10 February 2016

24/48: Niyazi Hajibeyov / Moscow Radio - Amirov. Shur - CCCP 1955

Fikret Amirov:  "Shur" - Symphonic Mugham No.1 (1948)

Introduction ~ Shur & Tesnif ~ Shur Shaknaz & Reng  //  Bayaty Turk ~  Reng ~ Tesnif ~ Erak ~ Simai Shems

16/44 FLAC  Mega Download            24/48 XR FLAC  Mega Download

Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Niyazi Hajibeyov

CCCP  D-2626/2627   c.1962 10" LP / c.1955 matrices?: /2/2, /2/4
Superb recording.  Adjusted for CBS EQ.  Original upload 2008/9: new transfer...    CCCP label pics / MK sleeve >>>   






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17 comments:

  1. Aggelos10 February, 2016

    Thanks a lot friend! Much Appreciated! Fikret Amirov is one my favorite composers. I love the orchestral exoticism as expressed by Russian and Soviet composers.... And the names are endless. You may start from Rimsky-Korsakov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Reinhold Gliere, Alexander Spendiarov, Mili Balakirev and you don't know where to stop....
    Recently I bought Arif Melikov from Melodiya, another of Amirov's compatriots (along with Niyazi, Suleyman Aleskerov, Soltan Hajibeyov, Uzeir Hajibeyov, Kara Karayev, et al)
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/June/Melikov_legend_MELCD1002326.htm


    So, far this what I have bought for Fikret Amirov :

    Naxos' Amirov
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/July10/Amirov_Symphonic_Mugams_Naxos8572170.htm
    http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-15375/

    His Piano Concerto with Elmira Nazirova
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Dec11/Azerbaijan_PCs_8572666.htm
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Nov11/Azerbaijan_PCs_8572666.htm


    Leopold Stokowski's Amirov
    http://www.classicalmusiccommunications.com/agency.php?view=news&nid=5756
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Aug14/Scriabin_ecstasy_SDBR3032.htm
    http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/9358
    http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/e/evc03032a.php
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/Dec13/Everest_again.html

    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Aug14/Shostakovich_sy1_GHCD2415.htm
    http://www.guildmusic.com/shop/wbc.php?tpl=produktdetail.html&pid=16135


    Antonio De Almeida's Amirov (ASV Label)
    http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/Nov/ASV_Russian.htm
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/fikret-amirov-shur-azerbaijan-mugam-no-1-azerbaijan-capriccio-mw0001826691


    Olympia's Amirov
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/fikret-amirov-azerbaijan-capriccio-a-tale-of-nasimi-k%C3%BCrd-ovshari-g%C3%BClistan-bayaty-shiraz-mw0001820478
    http://www.catawiki.com/catalog/records-and-cds/artists-bands/adigezalov-yalchin/1818263-fikret-amirov

    http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/the-arabian-nights-mr0002736017
    http://www.catawiki.com/catalog/records-and-cds/artists-bands/abdullayev-rauf/1818441-fikret-amirov-the-arabian-nights


    Oodles of rare Soviet Vinyls
    http://militscky.narod.ru/cd-r.html




    Do you have "Popular Symphonic Pieces by Soviet Composers", with The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, as conducted by Mark Ermler? (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab release)
    http://blackbirdgsus.blogspot.com/2008/10/popular-symphonic-pieces-by-soviet.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tin Ear10 February, 2016

      This came from Alan Bush's collection; only acquired a few 'Melodiya' in the part I bought (his R2R tapes of the 'Nottingham' Symphony must've attracted the other bidder - I went pretty high ...).

      Didn't check to see if this was available elsewhere - anyway, the Vinyl is good (MK export-quality wasn't..) and the LP transfer didn't have the usual older Soviet problems; bad distortion/strange fuzzy noises).

      The performance is the thing: and the sound is more spacious as 24/96.

      Thanks for the links: though I'd be wary of buying ancient Soviet LP's!!!!!

