Warsaw-born Mieczslaw Weinberg (more
frequently seen in the Russian variant
as Moise Vainberg or Vaynberg if you
look at the 1980 New Grove) was the
son of a violinist and composer working
in the Polish theatre. His First Symphony
resulted in Vainberg being invited to
Moscow by Shostakovich. The two were
close and, rather like Holst and Vaughan
Williams, had a relationship of mutual
trust under which they shared views
on work in progress.
The Fourth Symphony
is in four movements the first of
which is thunderously busy - slightly
academic in its fugal preoccupation.
However there is room too for acrid
emotionalism. There is some Shostakovich-style
knockabout in the finale which in the
end grasps a certain raucously forbidding
triumph. The slightly acidic lyrical
flow of the allegretto finds time for
solo instrument statements which have
a similarity to those in
Nielsen's Sixth Symphony. The adagio
saunters along in a poignant nostalgic
haze; a lovely inspiration. The symphony
is dedicated to the composer Revol Bunin
(1924-1976). We must hope that Chandos
will also turn to Bunin's symphonies
as well as those of Shtogarenko, Lokshin
and Ovchinnikov in due course.
There are twenty-two
Vainberg symphonies in total and two
sinfoniettas of which the Second
Sinfonietta is here. Like the
First it is in four compact movements.
While the Fourth Symphony has an ambiguous
knockabout element this work is grave
and haunted. Its most memorable aspect
is presented in the Andantino which
is a miracle of concise questioning
- halting and faltering lyricism - (tr.9
2.34).
The Rhapsody
on Moldavian Themes is an effective
and sensitive work in the pattern of
the Enescu Rumanian rhapsodies. It is
bright and breezy, dreamy too especially
in the slow and swayingly massive build-up
where the expansive writing of Khachaturyan
is recalled. It could comfortably be
placed in the company with Kabalevsky's
overture to Colas Breugnon and
Shostakovich's Festive Overture and
no-one would blink. At the time of its
premiere it came in for some mild stick
from Khrennikov and Shtogarenko.
Olympia have done a superb job of making
many hours of Vainberg available. I
rather hope that Chandos will think
of filling the gaps left in the symphony
cycle by Olympia rather than duplicating
their work even if Olympia is now defunct.
Due to the work of
Claves and Olympia there is quite a
lot of Vainberg on the shelves although
so much of it depends on Olympia who
seem now to have dropped out of the
scene. Chandos are set to make a major
and enduring contribution if the frst
two discs are anything to go by. Don't
let this one slip into the background
and don't imagine that Vainberg is some
second league Shostakovich. He has his
own perspective and the sharpness, invective,
Russian passion and desolation are distinctively
his own.
The notes are by that
outstanding writer on Soviet musical
matters Per Skans. He and David Fanning
have done superb work to excavate the
massive and thoughtlessly derided.
This is a classic entry
with a greater emphasis on populism,
poignancy and nostalgia than in volume
1.
I await volume 3 with
great anticipation.
Rob Barnett
National Polish Radio Symphony Orchesra, Katowice/Gabriel
Chmura