The Art-Music, Literature and Linguistics Forum

Quite a few Russian symphonic scores were published pre 1917 by  P. Jurgenson or Belaieff in Moscow and Liepzig, Germany.   After the Russian Revolution, some were published by Soviet Music Publishers in Moscow, but not many.   So.. what would a Maximilian Steinberg do with a Symphony if it can't get published?  well it remains in manuscript form and more than likely not performed unless someone handwrites all the parts out.  Glazunov was fortunate enough to have his works still published by Belaieff even after the Revolution.    In fact, it was one of the many reasons he left Moscow for Paris.      However, that may and I repeat "may" explain why so many symphonies are never performed because of the enormous task of publishing a symphonic score and parts and then hoping that an orchestra performs it so it may appear on CD sometime.  Far as I can tell, Steinberg's symphonies 3-5 were never published (1 and 2 were published by Belaieff).

and there is always an exception: presently looking over a 145 page orchestral score of A. Ilynsky's Noure et Anitra for large orchestra published by P. Jurgenson, Moscow and Liepzig.   why hasn't this score been recorded yet?   I don't even see that it was ever part of the Melodiya catalog... prob about a 45 min performance.

Scores of all three later Steinberg symphonies should be available (even if No. 5 was only published in 1986):
Symphony No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 18 (1928)
http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/troisieme-symphonie-pour-grand-orchestre-op-18/oclc/20499053 (http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/troisieme-symphonie-pour-grand-orchestre-op-18/oclc/20499053)
Symphony No. 4 in C Minor Op. 24 "Turksib" (1933)
http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/chetvertaia-simfoniia-op-24-dlia-bolshogo-orkestra-turksib-partitura/oclc/11008523 (http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/chetvertaia-simfoniia-op-24-dlia-bolshogo-orkestra-turksib-partitura/oclc/11008523)
Symphony No. 5 Op. 31 "Symphony-Rhapsody on Uzbek Themes" (1942)
http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/simfoniia-rapsodiia-simfoniia-no-5-dlia-bolshogo-simfonicheskogo-orkestra-symphony-rhapsody-symphony-no-5-for-full-symphony-orchestra/oclc/15066606 (http://cornell.worldcat.org/title/simfoniia-rapsodiia-simfoniia-no-5-dlia-bolshogo-simfonicheskogo-orkestra-symphony-rhapsody-symphony-no-5-for-full-symphony-orchestra/oclc/15066606)

thanks Holger for the research... looks like they were published by  Gos. muz. izd-vo, (Soviet Music Publishers or State {Goz.} Music Publishing) or Universal Editions. 

Interesting that No 5 was published as recently as 1986? Perhaps that explains why we have not heard the Sym #5 on either LP or CD. 
 

hmm interesting question: if  Symphony no 5 of Max Steinberg was published in 1986 in Leningrad by the Soviet Composer (which is the State Music Publishing house), who holds the international copyrights to the score?   the Russian Gov't since they were the successor to the USSR?   an interesting question for international copyright lawyers.. :D
Back in the USSR days,  artists and composers were paid a lump sum for their works and subsequently signed over their rights to their works...

some interesting info I found on my other thread under Rare Scores about the Soviet Music Publishing House:

In 1918, the company (it was in regard to Jurgenson) was nationalized by the communist regime, as were all other music publishing companies, into a division of the State Publishing House. That same year, Boris Petrovich became the head of the musical division of the State Publishing House. The music division, in 1930, was renamed Gosudarstvennoye Muzykal'noe Izdatelstvo (Государственное музыкальное издательство) — translated as State Music Publishing House, referred to by its short name, Muzgiz, then, in 1964, referred to as Muzika (or Muzyka or Музыка, in Russian).

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union (1990 to 1991), state-owned enterprises — Muzyka included — suffered from newly imposed austere budgets. Muzyka lost its actual monopoly and its leading positions in several areas. As of 2006, Muzyka was owned by the Russian Federation, but the government was planning to privatize it that year. The strategic plan to resuscitate Muzyka was to focus on educational literature.

However, a little research on google indicates now that Edition Peters is now distributing P. Jurgenson / Muzyka (Russia)  scores....actually perhaps Jurgenson bought back the music scores that the Communists took away??

M.P. Belaieff

Historical Publication Info

History

Founded in 1885 and headquartered in Leipzig by lumber magnate Mitrofan Petrovich Belayev (1836-1904), M.P. Belaieff aimed to promote Russian music and secure European copyright for Russian composers, especially those of the nationalist school like Balakirev, Borodin, Glazunov, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The elaborate, expensively produced color lithograph title pages of M.P Belaieff issues from the late 19th century are highly sought collectors' items today. Offices were maintained in both St. Petersburg and Moscow until they were seized by the Bolshevik regime in 1918. During the First World War, publishing was tied up. Thereafter the company operated in Leipzig. In 1949, M.P. Belaieff moved to Bonn, working in partnership with Boosey & Hawkes. From 1971 until June 2006, the company was led by Peters in Frankfurt. Today M.P. Belaieff runs its own agency near Hamburg and works together with Schott.

