[kanishknishar]

Mr. JAS, if it's anything of a consolation to you, you can access these albums off Apple Music. Not all are released. But quite a few are available.

 

[Huilunsoittaja]

Man, what was I doing in March 2013? I must have been too busy with school to see this thread. Yes...

Ouch... the adrenaline shot I got from finding this thread is killing my insides... ouch...

I guess back then YouTube hadn't started putting up the Anthology yet, so it wouldn't have mattered to me because I'm poor and don't buy stuff. So now it's more relevant to resurrect this thread.

Enjoy enjoy enjoy!!!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=anthology+of+russian+symphony+music

YouTube is adding more to the Anthology collection every month. All the Glazunov ones are accounted for as far as I know, but more composers are appearing now, notably Balakirev, Medtner, Arensky and Liadov.

 

[JAS]

Medtner with Nilolaeva and svelanov 3rd concerto is just over 35 1/2 minutes long.

Superb russian orchestral playing, it's a crime it has not been issued on CD

Doik

The only CD in the set I am still missing is Swan Lake, although I have it in other formats. I too have filled in some of the omitted volumes with what I think would have been the material had there been a release.

It is strange that I just happened to see this old thread again today, as it turned up in a more general search.

 

[kanishknishar]

The only CD in the set I am still missing is Swan Lake, although I have it in other formats. I too have filled in some of the omitted volumes with what I think would have been the material had there been a release.

It is strange that I just happened to see this old thread again today, as it turned up in a more general search.

Mr. JAS, did you get around to finishing your collection?

 

[JAS]

Mr. JAS, did you get around to finishing your collection?

As just noted above, only the swan seem to be eluding me. I have recently ordered the Svetlanov performance of Tchiakovsky's Hamlet and Suite No. 2. I always thought that Swan Lake (in the original CD version of the anthology) was going to be the hardest one to get. I have seen several copies for sale over the years, but always after the fact. I do have the performance in other releases, just not in the original anthology format. The quest continues . . .

 

[JAS]

And I suppose I might as well finish my posted list. First I can confirm one:

Vol. 57 (SUCD 10-00181) - N. Rimsky-Korsakov: (My copy has a paper booklet and a Green color to the CD, although it does say USSR, so it is presumably old.)

# Sinfonietta on Russian Themes (7.44/10.22/6.26)
# Overture on Russian Themes (11.53)
# Russian Easter Festival Overture (14.18)
# Prelude-Cantata from Homer (12.26)

and

Omitted? - Vol. 65 (SUCD 10-00193) - P. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 ??????? (speculative entry based in part on the SUCD number, from another list)

Vol. 66 (SUCD 10-00194) - P. Tchaikovsky:

# Symphony No. 2 (second version)
# Serenade for Strings and Orchestra

Vol. 67 (SUCD 10-00195) - P. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Romeo and Juliet (I saw this cover on eBay in 2011, with the number shown) (but my copy says RUSSIA)

Vol. 68 (SUCD 10-00196) - P. Tchaikovsky:

# Symphony No. 4
# Fatum
# Capriccio Italian


Vol. 69 - (SUCD 10-00197) - P. Tchaikovsky:
# Symphony No. 5
# The Tempest


Omitted? - Vol. 70 (SUCD 10-00198) - P. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 ??? (Possibly with Voyevoda and Andante Cantabile)


Vol. 71 - P. Tchaikovsky: (SUCD 10-00199) (There are covers both with USSR and RUSSIA.)
# "Manfred" Symphony
# Solemn Overture on Danish Anthem


Vol. 72 ?? - Suite for Orchestra No. 1 ??? (Possibly with Piano Concerto No. 1???? Not sure that Svetlanov ever recorded the Concert No. 1, although he did the Concert No. 2. The CD release of No. 1 is also with Gilels, but another conductor.)


Vol. 73 (SUCD 10-00019) (vol. assumed, unnumbered) - P. Tchaikovsky: (Recorded 1970 and 1987)

# Suite for Orchestra No. 2 in C major (Op. 53)
# Hamlet (overture fantasy after Shakespeare) (Op. 67)
# Overture in F major

Omitted? - Vol. 74 - Suites for Orchestra Nos. 3 and 4 (this is from another list, not seen) (All 4 suites were released on LP as a set, with the Anthology name on the cover) (Suites 1 and 4 were issued together on a single CD on Olympia, and 3 and 4 were eventually released on a CD by Melodiya. It was also issued as 3 and 4 by Melodiay/BMG, as were 1 and 2.)

