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Both concert symphonies,
Nr. 1 and Nr. 2, by Vl. Zolotariev convey a completely new picture of
this composer's talent. However, many works for classical music and
choirs are still waiting to be performed, among them the oratory "Red-letter
days of the Revolution" for four choirs, soloists, a narrator and
symphonic orchestra, as well as the poem "Martin Eden" (after
Jack London) for alto and chamber orchestra, two string quartets...
Concert Symphony Nr. 1 for bayan and symphonic orchestra (1972)
is an essentially enlarged and revised version of the first concert
for bayan from 1965. It no longer depicts a competition in concerto
form between soloist and orchestra, it is a truly symphonic picture
with orchestral development, the bayan playing enormously important
solos.
This symphony in four movements is pretty well marked by the composer's
romantic view of life. Episodes of spiritualization logically blend
into the music which represents power, manliness and optimism of the
youth. In addition, we should also emphasize the splendid tone colours
of the score. Manifold orchestral colours that complete the bayan score
show that the composer has detailed knowledge of how to make use of
an orchestra, a fact that is backed up by his highly professional instrumentation.
The symphony is dedicated to the writer Marietta Schaginjan with whom
the composer was acquainted.
Concert Symphony Nr.2 for bayan and symphonic orchestra represents
the greatest tragedy in the oeuvre of Vl. Solotarjov. The idea of death
as a person's ultimate experience is shown in the centre of this fresco
in four movements. When earlier - in the third sonata - harmony and
lucidity won the battle against dark powers, this symphony ends, like
the end of the world, in draining the bitter cup. The first two movements
contain large, meditative sections written in twelve-tone music system
- a composition technique using 12 non-recurring sounds, first applied
by the Austrian composer A. Schönberg. In the third movement a
certain tension is built up that finally explodes in the part of "Bacchanalia',
carrying off everything in its way. The disastrous theme for trombones
of A. Bruckner's Eighth Symphony rings out. The sudden, lonesome, human
voice (soprano) is drowned in total chaos. Finally, at this point of
culmination, all musicians begin to stamp their feet, roar with laughter,
whistle and scream, "Morte! Morte! (Death! Death!) And on top of
all that - the sound of glass breaking.... The symphony ends in a very
short, fourth movement, the epilogue, downward-glissandi of the strings
completing the picture: the universe vanishes into nothingness
The symphony is dedicated to the conductor Gennady Roshdjestvensky.
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