Search - Reinhold Gliere, Zdenek Macal, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra :: Macal Conducts Gliére: Symphony No. 2 & Red Poppy Suite

GLITTERING GLIERE

Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 10/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A virtually underplayed Russian orchestral gem by Gliere (1875-1956), who is also a virtually underplayed Russian composer. And difficult to imagine why. I mean, the man did compose more than "The Red Poppy Suite." Maybe not a full garden, but more than enough "flowers" to go around. Gliere's symphonies form the cornerstones of his output. Rather like some triad monument. And, until recently, the only truly "popular" work was No. 3 ("Il'ya Murometz").



To these ears, his Symphony No. 2 in C Minor is the best of the three, the most beautiful and lush, filled with what we would all recognize as "Russian soul." Far more inventive, melodic, and captivating than its successor, and with not an ounce of bombast, it is sweeping in its scope, running some forty-six minutes.



And, yes, it is coupled with the perennial "Red Poppy Suite." Sigh.



However, Delos has given us a very beautiful CD here--- with a recording technique they tout as "virtual reality." Indeed. I agree. It is thrilling, exceptionally "present," warm, yet finely detailed and vivid. Macal conducts the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with gusto, and they respond in kind. A joy to hear.



If the coupling suits you--- and I cast no aspersions toward the "Poppy Suite"... it's done very, very well--- then you have a real winner here.



[Running time: 72:50]"

Macal's Gliere

Robert E. Nylund | Ft. Wayne, Indiana United States | 01/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many of us had been familiar with Gliere's third symphony and, of course, "The Red Poppy" ballet. These are lush, richly orchestrated, and very melodic works, filled with great feeling and drama.This CD features a top-notch performance of the familiar suite from Gliere's ballet, best known for its "Russian Sailors' Dance." This music is really delightful and very memorable. There are some similarities to the ballet music of Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936), who was Gliere's contemporary and compatriot for many years.While Glazunov eventually left the Soviet Union for Paris (where he died in 1936), Gliere remained in his homeland and remained popular with both the public and the Soviet government. It is known that Josef Stalin preferred romanticism, especially the piano music of Chopin, as he told President Harry Truman. Although Gliere lived until 1956, he stayed away from the more modern trends of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, thus avoiding the public attacks such composers received from the Soviet government in 1948.Gliere's second symphony is rarely performed or recorded. Indeed, this was the first recording I ever heard of the work and I immediately liked it. The performance is outstanding and manages to capture the dramatic intensity of this epic work.The recordings benefit from superb technological advances, including Dolby surround sound, which give the works greater clarity and intensity. This is a very fine CD, performed by an orchestra that continues to build an imposing reputation."