Glazunov: Carnaval / Spring / Salome / Waltzes

Description

Alexander KonstantinovichGlazunov (1865 -1936) Overture: Carnaval,Op. 45Spring, Op. 34 Concert Waltz No.1,Op. 47Concert Waltz No.2,Op. 51 Salome: Introductionand Dance, Op. 90  Alexander KonstantinovichGlazunov has not fared well at the hands of later critics. He enjoyed aremarkably successful career in music, becoming Director of the St PetersburgConservatory in 1905 in the aftermath of the political disturbances of thatyear, and retaining the position, latterly in absentia, for the next twenty-fiveyears. His earlier compositions were well received, but the very facility thathad attracted the attention and friendship of his teacher Rimsky-Korsakov wasto be held against him. A Russian critic could praise him for thereconciliation he had apparently effected between the Russian music of his timeand the music of Western Europe, but for a considerable time the Sovietauthorities regarded his music as bourgeois, while one of the most eminent ofwriters in the West on Russian music, Gerald Abraham, considered that it hadfallen to Glazunov to lead what he described as the comfortable decline ofRussian music into ignominious mediocrity. Recent critics have occasionallytaken a more balanced view of Glazunov's achievement. Due respect is paid to hissuccess in bringing about a synthesis of Russian and Western European music,the tradition of the Five and that of Rubinstein. Boris Schwarz has summarisedthe composer's career neatly, allowing him to have been a composer of imposingstature and a stabilising influence in a time of transition and turmoil.  Born in St Petersburg in 1865, the son ofa publisher and bookseller, as a child Glazunov showed considerable ability inmusic and in 1879 met Balakirev, who encouraged the boy to broaden his generalmusical education, while taking lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov. By the age ofsixteen he had completed the first of his nine symphonies, a work that wasperformed in 1882 under the direction of Balakirev, and further compositionswere welcomed by both factions in Russian musical life, the nationalist and theso-called German.  Glazunov continuedhis association with Rimsky-Korsakov until the latter's death in 1909. It wasin his company that he became a regular member of the circle of musicians underthe patronage of Belyayev, perceived by Balakirev as a rival to his owninfluence. Belyayev introduced Glazunov to Liszt, whose support led to thespread of the young composer's reputation abroad. The First Symphony wasperformed in Weimar in 1884, the Seconddirected by Glazunov at the 1889 Paris Exhibition. The Fourth and Fifthwere introduced to the London public in 1897. In 1899 Glazunov joined the staff ofthe Conservatory in St Petersburg and in 1905, when peace was restored to the institutionafter student demonstrations, he became Director, a position he held, nominallyat least, unti11930.  In 1928 Glazunov leftRussia to fulfil concertengagements abroad, finally, in 1932, making his home in Paris, where he d