Neeme Järvi’s trademark conducting style, highlighted by its urgent pacing and pointed rhythms, well suits Glazunov’s music. Symphony No. 4, with its mostly moderate tempos, sounds lively nonetheless, maintaining a sense of buoyancy throughout thanks to Järvi’s vibrant pulse. It’s interesting to compare this performance to the recent Otaka recording (BIS), where the first movement actually sounds faster in Järvi’s hands, even though Otaka’s timing is shorter. And listen to how Järvi enlivens the following scherzo, making it sound like a sprightly tarantella.
Symphony No. 7 displays similar attributes. The arresting theme that opens the andante sounds with an undercurrent of drama not heard in Otaka’s recording as Järvi articulates the phrases as if sung, while drawing highly colorful playing from the orchestra. The Bamberg Symphony plays handsomely, with special mention going to the brightly singing woodwinds. Orfeo’s 1986 recording is a touch bright, and it cannot match the full, rich sound of Otaka’s BIS productions. Be that as it may, Järvi’s versions are compelling in their own right, and they deserve a place in any Glazunov collection.
