Russian Symphony Concerts
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The Russian Symphony Concerts (Russian: Русские симфонические концерты) were a series of Russian classical music concerts hosted by timber magnate and musical philanthropist Mitrofan Belyayev in St. Petersburg as a forum for young Russian composers to have their orchestral works performed. While a number of works by these composers were performed, pieces written by composers of the previous generation such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Mily Balakirev were also played there.[1]
History
The idea for the Russian Symphony Concerts was Rimsky-Korsakov's. He had become acquainted with Belyayev at the weekly "quartet Fridays" ("Les Vendredis") held at Belayev's home. Belayev had already taken a keen interest in the musical future of the teenage Alexander Glazunov,[2] who had been one of Rimsky-Korsakov's composition students. In 1884, Belayev rented out a hall and hired an orchestra to play Glazunov's First Symphony plus an orchestral suite Glazunov had just composed.[3] Glazunov was to conduct part of this concert.[3] Seeing he was not ready to do this, Rimsky-Korsakov volunteered to take his place.[3] This "rehearsal," as Rimsky-Korsakov called it, went well and pleased both Belayev and the invited audience.[4] Buoyed by the success of the rehearsal, Belayev decided the following season to give a public concert of works by Glazunov and other composers.[5] Rimsky-Korsakov's piano concerto was played, along with Glazunov's symphonic poem Stenka Razin.[5]
Both the rehearsal the previous year and this concert gave Rimsky-Korsakov the idea of offering several concerts per year featuring Russian compositions.[6] The number of orchestral compositions was growing, and there were always difficulties in having the Russian Musical Society and other organizations program them.[6] Rimsky-Korsakov mentioned the idea to Belayev. Belayev liked it,[6] inaugurating the Russian Symphony Concerts during the 1886–1887 season.[7] Rimsky-Korsakov shared conducting duties for these concerts.[6]
In 1889 Belyayev engaged Rimsky-Korsakov to conduct two such concerts at the Paris Exposition. Rimsky-Korsakov recalled that although the performances, held at the Trocadéro on 22 and 29 June involving the Concerts Colonne orchestra, had gone well, the audiences had been meagre due to Belyayev's reluctance to advertise the concerts.[8] Nonetheless, the programmes of works by Glinka, Glazunov, Tchaikovsky and Lyadov, as well as works by "the mighty handful" made a profound impression on Maurice Ravel and Ricardo Viñes, who made a point of obtaining a piano duet arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar Symphony. So started what was to be an important influence on Ravel's own work.[9]
Glazunov was appointed conductor for the series in 1896. The following year, he led the disastrous premiere of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No 1. While Glazunov's conducting skills were not especially strong and he used his rehearsal time poorly, his alcoholism may have contributed to the debacle.[10]
Concerts
The programs for the concerts held between March 27, 1894, and February 4, 1895, were published by Vladimir Stasov in the Russian-language journal, Musical Gazette, in 1895.[11] It is often unclear whether a work is being premiered or whether it is being premiered within the context of the Concert series.