      Have something similar to the Ermler CD - Svetlanov 33C 10-10479-82 - Xmas 1974 broadcast "Pearls of Russian Symphonic Minatures" - but presumably that got a CD release?

      Delete
  2. Aggelos10 February, 2016

    Actually your LP, in relation to this one, have different contents. Therefore, you needn't worry
    http://militscky.narod.ru/D014291-AMIROV.jpg

    Yes, as you saw in the link, there are oodles of old Soviet LPs featuring some serious stuff in there!
    I don't know about Yevgeny Svetlanov, but I was looking for the Mark Elmer release and asked you if you, by any chance, had had it in LP version or something.... But nevermind....


    I would be interested in sth like this, since Reinhold Gliere is one of my favorite composers of all time and it features the Shakh-Senem orchestral suite
    http://militscky.narod.ru/GLIERE-Shakh-Senem.jpg

    "Shakh-Senem", Opera excerpts
    Anatoly Orfenov
    K.Rachevskaya
    All-Union Radio Orchestra, Reinhold Gliere, G.Stolyarov conductors

    Concerto for Voice and Orchestra, op.82
    Bella Rudenko soprano
    Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Stepan Turchak conductor

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tin Ear10 February, 2016

    The internet prompts shorthand: I know the contents weren't the same (actually, more interesting...)!

    You have to appreciate that 'stuff like that' only got imported into the UK in small quantities before EMI started their stereo's in 1968... (possibly by Colletts bookshop - who did import in the 70's - but probably not in the 50's?)

    There were few UK Tourists to Russia + who'd buy 'Melodiya's' (Alan Bush was an English communist composer)- and in the 50's/early 60's there were only a few issues by EMI/Parlophone + small UK companies (Monarch/Saga) from dubious tapes + some imports from the USA (Artia) + the exported MK's (I have some)...

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    Replies
    1. Aggelos10 February, 2016

      Thanks a lot for the heads up!
      Since all the contents of those Soviet LPs belong to Melodiya, hopefully now what is left for them to do is to restore them digitally and release them on CD (as long as they have them in their vaults in good condition).....

      There is one LP with Herman Abendroth (Urania Records) that features him conducting Amirov
      http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rfbJUJbcL.jpg
      http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Toiif83GL.jpg

      Speaking of Urania Records, the Bach-Leibowitz Passacaglia and Fugue BWV 582 Orchestral Transcription has been issued on a CD by Urania Records. But I don't hear that the transfers are good. Some people have been complaining about them.
      http://www.uraniarecords.com/wordpress/?p=1377
      The same goes for Scribendum. They didn't manage to get The Passacaglia and Fugue on disc. I would like to hear his orchestration for Toccata and Fugue BWV 565 one day, but the chances are slim of it to receive a recording....
      http://www.scribendumrecordings.com/our-shop/4583959841/sc510-13cd---the-art-of-leibowitz/10114478
      http://www.mdt.co.uk/leibowitz-rene-the-art-of-italiana-leibowitz-scribendum-13cds.html

      Do you plan to do justice to the Bach-Leibowitz Passacaglia & Fugue, since it exists only on LP (and Urania Records somehow screwed things up)?



      As far as I am concerned, Leibowitz has the following orchestral transcriptions.
      -Franck / Rene Leibowitz : Panis Angelicus
      -Mussorgsky / Rene Leibowitz : Night on Bald Mountain
      -Traditional / Rene Leibowitz : Greensleeves & Londonderry Air

      -Mozart / Rene Leibowitz : Fantasia for Mechanical Organ KV 594, for double string orchestra [Boelke-Bomart Inc.]
      http://www.schott-france.com/shop/9/show,303112.html

      -Schoenberg / Rene Leibowitz : Three Songs Op. 48 (for Low Voice and Orchestra) [Boelke-Bomart Inc.]
      Instrumentation : 1,1, 2+1, 1, - 1,1,1,0 - hp - pf.

