Glazunov's eight completed symphonies are like as many delicate ballet dancers crammed into executive dress. Time and again, one senses that while their hearts long to leap and sing, the rigours of structural design keep them securely earthbound. One listens more for felicitous ideas (and there are many) than for a cogent symphonic statement. The Fourth and Fifth are two of the best, the Fourth opening to string surges and a long-breathed cor anglais melody before switching to Allegro moderato. Valery Polyansky is especially successful at negotiating transitions, but his orchestra's wind section tends towards imperfect intonation and the strings, while sustaining excellent crescendos and an effective sense of line, don't quite equal their best home-grown rivals. Yondani Butt's recent Philharmonia recording (which IM rightly praised in November) is better played and articulated, though Polyansky marks rather more of a contrast between the first movement's Andante and its ensuing Allegro moderato. The Scherzo recalls the world of Tchaikovsky's orchestral suites, and the vigorous finale is one of Glazunov's strongest. Again, Polyansky offers the swifter, more assertive option.
The Fourth Symphony was completed towards the end of 1893, whereas the Fifth followed nearly two years later. Here influences are more obvious, especially in the opening Moderato maestoso, which is strongly reminiscent of Wagner's Das Rheingold, and the finale, where the B flat Symphony unmistakably recalls the close of Tchaikovsky's B flat minor Piano Concerto. The most memorable movement is the second, a beautiful Andante that brings to mind the worlds of Raymonda and The Seasons, though the swaggering finale is a fine example of Glazunov's orchestral virtuosity. Again, the performance is a good one, and the recording is admirably spacious, but there is a curious - albeit very brief - instance of 'drop-out' at 4'39'' into the finale. Butt offers a safer, albeit marginally less spirited, alternative.
Aside from Butt, available rivals aren't exactly plentiful, but for my money Gennadi Rozhdestvensky's coupling with the USSR Ministry of Culture Orchestra (currently listed only as part of a complete cycle though you may be able to locate a separate copy) offers the most vivid musical reportage. Mravinsky's recordings are elderly though extremely distinctive, but I would also like to take this opportunity to suggest that Melodiya, Lys or Russian Disc investigate Nikolai Golovanov's classic mono Glazunov recordings of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Symphonies (the last is already available on Pearl), as well as various separate orchestral works (including a marvellous performance of From the Middle Ages). They still stand as the most compelling and exciting versions of all, although occasionally unkempt or crude in sound quality. Polyansky is a lot less charismatic but still worth hearing.'