| Year | Date | Composer | Works Premiered | Non-Premiere Works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | March 27 | Alexander Glazunov | Symphony No. 1 | Suite No. 1
Unfinished Suite no. 2 |
| 1885 | November 23 | A. Glazunov | Stenka Razin | Symphony No. 2 (Borodin)
Maria's Romance from William Ratcliff (Cesar Cui) Concerto for piano and orchestra (Rimsky-Korsakov) Mazurka (Balakirev) Mvt. 6 from Mosaïque Op.15 (Nikolai Shcherbachov) Etude (Anatoly Lyadov) No. 8 of Persian Songs, Op. 34 (Anton Rubinstein) "On the hills of Georgia" (Rimsky-Korsakov) No. 16 of 20 Romances (Mily Balakirev) |
| 1886 | October 15 | Modest Mussorgsky | Night on Bald Mountain | Overture on Russian Themes, 28 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Sérénade mélancolique (Tchaikovsky) Idylle religieuse (Glazunov) 2 Morceaux, Op.24 (Cui) Symphony No. 1 (Borodin) |
| October 22 | Overture on a Spanish March Theme, Op.6 (Balakirev)
Tisbe's Arioso from Angelo (Cui) Andante lugubre (Nikolay Sokolov) Scherzo (Felix Blumenfeld) Three romances (Sokolov, Blumenfeld, Rimsky-Korsakov) Stenka Razin (Glazunov) Symphony No. 1 (Tchaikovsky) | |||
| October 29 | A. Glazunov | Overture No.2 on Greek Themes, Op.6 [possible] | Symphony No. 3 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Marfa's song from Khovanshchina (Mussorgsky) Two Idylls (Shcherbachov) Three romances (Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev) Kamarinskaya (Mikhail Glinka) Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) | |
| November 5 | A. Glazunov
Anatoly Lyadov |
Symphony No. 2
Scherzo in D major for orchestra, Op. 16 [possible] |
Fairy Tale, Op.29 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Alexander Zarzhitsky) Finnish Fantasy (Alexander Dargomyzhsky) | |
| 1887 | October 24 | Alexander Borodin[Note 1] | Symphony No. 2
3 Romances In the Steppes of Central Asia Overture of Prince Igor Two movements of Symphony No. 3 (unfinished) Two Romances Polotvsian Dances of Prince Igor | |
| October 31 | Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
C. Cui |
Spanish Capriccio
2 Morceaux, Op.36 [possible] |
Symphony No. 1 (Glazunov)
Intermezzo in modo classico (Mussorgsky) Scherzo in C major (Nikolai Artsybushev) Russia, symphonic poem (Balakirev) Melody for cello and orchestra (Sigismund Blumenfeld) | |
| November 7 | K. Antipov
A. Glazunov |
One piece from 3 Etudes, Op.1 [possible]
Mvt. 1 of Symphony No.1 (Konstantin Antipov) Suite caractéristique, Op.9 [possible] |
Spring Overture, Op. 1 (Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov)
Concerto in Cm (Rimsky-Korsakov) Scherzo in F (Cui) Sadko, op. 5 (Rimsky-Korsakov) Three piano solos (Shcherbachov, Lyadov) | |
| November 21 | F. Blumenfeld
A. Glazunov Anton Arensky Pavel Blaramberg M. Balakirev N. Rimsky-Korsakov |
Allegro de concert, Op.7 [possible]
Rêverie orientale [possible] Scherzo of Suite in G minor, Op.7 Mvt.2 of Symphony No. 1 in B minor Mazurka No.4 [possible] Sinfonietta on Russian Themes, op. 31 [possible] |
Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky)
Polotvsian Dances (Borodin/Rimsky-Korsakov) Overture No.1 on 3 Greek Themes, Op.3 (Glazunov) Intermezzo in B (Lyadov) No. 3 of 3 Etudes for Piano, Op.3 (F. Blumenfeld) | |
| December 5 | Jāzeps Vītols
N. Rimsky-Korsakov A. Glazunov |
Symphony in E minor [possible]
Concert Fantasia on Russian Themes, Op.33 "The Forest," Symphonic Fantasy [possible] |
Mazurka rustique (Lyadov)
Spanish Overture No. 1 (Glinka) Mvt. 3 from String Quartet No. 2 (Borodin) Spanish Capriccio (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |
| 1888 | October 22 | N. Rimsky-Korsakov | Scheherazade, op. 35 | 2 excerpts from Angelo (Cui)
Poem lyrique, op. 12 (Glazunov) Concert overture in C# minor (Sergei Lyapunov) 3 Romances (Rimsky-Korsakov, Blumenfeld, Cui) Souvenir d'une nuit d'été à Madrid (Glinka) |
| November 19 | Tamara (Balakirev)
Excerpt from William Radcliff (Cui) Mazurka (Glazunov) Scherzo for Orchestra, Op.16 (Lyadov) Two Romances (Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov) Symphony No. 1 (Borodin) | |||
| December 3 | N. Rimsky-Korsakov
S. Lyapunov |
Russian Easter Festival Overture, op. 36
Symphony No. 1, op. 12 |
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23 (Tchaikovsky)
To the Memory of a Hero, Op.8 (Glazunov) Four piano pieces (Glazunov, Blumenfeld, Lyadov, Shcherbachov) Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) | |
| December 17 | A. Glazunov | Slavonic Festival, Op.26a
2 Pieces for Cello and Orchestra, Op.20 |
Marche solennelle, Op.18 (Cui)
Elegy (Sokolov) Scherzo (Alexander Kopylov) Two piano pieces (Lyadov, Balakirev) The Tempest (Tchaikovsky) Op. 6 (Balakirev) | |
| 1889 | January 21 | F. Blumenfeld | Mazurka, op. 11 | Two movements of Symphony No. 3 (Borodin)
Three orchestral pieces (Cui) Excerpts from Boris Gudonov (Mussorgsky) Serenade melancolique (Tchaikovsky) Stenka Razin (Glazunov) |
| February 4 | Symphony No. 2 (Glazunov)
Maria's Romance from William Ratcliff (Cesar Cui) Breton dance (Cui) Fantasia on Serbian Themes, Op. 6 (Rimsky-Korsakov) 3 Romances (Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev) Polotvsian Dances of Prince Igor (Borodin) | |||
| June 22[Note 2] | Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila (Glinka)
In the Steppes of Central Asia (Borodin) Mvt. 1 of Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky) Symphony No. 2 (Rimsky-Korsakov) Overture on Russian Themes (Balakirev) 4 minor works (Cui, Lyadov) Finnish Fantasy (A. Dargomyzhsky) Stenka Razin (Glazunov) | |||
| June 29 | Symphony No. 2 (Glazunov)
Piano Concerto in C♯ minor, Op. 30 (Rimsky-Korsakov) Kamarinskaya (Glinka) March and Polotvsian Dances (Borodin) Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) 3 minor works (Balakirev, Tchaikovsky, Blumenfeld) Scherzo for Orchestra, Op.16 (Lyadov) Spanish Capriccio (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |||
| October 28[Note 3] | A. Borodin | Petite suite [possible] | Overture of Prince Kholmsky (Glinka)
Yaroslav's Aria from Prince Igor (Borodin) Symphony No. 1 (Glazunov) Two Romances (Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov) Spanish Capriccio (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |
| November 11 | J. Vītols | "Ligo Celebration" on Latvian folk themes | Tamara (Balakirev)
Recit and Vladimir's Cavatina from Prince Igor (Borodin) 3 Romances (Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky) Symphony No. 2 (Borodin) | |
| 1890 | January 20 | Cesar Cui
A. Glazunov |
3 excerpts from Le Filibustier
Oriental Rhapsody |
Aria from Kroatka (Dütsch)
Shcherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov) 2 Romances (Tchaikovsky, Cui) March (Mussorgsky) |
| February 18 | In Arganteau piano suite (Cui)
Elegy for Cello (Glazunov) Dodola's Dances and Sunny Villas (Achilles Alferaki) Fantasy for Orchestra in E Major, Op. 28 (Glazunov) Two minor pieces (Arensky, Tchaikovsky) Excerpts from Mlada (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |||
| November 3[Note 4] | Russia, symphonic poem (Balakirev)
Romances (Mussorgsky) Symphony in E minor (Vitols) "The Forest," Symphonic Fantasy (Glazunov) Romances (Borodin) Kamarinskaya (Glinka) | |||
| November 17 | Aleksey Petrov[12]
C. Cui |