      -Schubert / Rene Leibowitz : Fantasia in C Major (originally for violin and piano D.943) [Boelke-Bomart Inc.]
      Instrumentation : 2,2,2,2 - 2,2,3,1 - pf - str
      http://www.schott-france.com/shop/9/show,308325.html

      -Schubert / Rene Leibowitz : Fantasia in F Minor (originally for piano 4-hands Op.103) [Boelke-Bomart Inc.]
      Instrumentation : 2,2,2,2 - 2,2,3,1 - timp - str
      http://www.schott-france.com/shop/9/show,319689.html

      - J.S. Bach / Rene Leibowitz: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565
      Instrumentation : pic.2(2.pic).2(2.ca).Ebcl.1.bcl.2.cbsn - 4.2.2.btbn.1 - timp.perc(tri, cym, tam-t, tamb, b.d)-hp.pno(cel) - str [Boelke-Bomart Inc.]
      http://www.schott-france.com/shop/Sheet_Music/orchestra/2682321/2263327/show,303087.html

      Delete
    2. Tin Ear11 February, 2016

      This scenario is similar to what I was asked, years back: to transfer obscure 'Dial' records (never imported into the UK) or some ancient 'Argo' (bought in very tiny quantities)..and early Leibowitz.....................

      The answer is: "I don't have them" - nor does virtually Anyone: the UK market was dominated by EMI/Decca in the '50's: and that's what collectors purchased (in pretty smallish quantities; and not those LP's that later became 'rarities').

      For 50's CCCP material you need people in Russia (mainly) who have access to those discs - hopefully not previously ruined by the original owner/state-manufactured 'record player'; and that the guy doing the transfer doesn't screw-up the sound with various 'software' (this is hand-edited: no electronic manipulation, except the EQ-curve) - probably why it sounds good (and you want More!!!).

      BTW: CD standard is not good enough....even though there are traces of tape/tape-to-disc distortion to be heard on this...(if you listen closely: like I do - for all the 'blemishes' (tape edits are also corrected, where possible, as part of this 'service').

      Delete
    3. Aggelos11 February, 2016

      Thanks for the insight and background story. Although you kinda lost me in there in terms of technical issues and stuff....

      These are two topics that I have a very soft spot for.
      1) J.S. Bach Orchestral Trascription list
      http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Arran/L-Orchestra.htm

      2) Orchestral works (Overtures, orchestral sketches, orchestral pictures, orchestral suites, symphonic poems, etc) by Russian and Soviet composers.

      Delete
    4. Tin Ear11 February, 2016

      Russian/Soviet orchestral material on post-1963 LP I wouldn't anyway upload...even if I had the time.

      Bach orchestral-transcriptions rarely appeared UK/LP-era (only have the Stokowski PFS + Munchinger LXT2668 (Fugues BWV 947/1000 (arr by him) + M.Offering Ricercare 6pts (Edwin Fischer) - but wouldn't bother trying to edit that 1952 LP (never on CD): not on that list, it seems.

      Anyway: trust you found the Niyazi a exciting listen: I doubt there was ever a UK-issued Amirov LP (even on HMV Melodiya) 1950-1980... UK orchestras are anyway not too idiomatic in 'obscure' Russian material (had considered uploading a 1957 RCA: Fistoulari/LPO 'Red Poppy'/'Caucasian Sketches' - but it then got its first stereo release on Decca Eloquence CD).

      Delete
    5. Aggelos11 February, 2016

      Yes, the Niyazi-Amirov combination was in fact an exciting and pleasurable listening. The reviewer put it very eloquently with regards to the ASV Amirov CD
      "AMIROV (1922-1984) wrote highly coloured music - as brightly lit as ASV's cover art. This is ethnic-dramatic and ranges from poetic middle eastern exotic to gaudily raucous. You might well end up grouping these works written during the period 1940-1970 with those of Khachaturian. The Moscow Phil under de Almeida play up the barbarous colours in a 1996 recording. This Azerbaijani composer rejoiced in a Rimskian tradition and poured into it colours that rage and dazzle. No wonder that Stokowski took up the first of his Azerbaijani Mugams (nationalistic rhapsodies) coupled on Everest with Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy and, I think, other works. It can be a little episodic and is in the Borodin Polovtsian tradition. This music is quite addictive."


