War Music, Vol. 14

LEONID POLOVINKIN (1894-1949): Symphony No. 9.

Description: This composer is generally known for his suites of piano pieces and stage works for children; as far as I know, this is the first symphony of his to appear on CD. Written in 1944, it looks forward, not backward with victory in the war already almost certain, and Polovinkin renders homage to the Mighty Five in the colorful, folk-derived melodies throughout the 49-minute work but especially in the scherzo, the lullaby slow movement and the first theme of the finale. A work on this scale is de-fact "epic" and elements of that genre are present in the outer movements but there is no anguish and suffering here! St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra; Alexander Titov.