Omitted? - Vol. 75 - The Nutcracker Suite and Swan Lake Suite (SUCD 10-00001) (this was issued in the series on LP, but not sure about CD, or placement. Melodiya did issue a separate CD with both suites, but not with the Anthology title.) Another LP in the series had the Suite from Swan Lake, with Overture in C Minor. (The only images I have seen of the cover for this CD do not show the Anthology title, although they seem to have the SUCD code of 10-00001)

Vol. ?? - P. Tchaikovsky: Romances ???? (SUCD 10-00201) (the only other piece not accounted for is Overture in C Minor, which is part of the collection issued by the Svetlanov Foundation and was on the record version of Swan Lake, but not the CD issue.)

Vol. 76 (SUCD 10-00403, 00404, 00405) - P. Tchaikovsky

# The Swan Lake, ballet in four acts (Op. 20)
# The Seasons, 12 Characteristic Pieces


Vol. 77 (SUCD 10-00406) - P. Tchaikovsky (My copy says RUSSIA and has a paper booklet)

# The Sleeping Beauty, ballet in three acts, with prolog (3CDs) (Op. 66) (71.28/48.08/50.10)


Vol. 78 - (SUCD 10-00409 and 00410):
#The Nutcracker (fairy ballet in two acts)
# Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra (with Emil Gilels) (2CDs)

Vol. 79 (SUCD 10-00411-412) - P. Tchaikovsky: Symphony Operatic Excerpts:
# Voyevoda
# Oprichnik
# Cherevichki
# Eugene Onegin
# The Maid of Orleans
# Mazeppa
# Enchantress
# Queen of Spades
# Iolanthe

My speculations are not necessarily correct.

 

[JAS]

Somewhat unexpectedly, I came across this from what appears to be Melodiya's own website:
ANTHOLOGY OF RUSSIAN symphonic music

Union studio records "Melody" in the Soviet years has implemented the most ambitious project in the history of the world record, having published on vinyl records a series of monumental orchestral works by Russian composers, performed by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR under Evgeny Svetlanov. Anthology of Russian symphonic music created for 25 years! The series includes a world-recognized masterpieces by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Scriabin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky. So, and works that recreate a complete picture of Russian musical art and a half centuries, orchestral works Dargomyzhsky, Balakirev, Glazunov, Taneyev, Liadov, Kalinnikova, Medtner, Arensky and Lyapunov. Anthology in full entered the CD catalog of the company "Melody". Below is a full list of the series of disks, published in the USSR and the United States (from 1989 to 1994).

