# Glazunov is a massively underrated musical genius!



## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

I have yet to encounter a composition of his that I have not thoroughly enjoyed! Not all are first class masterpieces but all the compositions I have listened to are melodious, beautifully constructed and excellent. Even my absolute favorite composers like Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Dvořák have the occasional work that I am neutral towards or actually dislike; I have yet to find one when it comes to Glazunov.

What do you think of the music of Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov? Do you love it? Hate it? Meh?

What are your favorite compositions by him? Favorite recordings?

Any input, feedback or debate welcome.

Thanks.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Like it, not love it. Always agreeable, always fun to listen to, but nothing I can't do without. I recently replayed his string quartets and that confirmed my opinion. Best works to my taste are the novelettes for string quartet and the violin concerto.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I have a massive amount of Glazunov recordings on the shelves including seven sets of the symphonies. I adore his music for many reasons: the gracious melodies, the rich harmonies, the dazzling orchestration. And yet, I can admit that he shouldn't be included as one of the greats. A second-tier composer with the technical skill that is better than many of the true greats. There's something missing in his music. Is it all flash and dazzle without substance? Is there no genuine depth or human feeling? His music is very enjoyable and for a lot of listening that's just fine. There are a few of his works that should be concert staples and played far more often: the violin concerto, symphonies 4 and 5, The Seasons, and the tone poem The Sea.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

haziz said:


> What do you think of the music of Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov? Do you love it? Hate it? Meh?
> 
> What are your favorite compositions by him? Favorite recordings?


I would vote for love it, at least the pieces I've heard. I stumbled on the Rozhdestvensky recordings of his symphonies in a bargain bin, and at least for me, his interpretations bring the symphonies to life. I have a couple by Sebrerier, but something is missing with his conducting. Though I admit, as a saxophone player, I should like his saxophone concerto, but it hasn't clicked with me yet. And I haven't heard his string quartets, so I can't speak to those.


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

I am listening to him. thank you for introducing this treasure to me! 

🧡


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

While I have not listened to anywhere near all of his works, there is some of his that I really like and probably an equal amount which I find rather tedious and uninspired.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

I've tried to like him and admire his skills but remain lukewarm. Not sure why.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Tarneem said:


> I am listening to him. thank you for introducing this treasure to me!
> 
> 🧡



Try his symphony cycle. I am partial to the recorded cycles by Neeme Jarvi with the Bavarian RSO as well as the one by Tadaaki Otaka with the BBC NOW. Listen as well to his Violin Concerto (absolutely gorgeous) and his ballets Raymonda and The Seasons. I personally have an overall preference for orchestral music over chamber music (regardless of composer) but he did also write a number of fine string quartets which I do enjoy.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I'd give his music 3 stars out of 5. I don't care much for his orchestral works, but his chamber music is quite appealing.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Even Tchaikovsky, in his 1892 letter to Glazunov, deemed that he had genius, although lacking in breadth (in another word, depth). And that was true: Glazunov could be rather facile and too lazy for his own good. But, Glazunov took Tchaikovsky's criticism to heart and cultivated that depth quite successfully (try his Eighth Symphony, for example). Like Mbhaub, I too have a massive amount of Glazunov recordings on my shelves, including a couple of sets of the symphonies (Serebrier and Fedoseyev), his complete piano and chamber works, ballets, orchestral works, etc. But I will place him as a *first tier* composer, not quite in Tchaikovsky's league granted, but easily among the top ten in the history and development of Russian music. There are simply too much talent, proficiency, melodic appeal, structural soundness, manipulation of ideas, and flair to put this composer lower in the rankings. And these attributes were testaments to the level of fame Glazunov achieved by the turn of the Twentieth Century as well as the influences he had on composers of his generation and of the succeeding generation, both Russian and foreign (Rachmaninoff, Medtner, Myaskovsky, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Popov, Gliere, Sibelius, Lemba, Vitols Atterberg, Alfven, Bax, Elgar, Clifford to name just a bit more than a few). He clearly knew what he was doing

