Weinberg’s Symphony No. 13, dedicated to the memory of his mother, is cast in a single movement that unfolds in a symmetrical arc. A large orchestra is used sparingly in chamber-like textures with motivic ideas that evolve over the course of the work. The result is music of gripping and unsettling power, both emotionally intense and architecturally complex. Some years earlier Weinberg wrote the light-hearted Serenade, Op. 47, No. 4 which offers a study in contrasts: by turn capricious, rumbustious and wistful. The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra has a reputation as one of the best orchestras in the former Soviet Union. In 2015 Vladimir Lande became the orchestra’s new Artistic Director and Chief Conductor. Since then, the orchestra has embarked on a recording programme with international labels, and televised concerts have become available for online streaming.
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REVIEW:
The dominant mood of the Symphony No. 13 is elegiac, and though the middle section displays aggression and sustained tension, the framing outer sections depend on long, brooding melodies and subdued dissonant counterpoint to communicate a haunted mood in the vein of Shostakovich’s late music. In contrast, the Serenade is almost shockingly cheerful, bursting with hummable melodies and rustic dances that at times evoke a sardonic mood. This album is an excellent introduction to Weinberg’s music.
