Neighborhood, Mily Talen

Couplings of the two Balakirev symphonies are not uncommon. Naxos and Hyperion are examples although no doubt there are others. This set, which in terms of musical playing time is amongst the most generous in the BMG-Melodiya series, includes both symphonies and six other works, three tone poems and three overtures. Balakirev's dedication to folk music and the exotic orient is well known. It puts in an appearance to greater or lesser extents in all these works.

Balakirev worked on the second of his twosymphonies between 1900 and 1908 and it was first performed at a Free Schoolconcert in April 1909 under the direction of Liapunov. Work on his firstsymphony had been resumed thirty years after the first sketches, with no traceof a change of style. Similarly the second symphony, which makes use of theScherzo planned in the 1860s for the earlier work, is in a style that hadpassed. This, after all, was the age of Stravinsky's Firebird. It is,nevertheless, a compelling enough work, testimony to Balakirev's craftsmanshipand to the Russian source of his his inspiration.

Igor Golovschin directs his old band, and gives us a clear, no-fuss, classically informed performance; it doesn't miss out on some of the more gripping drama of this music, either, however. The symphony itself belongs firmly to the Russian romantic tradition, cast in four movements (with the scherzo placed second); it is relatively ambitious in scope but Balakirev actually manages to pull of a work that doesn't really have any dull moments. Stylistically it isn't too far away from the Borodin symphonies, is heavily influenced by folk music and is stronger on atmosphere (and orchestration) than on thematic development, but the ideas themselves are actually pretty interesting, and in particular the first movement is stirring.

Amandine a toujours vu sa bande d’amis comme une seconde famille sur laquelle elle peut compter. Alors quand l’un d’entre eux a besoin d’aide, ils l’entourent tous, elle la première. Quitte à perdre un peu ses repères.

Quoi de plus excitant pour une esthéticienne que d’avoir un ours comme voisin ?
Une carrure de rugbyman professionnel, un regard de prédateur grognon et une aura virile : pas de doute, Timothy, le nouveau voisin d’Annabelle, a tout d’un ours. N’importe quelle personne saine d’esprit (et douée d’un instinct de survie) resterait discrète et éviterait à tout prix de le contrarier…