MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             


Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


 
REVIEW


Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing

 

 

alternatively
CD: AmazonUK AmazonUS
Download: Classicsonline


Gian Francesco MALIPIERO (1883-1973)
The Symphonies - Volume 4
Symphony No. 7 Sinfonia della Canzona (1948) [23.39]
Sinfonia in un tempo (1950) [27.07]
Sinfonia per Antigenida (1962) [17.55]
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Antonio de Almeida
rec. Mosfilm Studio, Moscow, May-June 1993
NAXOS 8.570881 [68.41]

Experience Classicsonline


This series of symphonic works by Malipiero originally became available on the Marco Polo label between 1993 and 1995. It includes not only the numbered symphonies but also the sinfonias as here and as on volume 1 with the Sinfonia del mare which I (reviewed) in 2008 and on volume 2 with the wonderful Sinfonie del silenzio e della morte

The Seventh Symphony was, for several years, the last of the numbered symphonies it being followed by the three Sinfonias of which two can be heard here. I will say immediately that I really like this work. There is for much of its time a carefree, out-of-doors feel to it that might remind you a little of neo-Stravinsky or of the excitement of a Martinů Allegro. I say this despite the dodgy moments of tuning in the upper woodwind and in the horns especially in the first two movements. Obviously the Moscow Orchestra had to get through a great deal of material in the all too brief recording sessions. The symphony falls into four movements. A brief opener in respect of which John C.G. Waterhouse provides an explanation in his fascinating booklet notes. There he describes how it defies the usual sonata-form process. There’s a moving slow movement, a quick-silver and fun Scherzo and then a heartrending and lengthy Lento. The latter completely changes the mood of the work to end thoughtfully and almost tragically. Incidentally the subtitle “della Canzona” simply means ‘of songs’ and is probably not to be taken too seriously.

What would have been the Eighth Symphony, if Malipiero had not been so superstitious, is the single movement Sinfonia in un tempo. And that tempo is Andante. However this is somewhat misleading as there are changes of speed and mood, indeed even a short scherzo-like section. The work is allocated only one track and plays without a break but there are four thinly veiled continuously played sections. It is in many ways a beautiful work but on the whole I felt was too long and generally uninspired, even rambling. That said, its grindingly dissonant final bars bring the work to a surprising and possibly slightly disturbing conclusion. It is the best played of the three works here but, as above, there are several insecure moments in the horns and sometimes among the woodwind and upper strings.

The Sinfonia per Antigenida is variously described as ‘inscrutable’, ‘forbidding’ and reflecting the composer’s now bitter (he was now over 80) and “disillusioned attitude towards the world”. These are John C.G. Waterhouse’s words - he knew the composer. Its four brief, cursory movements are polyphonic and angst-ridden. Waterhouse writes about its “angular lines” which “interweave”. He says that when “performed badly and uncomprehendingly this work can seem totally devoid in content”. This performance however achieves “a real if esoteric power”. I am not so keen on the Moscow Symphony Orchestra’s efforts myself. The intonation in the violins in places is poor and the balance badly judged, Neither am I particularly happy with the low-powered recording. But as we will probably never hear the work in another performance one must be grateful.

The inspiration for Sinfonia per Antigenida was the piffaro playing of a pupil of the ancient Theban Antigendo. On receiving no plaudits for his work the pupil was greeted by his teacher with the words “take no notice ... it is enough that you should please me and the muses”. Obviously Malipiero saw himself in this anecdote. But it’s worth also considering that the composer was simply reacting to the musical style so prevalent in the early 1960s especially in Italy, a style which perhaps did not quite suit him.

I find myself wondering how I would feel if the Malipiero symphonies were played in a well prepared performance by a top orchestra. I am quite drawn to the music but can’t quite get involved. In any event, there is another volume to come. Then, no doubt, Naxos will box the whole lot together and there will be further reviews offering an overall view on this website. If you intend to purchase some Malipiero then I wouldn’t start here. Perhaps try the generally well played volume 1 first, to lower yourself gently into his quite individual sound-world. 

Gary Higginson 

 

 

 

 

 


 


EXPLORE MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL

Making a Donation to MusicWeb

Writing CD reviews for MWI

About MWI
Who we are, where we have come from and how we do it.

Site Map

How to find a review

How to find articles on MusicWeb
Listed in date order

Review Indexes
   By Label
      Select a label and all reviews are listed in Catalogue order
   By Masterwork
            Links from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to the review indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Themed Review pages

Jazz reviews

 

Discographies
   Composer
      Composer surveys
   National
      Unique to MusicWeb -
a comprehensive listing of all LP and CD recordings of given works
.
Prepared by Michael Herman

The Collector’s Guide to Gramophone Company Record Labels 1898 - 1925
Howard Friedman

Book Reviews

Complete Books
We have a number of out of print complete books on-line

Interviews
With Composers, Conductors, Singers, Instumentalists and others
Includes those on the Seen and Heard site

Nostalgia

Nostalgia CD reviews

Records Of The Year
Each reviewer is given the opportunity to select the best of the releases

Monthly Best Buys
Recordings of the Month and Bargains of the Month

Comment
Arthur Butterworth Writes

An occasional column

Phil Scowcroft's Garlands
British Light Music articles

Classical blogs
A listing of Classical Music Blogs external to MusicWeb International

Reviewers Logs
What they have been listening to for pleasure

Announcements

 

Community
Bulletin Board

Give your opinions or seek answers

Reviewers
Past and present

Helpers invited!

Resources
How Did I Miss That?

Currently suspended but there are a lot there with sound clips


Composer Resources

British Composers

British Light Music Composers

Other composers

Film Music (Archive)
Film Music on the Web (Closed in December 2006)

Programme Notes
For concert organizers

External sites
British Music Society
The BBC Proms
Orchestra Sites
Recording Companies & Retailers
Online Music
Agents & Marketing
Publishers
Other links
Newsgroups
Web News sites etc

PotPourri
A pot-pourri of articles

MW Listening Room
MW Office

Advice to Windows Vista users  
Questionnaire    
Site History  
What they say about us
What we say about us!
Where to get help on the Internet
CD orders By Special Request
Graphics archive
Currency Converter
Dictionary
Magazines
Newsfeed  
Web Ring
Translation Service

Rules for potential reviewers :-)
Do Not Go Here!
April Fools






Untitled Document


Reviews from previous months
Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details
We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.