# SS 17.12.16 - Myaskovsky #8



## 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 Myaskovsky (1881 - 1950)*

Symphony No. 8 in A major, Op. 26 

1. Andante - Allegro
2. Allegro risoluto e con spirito
3. Adagio
4. Allegro deciso

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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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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is here and this weekend we're off to Russia with Myaskovky. I've heard all of his Symphonies but am not overly familiar with them all so am looking forward to giving this one a spin.

I will be listening to:









Evgeny Svetlanov/Russian Federation Academic Symphony Orchestra

*NOTE: * There are very few recordings of this one but this recording is available on YouTube for those who do not have a recording and still wish to hear it. I will post the links below for ease of listeining.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)




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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I must admit I know only one and long time since I listen to it, go for this one and will look at the you tube .

​
Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 8 in A major, Op. 26

Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Robert Stankovsk


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

I will be listening to the YouTube version posted above.


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## sbmonty (Jan 11, 2014)

Listened to some Myaskovsky chamber music, but never the symphonies.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

I am now sitting here totally bemused!

as someone who has 'clattered on' a great deal about the quality of Myaskovsky' s symphonies I cam onto this thread to see what people were intending to listen to and find myself looking at Phil Brown on the earlier posts that are intended to direct us to YT.......anyone with little interest in 'sports' will not be aware of how incongruous this is-I am trying to think of something equally incongruent that might assist me in illustrating my reaction but I am stumped!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

jim prideaux said:


> I am now sitting here totally bemused!
> 
> as someone who has 'clattered on' a great deal about the quality of Myaskovsky' s symphonies I cam onto this thread to see what people were intending to listen to and find myself looking at Phil Brown on the earlier posts that are intended to direct us to YT.......anyone with little interest in 'sports' will not be aware of how incongruous this is-I am trying to think of something equally incongruent that might assist me in illustrating my reaction but I am stumped!


Why the YouTube poster chose a background picture of Phil Brown is unknown to me as well. All I can say is I didn't upload the videos...just directed people to where they can hear the symphony...lol.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

View attachment 90825


Evgeny Svetlanov/Russian Federation Academic Symphony Orchestra

I shall go with this version via Spotify


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Listening to the Svetlanov recording. Here's a snippet from a description of the Myaskovsky symphonies I found online:

"Between the gloomy harmonic complexities of the Seventh and before the dissonances of the Ninth the Eighth represents an innocence and folk-like character shot through the essence of folksongs. After a stormy scherzo there comes a Ravel-like Adagio - a real gem with a succulent role for the cor anglais. The song, which is of Bashkiri origin, is sad and lovely perhaps rather Bax-Irish too."


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## Rhombic (Oct 28, 2013)

I shall go with Svetlanov.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Spotify is my guide. Looks like Svetlanov.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Five years ago, superhorn (post #5) spoke highly of the 8th.

http://www.talkclassical.com/14384-myaskovsky-symphonies.html

I don't have the 8th, and I don't remember it. I hope to refresh with Stankovsky and Svetlanov. :tiphat:

PEE-ESS: For those who've never heard of Phil Brown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Brown_(footballer,_born_1959)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

After listening to Svetlanov's 8th, my prior experience with Myaskovsky has been confirmed: I find it almost impossible to keep my attention on the music. It goes one way, I go another.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

KenOC said:


> After listening to Svetlanov's 8th, my prior experience with Myaskovsky has been confirmed: I find it almost impossible to keep my attention on the music. It goes one way, I go another.


Try the Ninth.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

EdwardBast said:


> Try the Ninth.


Will do, thanks.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

KenOC said:


> After listening to Svetlanov's 8th, my prior experience with Myaskovsky has been confirmed: I find it almost impossible to keep my attention on the music. It goes one way, I go another.


I agree, it's playing right now and it's just not my music, like you say, It goes one way, I go another.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

can I just suggest to anyone who might have reservations that they have a listen to the 27th.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Will do, thanks.


Beware the Svetlanov version on youtube: he is clueless as to tempo. In the first movement his Andante comes out as Largo.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I have the Stankovsky recording on Marco Polo and like this symphony very much . Like Myaskovsky's music in general, it's not the kind of work which might grab you initially, but with repeated hearings, it really grows on you . 
The slow movement, with its Bashkir (Turko/Tatar) melody on English horn, is really haunting and otherworldly . This composer's music is rather enigmatic and brooding ,but worth getting to know .


