# SS 25.05.19 - Rimsky-Korsakov #1



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov **(1844 - 1908)*

Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 1
__1. Largo assai-Allegro
__2. __Andante tranquillo
__3. _Scherzo. _Vivace
__4. __Allegro assai__

Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!_


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is upon us and so another Symphony is posted for your listening enjoyment. This weekend it's Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's first symphony. You don't seem to hear about this one much and I admit it's been some years since I last heard it so I'm looking forward to giving this one a spin.

I'll post a YouTube link again for those without a recording which is also the one I will be listening to on disc.




Neeme Jarvi/Goteborgs Synfoniker


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

I'll be going with this one:


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Never heard this I'm sure. So I grabbed a performance at random! Boris Khaykin/USSR Radio Grand Symphony Orchestra.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Same Jarvi recording for me. Superb orchestration of course. Rimsky-Korsakov changed the key from E flat minor in the 1860s to E minor in 1884. Don't know if there were any other significant changes in the symphony.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Also from this set.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I shall be enjoying this version


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

I will listen this one


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I thought it was a rather good effort by R-K and well done as a first symphony. I was hoping it would be a little more Russian-sounding in flavor than it was, but I think he was striving to avoid that. I like the exotic from him rather than the more generic and international sound. I thought it was a relatively brief symphony but also somewhat ambitious and it showed promise for the future. He had talent.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Mika said:


> View attachment 118912
> 
> I will listen this one


This excellent version for me too. I like this symphony so nice to listen again. It's been a while........


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Jarvi for me. This work doesn't get anywhere near the heights of its successor, Antar, but it's well worth a listen.


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## TheGazzardian (Nov 24, 2018)

Mika said:


> View attachment 118912
> 
> I will listen this one


For me as well, seems the Jarvi is not on Apple Music


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Jarvi for me also. I've never particularly took to this work - I can listen to it but I much prefer the other two. As with Dvořák, for R-K to be compsing symphonies right at the beginning of his career seemed a little overambitious but the experience gained was probably invaluable.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

elgars ghost said:


> As with Dvořák, for R-K to be composing symphonies right at the beginning of his career seemed a little overambitious but the experience gained was probably invaluable.


I think it was Balakirev who told his student to dive right in and write one, even though he had not finished his own first symphony and wouldn't for several decades. No, it doesn't sound particularly Russian, his models at the time were Germanic: Beethoven, Schumann, and even Rubinstein. A lot of RK's early music doesn't have that Russian stamp on it. It's a nice symphony, and very fortunate that he revised it and improved the orchestration. E-flat minor is a horror show for strings, E minor much, much more agreeable. This would be a great work for amateur orchestras to play - but they're stuck in the mindset of playing the great masterworks...badly. Jarvi for me. And maybe Svetlanov if I have time.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

mbhaub said:


> E-flat minor is a horror show for strings, E minor much, much more agreeable.


Yes, but I've always found it interesting that Russians favor lots of flats.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Larkenfield said:


> I thought it was a rather good effort by R-K and well done as a first symphony. I was hoping it would be a little more Russian-sounding in flavor than it was, but I think he was striving to avoid that. I like the exotic from him rather than the more generic and international sound. I thought it was a relatively brief symphony but also somewhat ambitious and it showed promise for the future. He had talent.


I would agree with these comments, perhaps in many ways a typical first symphony with ideas that would develop in later works
Another SS hit with me


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Haydn man said:


> I would agree with these comments, perhaps in many ways a typical first symphony with ideas that would develop in later works
> Another SS hit with me


Yes, a good hit. He hadn't quite found his voice yet, but did a god job with this one. Sounds a lot like Kalinnikov or early Tchaikovsky, not a bad thing.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

A first listen to this work for me and I was impressed. 
A very enjoyable piece that held my attention throughout, yes there are obvious influences to be heard but as a first attempt it is highly commendable.

I listened to this recording:

View attachment 118991


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Expansion of my comments above, on a second listening.

There is a dark, portentous opening with "Egmont" chords for drama. A short accelerando launches the stormy Allegro. The more lyrical second theme could have been written by Kallinikov. The expo is repeated. There are lots of ideas in the short development section but it's hard to sense a firm direction. The recap is as expected but is cut short by a premature entry into the coda, some of which sounds a bit like the R-K we all know.

The slow movement starts out in a somewhat Italianate way but soon wanders into more gloomy and dramatic territory. The detail is interesting throughout, but perhaps the emphasis on economy of materials is overdone. The single theme isn't quite _that _good!

The Scherzo is very rhythmic and propulsive. This is good stuff. The central Trio is less inspired but has good passages for the woodwind chorus.

The final allegro is in the major ("Send 'em home happy!") Can't quite make out the form, but things are certainly interesting enough as the music trips merrily along through its various adventures. At one point (repeated later) R-K threatens to break out into a fugato, but wisely refrains. The symphony wraps up with abundant energy and cheers all around.

In summary, a good symphony, interesting and enjoyable if not totally top-drawer. It has the sound of Kallinikov or early Tchaikovsky, but not yet the true voice of R-K. Not a single movement overstays its welcome, which is always nice.

I wouldn't mind seeing this one in the concert hall. But until then, a great Saturday Symphony choice.


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