This afternoon, the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by conductor Martyn Brabbins for two of Russian composer Alexander Glazunov’s best-loved pieces
This afternoon, the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by conductor Martyn Brabbins for two of Russian composer Alexander Glazunov’s best-loved pieces
If you’re not familiar with the music of Glazunov, his concert waltzes are a wonderful place to start. This is the sort of music you can imagine a princess whirling round a packed ballroom to, and Glazunov’s Concert Waltz No.2, which we hear today, blushes with rosy-cheeked colour and romance. Glazunov composed it in 1894, a year after his Fourth Symphony. The 1890s marked the transition for Glazunov from national treasure to international success, and many of his most popular works date from this period. Symphony No.4 is "marvellous, noble and expressive" according to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov who conducted the premiere. And no wonder it was so well received – Glazunov started young when it came to symphonies. He was 16 when he composed his very first, and even at that age, his maturity of expression was staggering.
