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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, solid late romantic russian music., 25 Jun 2005
This set was originally released on the full price Marco Polo label, and released later on the world famous budget label Naxos.It is easy, when comparing Gliere with the Russian talent that was around during his lifetime, to dismiss him as an also ran composer. It is true that he is no Tchaikovsky, and lacked the edge of say Prokofiev, or the imagination and emotional drive of Shostakovich but, within the limitations of his late romantic style, he produced some fine music, if far from the most original. Like Rachmaninov, but more so, Gliere was left behind by musical developments during the twentieth century. However, his easily accessable style went down well with the Soviet authorities, where the more interesting works by the likes of Shostakovich and Prokofiev were subject to official condemnation. The second symphony, like the first, has tended to be overshadowed by his epic third symphony. But it should not be overlooked. It is a well constructed work with memorable tunes and skillful orchestration. It demonstrates a fluent skill with melody. The companion work, The Zaporozhy Cossacks, is an enjoyable tone poem richly orchestrated and effective in it's imagery. The performances are good, as is the sound quality. This set is highly recommended to anybody who likes Russian late romantic works by composers such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov.
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