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## Retrograde Inversion (Nov 27, 2016)

I keep seeing this composer's name appearing on this forum, but as I sit here listening to this I have to confess I'm not really hearing anything more than a competent craftsman. Well, perhaps that's just the usual case of unfamiliarity, but with so much music to potentially explore, I doubt I'll be spending much time with Myaskovsky.

Does anyone know of any good aubergine recipes?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Retrograde Inversion said:


> I keep seeing this composer's name appearing on this forum, but as I sit here listening to this I have to confess I'm not really hearing anything more than a competent craftsman. Well, perhaps that's just the usual case of unfamiliarity, but with so much music to potentially explore, I doubt I'll be spending much time with Myaskovsky.
> 
> Does anyone know of any good aubergine recipes?


Do you need this before Christmas?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

jim prideaux said:


> can I just suggest to anyone who might have reservations that they have a listen to the 27th.


Found this one:

Miaskovsky:
Symphony No. 15 in D minor, Op. 38
Symphony No. 27 in C minor, Op. 85
Russian Federation Academic Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov
Finally, a continuation of the legendary cycle started on Olympia.

Just under € 9,00 delivered, thanks for the tip.


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## Rhombic (Oct 28, 2013)

I'm somewhat surprised at the reactions of some members -not in a judgemental manner or in sceptical prepotence, just genuinely surprised.
I started thinking about why some people find his music odd or difficult to follow and the only thing I can think about is the structure of his symphonies, but not in the broad aspects, but in the motif developments. The structuring of motifs and, to a lesser extent, of themes, is not as square as in many Romantic composers, which leads some progressions taking longer than expected and evolving in weirder ways. Obviously, if these two things are a recurring aspect of the music, the listener will easily get tired of it because it doesn't seem as natural (think Bach BWV 1041 Concerto in A minor for Violin, but now repeating the drilling violin motif C-B-A twice as many times... even more annoying!)

I realised that, since the first three symphonies are more about finding his own style (the fourth already is clearly more 6th-like), they might be a bit more palatable. Now, from the first three, the first is quite Scriabinesque, the second rather interesting and with thinner orchestration at some points, and undoubtedly the third has a much more professional touch to the music.
Therefore, if anyone is going to give Myaskovsky a second try after dabbling with other symphonies and finding that his music is just not enticing enough, I suggest listening to the third (or any among the first three, but I'd go for the third).


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## Retrograde Inversion (Nov 27, 2016)

Rhombic said:


> I'm somewhat surprised at the reactions of some members -not in a judgemental manner or in sceptical prepotence, just genuinely surprised.
> I started thinking about why some people find his music odd or difficult to follow and the only thing I can think about is the structure of his symphonies, but not in the broad aspects, but in the motif developments. The structuring of motifs and, to a lesser extent, of themes, is not as square as in many Romantic composers, which leads some progressions taking longer than expected and evolving in weirder ways. Obviously, if these two things are a recurring aspect of the music, the listener will easily get tired of it because it doesn't seem as natural (think Bach BWV 1041 Concerto in A minor for Violin, but now repeating the drilling violin motif C-B-A twice as many times... even more annoying!)
> 
> I realised that, since the first three symphonies are more about finding his own style (the fourth already is clearly more 6th-like), they might be a bit more palatable. Now, from the first three, the first is quite Scriabinesque, the second rather interesting and with thinner orchestration at some points, and undoubtedly the third has a much more professional touch to the music.
> Therefore, if anyone is going to give Myaskovsky a second try after dabbling with other symphonies and finding that his music is just not enticing enough, I suggest listening to the third (or any among the first three, but I'd go for the third).


So far, I'd have to say that I don't find his music nearly "odd" enough to be particularly "enticing": the voice I am hearing doesn't seem quite distinctive enough to truly command my attention. At the same time, I don't find anything to actively _dislike_ in this music, so I will persist, at least for a little while longer, and try the third as you suggest.


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## Rhombic (Oct 28, 2013)

Retrograde Inversion said:


> So far, I'd have to say that I don't find his music nearly "odd" enough to be particularly "enticing": the voice I am hearing doesn't seem quite distinctive enough to truly command my attention. At the same time, I don't find anything to actively _dislike_ in this music, so I will persist, at least for a little while longer, and try the third as you suggest.


Do let me know how you find it, I'm curious about it!


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