# SS 25.09.21 - Kancheli #1



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

*Giya Kancheli (1935 - 2019)*
*
Symphony no. 1*

I. Allegro con fuoco
II. Largo

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


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Coming upon the second anniversary of Kancheli's death we have this week the first symphony of the composer from Georgia.
His first is undoubtedly the most conventional of all his symphonies but also highlights one of his trademarks of constant and sometimes abrupt changes in dynamics. The symphony is at times aggressive, mournful with perhaps more variety in orchestral colors than in later works. A few recordings of the work including from the Tbilisi Symphony, Kancehli's hometown, and a good recording by the Moscow State Symphony conducted by Fedor Gluschenko.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I will honestly try this one later .


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

From my cd collection


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Mika said:


> View attachment 159553
> 
> From my cd collection


Same version but via streaming


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Kakhidze and the Tbilisi SO for me.

Deep reflection or plain vulgarity? IMO Kancheli's music can change in a split second between these two extreme attributes. I like some of his music, for example, _Styx_ and _Trauerfarbenes Land_, which are deeply reflective with little vulgarity. On the other hand, I am afraid _Letters to Friends_ sounds to me like 100% plain vulgarity. His symphonies are more of the former, I am glad to say. The first symphony reminds me of Panufnik's Sinfonia Sacra, which produces a similar mood. I do like Kancheli's first, although not so much to say I love it.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I was also with Kakhidze, who conducted the work's premiere. It's a likeable enough work but the language and style that came tp typify his music is barely present in this early work. It sounds a little like a generic Soviet symphony from a somewhat earlier time. The second, slower, movement has some substance and you can hear some premonitions of his more mature music in it.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I must admit a certain ambivalence towards Kancheli's music. No doubt he's a proper composer, and no doubt he has something important to say. And this is certainly more "mainstream" (and thus derivative) than the following Symphonies. I haven't quite worked out what is good about him though, to be honest.
I enjoyed listening to the Kakhidze recording, and do feel I ought to try and persevere with some other pieces....


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I have the James DePriest recording and I listened to Symphonies 1 & 5 from the disc a couple of weeks ago, so decided not to revisit over the weekend.
It is in many ways a symphony by a composer who hasn't yet found his voice, nothing distinctive about the piece that I can hear - so I am in broad agreement with Enthusiast's and CnC's comments above.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

CnC Bartok said:


> I must admit a certain ambivalence towards Kancheli's music. No doubt he's a proper composer, and no doubt he has something important to say. And this is certainly more "mainstream" (and thus derivative) than the following Symphonies. I haven't quite worked out what is good about him though, to be honest.
> I enjoyed listening to the Kakhidze recording, and do feel I ought to try and persevere with some other pieces....


I am something of a sucker for his more mature works but always find myself wondering what it is about them that gets me.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> I am something of a sucker for his more mature works but always find myself wondering what it is about them that gets me.


Great minds think alike, an' all that.....! :tiphat:


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