Allegro Symphonique in Bm [possible]
Suite No.3, Op.43 |
2 Romances (Glazunov)
Symphony No. 3 (Rimsky-Korsakov) Romances (Cui) Idylle Religieuse (Glazunov) Dance of the Peaches from Khovanshchina (Mussorgsky) | |
| December 3 | C. Cui | The Two Ghosts ballad | Two movements of unfinished Symphony No. 3 (Borodin)
Symphony No. 3 in D (Glazunov) Two Romances (Mussorgsky) Chukhon Fantasia (Dargomyzhsky) | |
| December 22[Note 5] | Symphony No. 1
Piano Concerto in C#m Easter Festival Overture, op. 36 | |||
| 1891 | January 26 | F. Blumenfeld | Symphony in Em [possible] | Sinfonietta on Russian Themes, Op.31 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Romances (Rimsky-Korsakov) Scherzo in C major (Artsybushev) Overture No. 1 on Greek Themes (Glazunov) |
| February 2 | Mirage, symphonic poem (Nikolai Klenovsky)
Concert Allegro for piano and orchestra (Blumenfeld) Middle East, symphonic poem (Borodin) Two works (Sokolov) Three piano solos (Lyadov, Balakirev, Scherbachev) Slavonic Feast, symphonic poem (Glazunov) | |||
| February 16 | N. Rimsky-Korsakov | 3rd Act of Mlada | The Kremlin, Op. 30 symphonic poem (Glazunov)
Romances (Balakirev) Introduction and Polonaise from Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) | |
| November 30 | M. Mussorgsky | Pictures at an Exhibition (Tushmalov's version) | Symphony No. 2 (Borodin)
3 parts of Concert Suites for Violin (Cui) Stenka Razin (Glazunov) Concert Fantasia on Russian Themes (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |
| 1892 | January 25 | N. Sokolov
A. Glazunov A. Lyadov |
Final Chorus from Don Juan, Op. 5
Two works for female choir Spring, symphonic poem, Op. 34 Final Scene of The Messinian Bride |
Fairy Tale, Op.29 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
The Destruction of Sennacherib (Mussorgsky) Mazurka for Orchestra (Blumenfeld) |
| December 12 | Symphony No. 3 in D (Glazunov)
Three Romances (Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, Tchaikovsky) Overture of May Night (Rimsky-Korsakov) Overture on Spanish March (Balakirev) Romances and Arragon Hunting (Glinka) | |||
| 1893 | January 16 | A. Glazunov | Triumphal March, Op. 40[Note 6] | Suite No. 2 for Orchestra (Cui)
Scene from Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) Sadko/Overture of The Maid of Pskov (Rimsky-Korsakov) Romances (Glazunov, Arensky, Mussorgsky) Two Choral pieces (Mussorgsky, Borodin) |
| November 20 | P. I. Tchaikovsky[Note 7] | Symphony No. 4
Aria from The Maid of Orleans Four orchestral works: Op. 21, Impromptu in A, 72, 7 Romances: Op. 73, 65 Slavic March | ||
| December 18 | A. Glazunov | Waltz and Scherzo | Antar/Excerpt from The Snow Maiden (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Overture of The Carnival (Glazunov) Excerpt from Act 3 of May Night (Rimsky-Korsakov) | |
| 1894 | January 22 | A. Glazunov | Symphony No. 4 | |
| 1895 | March 28 | Sergei Rachmaninoff | Symphony No. 1 |
Notes
- This concert was dedicated to Alexander Borodin following his death.
- The June 22 and 29th concerts were part of the 1889 Exposition universelle held at the Trocadero Palace in Paris.
- The concerts from October, 1889 to 1890 return to the traditional model.
- The 1890 to 1891 season (Nov. 3 to Feb. 16), was held in the House of Unions in Moscow.
- This concert was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Rimsky-Korsakov's career as a composer.
- The work uses a quotation from Battle Hymn of the Republic. However, the title for its premiere was, Artistic March on An American Theme.
- The concert was dedicated to Pyotr Tchaikovsky given his death earlier that month on November 6, 1893.