Symphony No. 2 in D minor (1937)
Symphony No. 3 in F minor (1938)

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Dmitri Yablonsky (conductor)

Marco Polo 8.223331

Janis Ivanovs, who was born in 1906 and died in 1983, was highly regarded in his native Latvia for his orchestral music, and above all for a series of 21 symphonies. The insert-note to this record speaks of the influence of Scriabin on the early works, and in connection with the Second Symphony that of Schubert, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Cesar Franck. Ivanovs’s voice emerges as a more personal one than this impossible melange might suggest, though there is consciously something of Franck in the work’s use of its thematic material. Another influence, stronger than any of the above, is Sibelius, not only in a certain attraction to a brooding atmosphere and in some of the consequent aspects of the orchestration, but in the use of thematic cells (as with Sibelius’s own Second Symphony) to generate musical material. However, where Sibelius is constantly dynamic in his work, Ivanovs tends to rely on cumulative repetition, with rather numbing effect especially when the music is not harmonically very enterprising.

The Third Symphony suggests Tchaikovsky only in the slow movement, which opens on a beautiful long melody; this is succeeded by a somewhat clumping Scherzo. The curious will encounter a composer with a good ear for the orchestra and an agreeable melodic vein. The playing and recording are undistinguished, but perfectly acceptable.'

John Warrack, Gramophone, February 1997

Symphony 2 announces itself out of the gloom with an urgent forward-moving theme rather like Scriabin in his first symphony. This then shifts into one of those beautiful, long-limbed, subtle, Slavonic tunes that is to recur throughout the movement - a fine inspiration. Upwardly aspiring Russian trumpets cry out to the heavens. The central calm adagio is the longest movement and deploys an epic yearning theme which rises out of the depths on the brass in a number of climactic moments. The theme sounds uncannily like the sort which Constant Lambert wrote for Music for Orchestra and Summer’s Last Will and Testament but this is a passing impression. The final andante starts with an imposing although slightly vacuous theme on the brass. The performance could perhaps do with a bit more snap and electricity. The last movement is not the equal of the others. The symphony ends with some characteristic Sibelian crashes but not before we hear music which often reminds me of another acolyte of Sibelius - Granville Bantock! There is certainly a Tchaikovskian atmosphere in this symphony but this is more often the Tchaikovsky of the four suites than of the seven symphonies. Altogether a very attractive symphony to put alongside the symphonies by Balakirev, Miaskovsky, Borodin and Scriabin although the last movement is a disappointment.

Again Tchaikovsky’s shadow is present in this four movement Symphony No. 3 as is Prokofiev’s. The horns have that trademark liquid Russian quality and it is used to good effect. There is gentle charm here which reminds me of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. The carolling dialogue between strings and horns at 8:30 is quite magical. The Andante has a gem of a melody which veers towards Rimsky and the Tchaikovsky Manfred symphony. Well worth hearing. Good andantes seem to be an Ivanovs speciality. The Allegro 3rd movement is a brief, colourful Tarantella including skirling piccolo and a Baxian tuba - a gem even if the composer almost catches himself quoting The Firebird at one point. The final moderato again leans on Rimskian sounds. There are also touches of Rachmaninov (third piano concerto). Once again however Ivanovs has difficulty locating a completely convincing ending.

Rob Barnett, MusicWeb, January 1999