      Now that you mention them, the discs are hard track down
      http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Mar11/ippolitov_caucasian_4802428.htm
      http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/aug00/antar.htm


      The J.S. Bach Orchestral Transcriptions list is under construction. God knows how many of them exist out there (published and in manuscript)

      Delete
    6. Tin Ear11 February, 2016

      As you can see on MusicWeb - RCA's Khachaturian Sym.1 LP hasn't had a CD release (it's very nice).

      Delete
    7. Aggelos12 February, 2016

      Well, yes... But which Khachaturian RCA recording is it? Conducted by whom?

      As far as Amirov goes, here's the orchestral score for Shur
      http://imslp.org/wiki/Shur_%28Amirov,_Fikret%29

      Delete
    8. Tin Ear12 February, 2016

      Symphony 1: there's only 1 RCA to choose from...
      London SO/Loris Tjeknavorian
      Pr/Eng: Brian Culverhouse:- 3-4 Oct 1978, Abbey Road.
      (Unless Michael Herman 'missed' a CD release).

      Luckily, you're spoilt for choice with CD Blogs that have Soviet obscurities.

      Delete
    9. Aggelos13 February, 2016

      Well, I am not so fond of Khachaturian's Symphonies, but Tjeknavorian is a long-lasting champion of Khachaturian works.


      Yes, indeed. we are spoiled for choice with blogs that have Russian-Soviet stuff. On the other hand, there are russian torrent fora to search for stuff.
      An example -> Nice Vinyl with Overtures by Soviet Composers as conducted by Svetlanov. I grabbed this for the Reinhold Gliere Overture, since this is the version for full symphony orchestra ( he did one for wind ensemble as well) and the Olympia CD from the 80s that features this Gliere work is quite elusive....
      http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3804416

      Delete
    10. Tin Ear13 February, 2016

      For some obscure (to me) reason Russian's seem interested in very Old English music (Purcell, etc).
      Doubt Melodiya stereo LP's are worth 24/96: their DMM are mostly Digital (?) - and I use rather better Cartridges than Ortofon OM5E !!!!!!! (the last 3 here are one of my JVC X-1 shibata, otherwise mostly Decca Gold)..though not seen that site before (Cyrillic confuses me...).

      Delete
    11. Aggelos13 February, 2016

      Yes rutracker.org is highly recommended. So does the intoclassics
      http://intoclassics.net/
      You can find Ahmed Ben Godel there
      http://militscky.narod.ru/AHMED-BEN-GODEL.jpg
      http://intoclassics.net/news/2014-05-26-35977


      This must be an awesome Vinyl with Gliere
      http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/Aggelos_05/Music%20Related/Gliere_zpsinvnbki6.jpg
      Features
      Nathan Rakhlin conducting Zaporozhye Cossacks Op. 64,
      Kirill Kondrashin conducting Holiday at Ferghana Op. 75,
      and
      eventually Alexander Gauk conducting Sirens Op. 33

      Delete
  4. Anonymous11 February, 2016

    Dear unknown The Ear:
    Thanks so much for your efforts. I have listened again after many years to some old records my father had and used to play at home when I was a kid. Schuricht's Wagner, Ansermet's Petrouchka and some others shaped the musical landscape of my childhood and youth, during the 50s and 60s.
    Thank you for this chance of having this wonderful records again!
    Take care. Greets from Spain!
    Paco

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    Replies
    1. Tin Ear11 February, 2016

      Am probably quite well-known (...).
      Glad you enjoyed these 'old records' - I think I'll stop, though: before I become as old as my Father!

      Delete

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