WEINBERG: Symphony No. 17 & Suite for Orchestra
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919–1996): Symphony No. 17 ‘Memory’ and Suite for Orchestra
Siberian State Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Lande – cond.
Naxos 8.573565
One of the most significant projects of composer Mieczysław Weinberg’s later years was his symphonic trilogy On the Threshold of War. Bearing the dedication “In memory of the fallen in the Great Patriotic War,” Symphony No. 17 is the largest-scale of the three and a probing work of considerable depth and unforgettable power. Symphonies Nos. 18 and 19 can be heard on Naxos 8.573190 and 8.572752. With its eloquent themes and ready climaxes, the Suite for Orchestra is one of Weinberg’s most intriguing scores to have survived the difficult early 1950s. This performance is thought to be both the first of the work and the first recording.
[Source: Naxos press release]