Admittedly this symphony sounds rather conventional when compared to the wide sweeps of Glière's third symphony, 'Ilya Muromets'. However, it stands miles above the average, somewhat tired, Russian symphony of the late nineteenth century. Also, its place in the shadow of its successor is not entirely justified. While that one is far more unusual in its general approach, it also tends to spread its thematic material rather thinly, whereas this second symphony is full of fresh, well-carried-through ideas. It is generally (to me at least) more fun to listen to, also because it lacks the pretentiousness of the third. The 'filler' is a piece based on Repin's picture of the Cossacks writing an insulting letter to the tsar. It is a neoromantic piece in the mould of so much unremarkable Soviet music - recognizable as Glière maybe, but Glière well past his peak (his only worthwile Soviet piece that I know must be 'The Bronze Horseman'). Buy it for the second symphony, which is played excellently by the Downes' BBC Philharmonic - like everything in his Glière series, actually.
Re: Wal's album collection - Classical music download (Update Album's list page 22)
01 Bernstein.mp3
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