings, either specifically or conceptually. The architecture of the four movements of this work are very carefully constructed - such that the first, second and fourth movements each have performing times between 27 and 28 minutes: yet Botstein manages the first in 22 minutes, the second in 20! and the last movement in 22. Botstein's tempi in the first movement are often not even in the same universe as Gliere's - i.e. the all important bits of liturgical chant at Rehearsal #8 are completely wrong, first measure to last. The materials given here are critical to the rest of the piece and are blown away as if they were a bit of meaningless trivia. The fourth movement, for example, begins in a "slower" tempo, progress through a series of accelerating tempi and then arrives at allegro - but is, rather, played at the arriving tempo - you know the conductor either does not know the score, or has totally misread it. The second movement builds entirely out of the "creepy" sul ponticello augmented triad blurr with which it opens - and the progression is supposed to be very, very slow. Gliere gives only one tempo marking for the movement: quarter=54. There are no accelerandi marked anywhere in the movement, and only one very brief retardando. Many of the complex figures are unplayable if the tempo is too fast - the result here is a hideous kind of sloppy rhythmic hyperventilation, not the orgasmic agitation which is, in fact, what is in the score. Here, it is all matter of fact without any feel for the "geist" of the music. The third movement lacks clarity and projection altogether. It is unlistenable. The long peroration at the end of the fourth movement, itself a very ingenious recapitulation, al roverso, of the materials that preceded it, is meaningless when it happens too soon. (See "accelerando" above). For all these (and many other reasons) I would have hoped that Mr Botstein, who is also known as a musicologist, would have paid more attention to the score. Certainly, he could have followed Gliere's markings "more closely." That he did not gives us this egregious bit of interperative charlatanism. The power of this music is fully revealed in that most fundamental of musical attributes: time. The piece works because things happen "at the right time" as much as a result of "what" happens. Gliere knows his business - and it is totally indefensible to tell the composer "you didn't write the correct tempi" in your score. Such arrogance! Such chutzpah!

Avoid this recording like the plague. It is absolutely, totally wrong and negates, at virtually every point, everything that's in the score.

An Ilya for the Ages.......2003-02-08

Finally! An Ilya that has it all: brilliantly played, stupendously recorded, excitingly conducted. The Gliere 3rd hasn't suffered from lack of CD availability; the number of digital recordings is equalled by the number of older analog recordings. Unfortunately, except for Scherchen (C'mon Westminster!) the early ones are all heavily cut. Many of the digital ones suffer from boring conductors. But not this new one. It goes right to the top of the heap and is so good that Farberman, Downes, Talmi, even Scherchen will become dust collectors. Maestro Botstein sure records some interesting material, and I really wasn't looking forward to yet another Ilya, but I'm glad I got a copy early. Now, Telarc: How about Botstein and Tchaikovsky's Manfred?

Gliere: Symphony No.3 in B, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets' - Natan Rakhlin conducts the USSR Radio & TV Symphony

Average customer rating:

Transfer Is A Disaster! That's Why Only 1 Star!!

Gliere: Symphony No.3 in B, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets' - Natan Rakhlin conducts the USSR Radio & TV Symphony

Manufacturer: Russian Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001LPV
Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in b, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets': 1. Wandering Pilgrims: Ilya Muromets And Svyatgor: Andante...
Sym No.3 in b, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets': 2. Solovei The Brigand: Andante
Sym No.3 in b, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets': 3. At The Court Of Vladimir The Mighty Sun: Allegro
Sym No.3 in b, Op.42 'Ilya Muromets': 4. The Heroic Deeds And Petrification Of Ilya Muromets...

Customer Reviews:

Transfer Is A Disaster! That's Why Only 1 Star!!.......2005-04-24

Despite my 1 star rating, this is indeed a 5 Star performance, the best performance since Scherchen's early 50's Westminster Mono Lp Set. If this does not necessarily surpass the Scherchen in terms of performance, it is indeed the finest performance we have in Stereo. Unfortunately Russian Disc has totally botched the sound in their transfer. The 2 Lp set which was on Columbia/Melodiya some 20-25 years ago, had much much nicer sound. Fortunately, an alternative CD transfer exists on the Locked In The Vault Label ( Cat # 50 ), which is far superior to this Russian Disc disaster, and also a step or two above the old Columbia/Melodiya Lp set as well!! For details, email lani_spahr@yahoo.com