Symphony No.1 in C minor - Nikolai Myaskovsky

Описание: USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.

I - Lento, ma non troppo - Allegro - Poco più allargando, tranquillo - Meno allegro, moderato con moto - Tranquillo - Moderato - Allegro tenebroso - Feroce - Tenebroso - Feroce - Mosso - Con fuoco - Allegro (un poco più appassionato) - Meno allegro - Moderato con moto - Molto più mosso (Allegro precipitato) - Allegro assai - Più appassionato - A tempo: 0:00
II - Larghetto (quasi andante) - Lento assai - A tempo - Poco animado - In tempo I e maestoso - Molto elevato - A tempo - Lento, morendo al fine: 17:22
III - Allegro assai e molto risoluto - Molto più mosso - Tempo I - Molto più mosso - Tempo I - Vivo - Allargando molto: 31:02

Myaskovksy's Symphony No.1 was composed between February and September 1908, while he was studying at the St Petersburg. Along with Prokofiev, he showed the score to Glazunov, who granted him a scholarship so that he could continue his musical studies. It was premiered on June 2 of 1914, with Alexander Aslanov conducting the Court Orchestra of Pavlovsk.

However, Myaskovsky remained dissatisfied with the work, and he revised the piece in 1921: making cuts to the outer movements (particularly the finale) and generally overhauling the orchestration. The work is academic in nature, being strongly rooted in the Russian romantic tradition, with influences from composers like Tchaikovsky, Lyadov, Scriabin but specially Glazunov, whose Symphony No.8 of 1905 was considered to be the epitome of the Russian symphony from that era. Personal to Myaskosky is an underlying sombreness, even agitation of mood as was seldom absent from his earlier music.

The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with an extensive introduction. An anguished and nostalgic theme is born from the basses of the orchestra, reaching an expressive climax. The main allegro begins with an agitated and dramatic main theme. In contrast, the second theme is deeply lyrical and dreamy, characteristically Russian. The music culminates in a great climax, followed by a calmer transition. The development is tense and forceful, being strongly based on the main theme but combining lyrical nuances of the second one. The music grows in another expansive climax. Follows the recapitulation of both themes in their original form, reaching a lyrical climax with the second one. Follows an extensive coda that ends the movement in a fateful manner.

The second movement is structured in ternary form. It opens with a lyrical main theme of romantic expression, presented by the strings, which rises in a wide and expansive climax, followed by a calmer and more reflective passage. The middle section begins with a gentle and delicate second theme on the flute, which passes to the rest of the woods and orchestra with increased voluptuosity. The music grows more and more yearning and passionate, leading us to a brilliant and wonderful lyrical climax on the main theme. The theme is then recapitulated in its original form. As the music gradually calms down, the second theme is briefly recalled by the cellos, leading us to a peaceful coda.

The third movement is also structured in sonata form. It opens with a rhythmic and imperious main theme, contrasted by a widely lyrical second theme on the wood. Follows a complete reexposition of these materials, something unusual for the time. The development is compact yet resourceful, directly leading to the recapitulation of the main themes. The main theme suddenly reappears on the bassoon, being subjected to an intensive contrapuntal working. The whole works ends with an imposing coda of grand, romantic dimensions.

Picture: "The Daughters of Thespius" (1853) by the French painter Gustave Moreau.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://bit.ly/3RCfPv2 and https://bit.ly/3iyKmdN

To check the score: https://bit.ly/3TMWJnN