So yes, I do love his music. But it is such an artistry, however abstract, fairly eclectic, and urbane, that reveals it secrets slowly (it has that elusiveness that may be off-putting or not as clear-cut for some listeners). And it takes musicians to achieve a balancing act in weaving through some of the dense, at times dull ideas, and put some life and breadth into them while maintaining clarity in the playing. His music has that sort of lilt, or balletic feel to it, which is why it is important not to push the envelope too much. Do that, and the ideas become somewhat distorted, which at some levels what mars some of the vintage Russian/Soviet recordings. But achieve that delicate balance, and the communicative appeal of the music becomes even more apparent. This is, for instance, what Serebrier succeeds admirably in his approaches to the Glazunov symphonies: the ability to bring them off with the consistently high level of imagination and reading between the lines, and with his orchestra to match Serebrier's vision at a very high level. Jarvi comes to mind quite so in that regard as well. Like the music of Bax, Bruckner, Reger, Sibelius, Myaskovsky, even Shostakovich, Nielsen, and Melartin, Glazunov's music is such that the quality and approach of a performance can make all the difference in the world in how we react to and assess it.

As to my favorite compositions, and my ideal recordings of them, they include:

Symphony no. II (Fedoseyev and the USSR Television and Large Symphony Orchestra)
Symphony no. IV (Neemi Jarvi and the Bamberg Symphony)
Symphony no. VI (Jose Serebrier and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
Symphony no. VIII (Polyansky and the Russian State Symphony)
Piano Concerto no. II (Jose Serebrier and Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Alexander Romanovsky-piano)
Saxophone Concerto (Jose Serebrier and Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Marc Chisson-alto saxophone)
Three Etudes for piano (Stephen Coombs)
Piano Sonatas nos. I & II (Stephen Coombs *or *Martin Cousin)
Theme et Variations on a Finnish Folksong for piano (Leslie Howard *or* Stephen Coombs)
Nocturne for piano (Stephen Coombs)
Symphonic fantasy "The Sea" (Neemi Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
Symphonic fantasy "The Forest" (Svetlanov and the USSR State Symphony)
Symphonic Poem "Stenka Razin” (Neemi Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
Suite "From the Middle Ages" (Neemi Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra *or *Golovanov and the Moscow Radio Symphony)
Ballet "The Seasons" (Neemi Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
Ballet "Raymonda" (Svetlanov and the Bolshoi)
Scenes de Ballet (Neemi Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
String Quartet no. III, Suite for String Quartet, String Quintet (The Shostakovich Quartet)
Five Novelettes (The Meridian Quartet)
Triumphal March (Yondani Butt and the Royal Philharmonic)
Overture Solennel (Neemi Jarvi and the Bavarian Radio Symphony)
Elegy "To the Memory of a Hero" (Svetlanov and the USSR State Symphony)


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

I love Glaz! I've only heard the 6th Symphony live in concert - when the Russian National Orchestra toured the US. Philly did The Seasons at SPAC years ago too. Sometimes you hear a concert waltz too but that's it. My favorite Symphony is probably the 5th - so much bombast and Russian dance music.


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

I like the Preludes and Fugues for piano. havent heard much of the orchestral works


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Op.29


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## Terrapin (Apr 15, 2011)

It's been years since I listened to him but I liked Sym 1 & 2 the best. I thought Sym 2 to 5 were pretty good but didn't like Sym 6 to 9. I also didn't care for the Violin Concerto and The Seasons. I haven't explored any of his chamber music but would like to give a listen to some of it, particularly the string quartets.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

I actually consider Glazunov the prime spiritual successor to _Dvorak_. (Not to undermine their brilliant differences and the former's adoration of Borodin.)


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Symphonies 4-7......I did listen to them with real frequency a while ago and must return soon.

I have followed the debate with interest over the years.......the question of how great a composer Glazunov actually was seems to crop up every so often.
I found myself really enjoying much of his music almost in spite of the debate.

Otaka initially, the Serebrier and then Polyansky and Rozdhestvensky.

( the 5th remains a seasonal favourite. Despite being described as bombastic in an earlier post I listen to it around Xmas time alongside Prokofiev's 1st....no idea why)


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

I enjoy a good deal of the Russian repertoire but most of Glazunov's music passes me by. Other than "The Seasons" I've always found it pleasant enough but stubbornly unmemorable.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

He's somewhere in no-man's land in my music world. Not easy-listening enough except for the Seasons and a few other things, and not stimulating enough in others.


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## Scherzi Cat (8 mo ago)

I like his orchestrations of Borodin’s “Prince Igor” And Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir d’un lieu cher”. His violin concerto certainly has a place among the greats. I find most of the rest of his work to be good background music - well-orchestrated and easy to listen to, but otherwise uninteresting. So no, I don’t think he is underrated.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Often I find Glazunov's music subtle and therefore deserving of close attention. So I'll always have time for Glazunov.


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