Volume 1 - 10-00148 - A. Arensky - Suite number 1, 3 (Variations), Introduction to the opera "Nal and Damayanti"
Volume 2 - 10-00149 - A. Arensky - Symphony number 1, 2, Overture to the opera "Dream on the Volga" Intermezzo in G Minor
Volume 3 - 10-00150 - A. Arensky - Suite number 2 "Silhouettes", suite from the ballet "Egyptian Nights"
Volume 4 - 10-00151 - M. Balakirev - Symphony number 1, Overture on Three Russian Themes, Symphonic Poem "Rus"
Volume 5 - 10-00152 - M. Balakirev - Symphony number 2, the symphonic poem "Tamara", "In the Czech Republic"
Volume 6 - 10-00153 - M. Balakirev - "King Lear," Suite in B minor, Overture on a Spanish March
Volume 7 - 10-00138 - Music Balakirev, Borodin, Mussorgsky
Volume 8 - 10-00154 - Borodin - Symphonies number 1, 2 "Warriors"
Volume 9 - 10-00155 - Borodin - Symphony number 3, Little Suite, in Central Asia, Overture to the opera "Prince Igor"
Volume 10 - 10-00179 - waltzes and polonaises Russian composers
Volume 11 - 10-00020 - A. Glazunov - Ballet in one act "Mistress maid" (Lady Soubrette)
Volume 12 - 10-00022 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 1, Symphonic picture "Kremlin"
Volume 13 - 10-00023 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 2, Dramatic Overture "Song of Destiny"
Volume 14 - 10-00024 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 3
Volume 15 - 10-00025 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 4, 5
Volume 16 - 10-00026 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 6, Hey !, Uhnem Serenade number 1, Character Dance
Volume 17 - 10-00027 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 7, Musical Picture "Karelian legend"
Volume 18 - 10-00028 - A. Glazunov - Symphony number 8, Two Pieces for Orchestra, Serenade number 2
Volume 19 - 10-00156 - A. Glazunov - Fantasy for a symphony orchestra, "Forest", "sea", "Oriental Rhapsody"
Volume 20 - 10-00157 - A. Glazunov - Symphonic Suite "From the Middle Ages," Orchestral Music
Volume 21 - 10-00158 - A. Glazunov - Ballad, Festival Overture, Spring, Introduction and Dance of Salome
Volume 22 - 10-00159 - A. Glazunov - The Seasons, The solemn procession, march on a Russian Theme
Volume 23 - 10-00160 - A. Glazunov - Ballet Suite, Characteristic Suite
Volume 24 - 10-00161 - A. Glazunov - Stenka Razin, Lyric Poem, Finnish fantasy, Mazurka, Variations on a Theme
Volume 25 - 10-00162 - A. Glazunov - Concert Waltz number 1, 2, Suite "Les Sylphides"
Volume 26 - 10-00163 - A. Glazunov - Preludes, NV Memory Gogol, Carnival, Divination and dance, Finnish Sketches
Volume 27 - 10-00164 - Music Glazunov, Arensky
Volume 28 - 10-00401 - A. Glazunov - "Raymonda" ballet (2CD)
Volume 29 - 10-00165 - M. Glinka - Symphony on Two Russian Themes, Aragon Jota, music to the tragedy "Prince of Chelm"
Volume 30 - 10-00166 - M. Glinka - Fragments from the opera "Ivan Susanin" Ruslan and Lyudmila "
Volume 31 - 10-00167 - Music by Glinka, Dargomyzhsky
Volume 32 - 10-00168 - Pearls of Russian symphonic miniatures
Volume 33 - 10-00169 - V. Kalinnikov - Suite, Symphonic Picture "Cedar and the Palm" overture "Bylina"
Volume 34 - 10-00170 - V. Kalinnikov - Symphony number 2, Intermezzo number 1, 2, Serenade for String Orchestra, "Nymphs"
Volume 35 - 10-00171 - V. Kalinnikov - Symphony number 1; Rimsky-Korsakov - Orchestral Music
Volume 36 - 10-00140 - Music Liadov, Nápravník
Volume 37 - 10-00172 - Music Lyapunov, Balakirev
Volume 38 - 10-00173 - S. Lyapunov - Symphony number 2, Symphonic Poem "Zelazowa Wola"
Volume 39 - 10-00174 - S. Lyapunov - East symphonic poem "Hashish" Ballad
Volume 40 - 10-00175 - N. Medtner - Piano Concerto number 1 Pieces for Piano
Volume 41 - 10-00176 - N. Medtner - Piano Concerto number 2 Pieces for Piano
Volume 42 - 10-00177 - N. Medtner - Piano Concerto number 3 (Ballade) Pieces for Piano
Volume 43 - 10-00139 - Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition, Songs and Dances of Death, Golitsyn Train
Volume 44 - 10-00178 - Mussorgsky - Fragments from the opera "Khovanshchina," "Sorochintsy Fair"
Volume 45 - 10-00 ... .. -
Volume 46 - 10-00141 - Rachmaninov - Symphony number 1, Vocalise (arr B. Keane)
Volume 47 - 10-00142 - Rachmaninov - Symphony number 2 Fantasy "Utes"
Volume 48 - 10-00143 - Rachmaninov - Symphony number 3, Symphonic Poem "Isle of the Dead," Scherzo for Orchestra
Volume 49 - 10-00144 - Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances, Fragments "Aleko" opera
Volume 50 - 10-00145 - Rachmaninov - Symphonic poem "The Bells", cantata "Spring"
Volume 51 - 10-00146 - Rachmaninov - Symphonic Poem "Prince Rostislav," Gypsy Capriccio
Volume 52 - 10-00182 - Rimsky-Korsakov - Symphony number 1, Symphonic Suite "Antar" (Symphony number 2)
Volume 53 - 10-00183 - Rimsky-Korsakov - Symphony number 3, "Fairy Tale"
Volume 54 - 10-00184 - Rimsky-Korsakov - symphonic fragments of operas
Volume 55 - 10-00185 - Rimsky-Korsakov - Suite from the opera "Pan Voyvod", "The Snow Maiden", "The Golden Cockerel"
Volume 56 - 10-00180 - Rimsky-Korsakov - "Scheherazade", "Sadko" Fantasia on Serbian Themes
Volume 57 - 10-00181 - Rimsky-Korsakov - Sinfonietta and Overture on Russian Themes, Overture "Bright Holiday"
Volume 58 - 10-00188 - A. Scriabin - Symphony number 1
Volume 59 - 10-00189 - A. Scriabin - Symphony number 2, Poem of Ecstasy
Volume 60 - 10-00190 - A. Scriabin - Symphony number 3 ("The Divine Poem", "Prometheus"(The Poem of Fire)
Volume 61 - 10-00191 - A. Scriabin - Piano Concerto; B. Kalinnikov - "Tsar Boris"
Volume 62 - 10-00192 - Stravinsky - Ballets: "Rite of Spring", "Playing Cards"
Volume 63 - 10-00021 - Taneyev - Symphony number 4, "The Temple of Apollo at Delphi" intermission of the trilogy "Oresteia"
Volume 64 - 10-00147 - Taneyev - Concert Suite for Violin and Orchestra
Volume 65 - 10-00193 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 1, Symphonic Fantasia "Francesca da Rimini"
Volume 66 - 10-00194 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 2, Serenade for String Orchestra
Volume 67 - 10-00195 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 3, Overture-Fantasia «Romeo and Juliet»
Volume 68 - 10-00196 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 4, Symphonic fantasia "Fatum" Italian Capriccio
Volume 69 - 10-00197 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 5, Symphonic Fantasia "The Storm"
Volume 70 - 10-00198 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony number 6, "Voyvod"
Volume 71 - 10-00199 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony (Poem) "Manfred," Festival Overture on the Danish National Anthem
Volume 72 - 10-00 ... .. - PI Tchaikovsky -
Volume 73 - 10-00019 - PI Tchaikovsky - Suite number 2, Overture-Fantasy "Hamlet" Overture in F Major
Volume 74 - 10-00104 - PI Tchaikovsky - Suite number 3, 4 "Mozartiana"
Volume 75 - 10-00 ... .. - PI Tchaikovsky -
Volume 76 - 10-00403-5 - PI Tchaikovsky - The ballet "Swan Lake" (3CD)
Volume 77 - 10-00406-8 - PI Tchaikovsky - The ballet "The Sleeping Beauty" (3CD)
Volume 78 - 10-00409-10 - PI Tchaikovsky - The ballet "The Nutcracker", Piano Concerto number 2 (2CD)
Volume 79 - 10-00411-12 - PI Tchaikovsky - Symphony excerpts from operas (2CD)
Volume 80 - 10-00029 - Polonaise and waltz Russian composers

