I had such good luck in selecting Farrenc’s first symphony, that I thought perhaps I would have similar good fortune with Gretchaninov’s first symphony – and that was almost the case. I did enjoy the work, but just not as much as Farrenc’s.
Gretchaninov’s symphony is written in four movements:
The work was composed in 1894 while Getchaninov was under the tutelage of Rimsky-Korsakov‚ and the influence of his teacher‚ as well as Borodin and Tchaikovsky‚ are much in evidence throughout much of the work. Also, the premiere of the work was conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov, and music historians report that the conductor did not necessarily think highly of the work. On a site called “Interlude” (“created by lovers of music for those who share their passion”), I found this: “Although (Gretchaninov) took composition lessons from Sergey Taneyev and sat in the counterpoint class with Arensky, his initial attempts at composition were judged to be a waste of time! Only when he received a scholarship to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Rimsky-Korsakov did his career blossom. A Concert Overture was well received, and his first String Quartet won a prize in the Belyayev Chamber Music Competition in 1894. However, the highlight of his early career was the performance of his First Symphony with Rimsky-Korsakov conducting the premiere in 1895. The work bears a dedication to his teacher, as ‘a token of deep respect and gratitude.’ Despite appearances to the contrary, Rimsky-Korsakov had a somewhat low opinion of the work. ‘It’s really not good! If someone who has a natural inclination to compose in the style of Rubinstein and writes fairly well in this style, suddenly takes a fancy to Borodin and begins to compose in his style, it won’t work.’ Despite his teacher’s reservations, the music shows competence in structure and orchestration, and the pleasant use of Russian thematic materials.” Do Rimsky-Korsakov’s doubts about the symphony hold any water? Maybe. But as a whole, the work does contain memorable music characterized by passion and drama with a Russian flair.
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A New Hope:As the header above says, each week I will listen to a piece of classical music that I've never heard before, and then I will report out what I thought about it. Archives
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