[they were able to save many of the scores and plates during WW2 and many were repurchased from dealers where they were stolen from the offices during the War]

whooopps   apparently it was recorded:  A. Ilynsky's Noure et Anitra for large orchestra   does anyone own a listing of the St. Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra's self produced CDs  (Академический симфонический оркестр Санкт-Петербургской филармонии)  ??

DO you have more information on this David? What do you mean when you say "apparently"?

A couple of years ago I wrote some discussion here - http://artmusic.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,868.0.html (http://artmusic.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,868.0.html) - about a small section of Noure et Anitra (called "Orgy of the Spirits") which was recorded in the 20s or 30s for Hollywood.

I'm trying to locate a copy of the performance.. when I get to Tallinn.

to correct my post, the Max Steinberg symphony no 5 was FINALLY published in 1986 in Leningrad.

David - did you find anything more out about this apparent Ilynsky recording of Noure et Anitra?

Yes and no.   I was in St. Petersburg with a business associate and since he spoke fluent Russian, we went to both offices of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia Orchestra.... both offices at 2 Mikhailovskaya St, and 30 Nevsky Av address....

The person attending the office said they had a recording of it, but to come back after the next performance and it would be on display for sale. 

Max Steinberg's Symphony Nº 4 was recorded and broadcasted

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Alexander Vedernikov

Can't find the dates, but I have the recording

And it was one of my discoveries of the year. A wonderful work as far as I'm concerned. When Gramophone published a snotty review of the symphony I wrote in and they published my 'in praise of Steinberg' letter.

Yes, it was. However, they did not broadcast the complete work (or perhaps the entire work wasn't performed at that time?). I don't remember the details now, but there was some discussion on UC at the time of the broadcast and it was determined that only the last three movements were broadcast. Actually, I just listened to my download of that broadcast a few days ago and enjoyed it.

First, I also like Steinberg's Symphony No. 4 very much, highly enjoyable music. It's a work full of elan, vigour and memorable tunes, pure delight. I knew it as a broadcast recording for quite some years and was therefore very happy about this (still rather new) Dutton disc.

Now, as for the problems with the broadcast recording Maris speaks of, here is the story: this symphony was broadcasted by the BBC in the mid-1990s. A friend of mine (his name is Terry – some of the members here know him) listened to it and already found the first few minutes so exciting that he decided to record the symphony. However, as a consequence, in his recording – which is the one circulating online in various sources – the very beginning of the symphony is missing. Basically it's the slow introduction of the first movement which he didn't record. Anyway, this symphony lead him into collecting Soviet symphonies, and he now has one of the largest collections of Melodiya LPs I am aware of.

Our new co-administrator dhibbard knows of a source that has a recording of Steinberg's 5th symphony.  Also, David, did you ever hear  anything further about Ilyinsky's "Noure et Anitra" Suite which you referenced a few comments just above here? Could you ask your business associate there if he could go to the offices of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia Orchestra once again and have a look? Would you be willing to share details of this associate with me (here or via PM)? I and my colleagues go there regularly and would be happy to check.  Now that you are a co-administrator you will probably be getting quite detailed requests for information about the various recordings you have seen!

Fascinating - he must have some very rare recordings of little known Russian/other composers!  Might he be encouraged to share on here?!  ;D

Holger, yes I used to correspond with Terry (think he was a professor of Music somewhere in the UK) and he had a huge collection of not only Melodiya LPs but radio broadcasts of Russian and Soviet composers that I've yet to see any commercial recordings available.  He had sent me a listing of recent acquisitions back in 2000 that had me spinning in my chair. They were all radio broadcasts...I never heard from him after about 2005... I'll see if I can reach out to him.

Christopher... feel free to stop by the offices of the Phlharmonia in St. Petersburg.  Unfortunately, I can't enter Russia now due to my work and the current state dept.

Oh no what happened? I hope you are ok.

I remember the Steinberg 4th broadcast because I listened to it and taped it! It must have been in 1994 because at the time I was writing a dissertation on Russian music of that period. It was just before I went to Russia and spent several weeks in archives and libraries. It was part of a series which included A. Krein no.1 (Adrian (?) Leaper cond.), Popov Chamber Symphony and Lyatoshynsky no.1 As a result of this, the Krein was subsequently recorded by Brabbins and the Philarmonia and released by Largo, while Lyatoshynsky is well recorded.

Dear Bobyor
We surely need more from Krein's family their role is underrated
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71FuinOTNHL._SL1200_.jpg)

http://litbook.ru/article/2809/
Best

I believe Mr Bobyor has made personal efforts in exactly that direction ;)

Thanks Neil, yes a bit on and off over the years.

The Largo CD has the Symphony, plus the big Piano Sonata (also written early 20s) dedicated to Heinrich Neuhaus, plus some songs and chamber stuff.

An ASV CD -- Songs of the Ghetto -- also has solo pf pieces, songs (some in Yiddish) sung by Lore Lixenberg, and quite a lot of chamber pieces including a quartet.

I think I'll do a Grigory Krein solo pf disc later this year. Will let you know. So nothing much orchestral, but within one's limits, as it were.

Keep us posted as things developed, Bobyor :-)

I emailed Terry and the message came back "invalid email address"