(Some of these items will look a bit odd because I had to use google translation. I cleaned up some of it, but not all.)

 

[JAS]

This list does confirm a couple of my earlier assumptions, although there are still a few mysteries. And a number of the items given do not appear to have been actually released on CD, at least not in the same format as the others. The gaps at 72 and 75 must apparently remain a mystery. One error I now note is that there were 80 volumes in the series, with the last being easily confused with vol. 10 (one being waltzes and polonaises and the other being polonaises and waltzes, although obviously with different selections).

I am still on the quest for Swan Lake

I also note that all of the releases I have are clearly labelled as USSR except for a number of the Tchaikovsky items, particularly the ballets (and symphony no. 3). These were presumably being first issued right at the old Soviet Union was breaking apart, and that event may also account for the failure to complete the series at that time.

 

[JAS]

I also stumbled across an article on a website for the Tokyo University of the Arts acknowledging a generous gift from Svetlanov's widow of a complete series. (Apparently, Svetlanov himself was very found of Japan.) They have a picture which includes a section of the releases, and mostly shows the newer format, but includes several items I have never seen, such as Svetlanov's recording of Sadko. Some of the other differences may just be alterations of packaging, but it all certainly adds to the confusion. (The gift was apparently made on May 1, 2015.)

 

[JAS]

It is also curious to me that most of the CDs themselves, in the original series, have a large label that is varying shades of blue, but a few have red or green. I have no idea what accounts for this change. Perhaps it indicates the year of production.

(Perhaps now I will have to work out what the LP issues were, although I am not really interested in collecting the actual LPs.)

 

[gardibolt]

Finding this tale of pursuit very interesting. Just letting you know the determination is appreciated, even though I don't have any of the collection.

 

[JAS]

Two small notes (no pun intended) of correction. First, the LP of Swan Lake, with the Overture in C was just the suite. There was also a 3 LP set of the full ballet, and both the set and the suite were issued under the LP version of The Anthology of Russian Symphony Music. Second, I mentioned a separate set of the Anthology of Russian Symphonies, for which I was only aware of vol. 1, Rimsky Korsakov's Symphony no. 1 and no. 3. It turns out that there was indeed a second volume, with Scriabin's Symphony 1. (At least, it was issued on the Olympia Label, and I am not sure about the Melodiya label, although they tended to come out at the same time. In this case, the Scriabin Symphony was issued by Melodiya in the Anthology of Russian Symphony Music set, with the Rimksy Korsakov no. 3 never made it, although no. 1 did. They also appear to have decided to slightly change the title of the series to The Anthology of the Russian Symphony.)

 

[JAS]

Although I am not interested in starting to collect the LP set as well (for which people still seem to want very good money), I think it might be interesting to try to document what was issued in that form, particularly since the two series have some disagreements.

 

[JAS]

It seems odd to me that this thread has only 52 posts (most of which are admittedly by me), but over 7,400 views. I suppose that indicates some kind of substantial (if silent) interest.

 

[Glazunov]

Interesting item on Presto Classical's site:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Melodiya/MELCD1002480

(Anthology Of Russian Symphonic Music Volume I ... 56 discs ... release data 31st March 2017)

The contents show nothing by Glazunov, Rachmaninov, Scriabin or Stravinsky, so I gather they will be in a later Volume II. The notes suggest that this collection is a chronological approach of some sort. I don't see anything about this on Melodiya's web site.

I've always enjoyed these recordings and have them in several forms, including the Svetlanov releases and an mp3-only release from Melodiya some years back (almost 5 gigabytes of 192k CBR mp3 files). I really need to look at these in more detail to cross-reference the contents to see if this set has anything that wasn't in the others.

 

[JAS]

Sadly, the Swan Lake volume from the set still eludes me. (I have it as the separate release, and in the Svetlanov Foundation rerelease of the set) . . . but I will keep looking.

 

[JAS]

The contents show nothing by Glazunov, Rachmaninov, Scriabin or Stravinsky, so I gather they will be in a later Volume II. The notes suggest that this collection is a chronological approach of some sort. I don't see anything about this on Melodiya's web site.

Interesting that it lists one piece by Rubinstein, that was not, as far as I know, part of the original series. (Yes, the Glazunov must be part of volume II.)

And also interesting that it includes Tchaikovsky's suites 3 and 4, but not 1 and 2 (which Svetlanov did record)

 

[Glazunov]

Interesting that it lists one piece by Rubinstein, that was not, as far as I know, part of the original series.

The Rubinstein is on an edition issued by Brilliant ...

https://www.amazon.com/Evgeny-Svetlanov/dp/B001ACTND2

... as well as an old Chant du monde title, but I've also never seen it on the Anthology. It wasn't on the mp3 release or the Svetlanov releases.

Maybe it's like those old photos of Stalin, where they doctored them to insert or remove people as the needs arose.

 

[Pugg]

Interesting item on Presto Classical's site:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Melodiya/MELCD1002480

(Anthology Of Russian Symphonic Music Volume I ... 56 discs ... release data 31st March 2017)

The contents show nothing by Glazunov, Rachmaninov, Scriabin or Stravinsky, so I gather they will be in a later Volume II. The notes suggest that this collection is a chronological approach of some sort. I don't see anything about this on Melodiya's web site.

I've always enjoyed these recordings and have them in several forms, including the Svetlanov releases and an mp3-only release from Melodiya some years back (almost 5 gigabytes of 192k CBR mp3 files). I really need to look at these in more detail to cross-reference the contents to see if this set has anything that wasn't in the others.

Very expensive I see.

 

[Glazunov]

Very expensive I see.

That seems to be the pattern with all Melodiya releases these days.

All of the retailers are now showing a mid-April release for the set. MDT has a blurb up for it that says "Digitally remastered in 2016-17", for what it's worth. Among the performers, they also list:

The Separate Exemplary Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Defence, conductor - Nikolai Nazarov

I hadn't heard of that one. A web search shows an old Melodiya release entitled "Old Waltzes" for them, and there are also suggestions that it's a military band of some sort. I've no idea how they could turn up in the Anthology.

I think Forrest Gump would describe this release as being like a box of chocolates.