The prolific Vainberg’s chamber symphonies are sometimes no more ‘chamber’ than his other symphonies: rather engagingly, he confessed that he had got into a muddle and felt the numbers were getting too high. These are both appealing works. No. 1 owes much to Prokofiev, especially to the Classical Symphony in the two outer movements. Here, the appealing melodiousness and especially certain harmonic side-slips come close to being actual quotations, or perhaps gestures of homage. The two middle movements are plainer, but fresh and likeable in Vainberg’s most fluent manner.
The Fourth Chamber Symphony is altogether odder. The piece is described as being for string orchestra and clarinet, but it is difficult to sense where Vainberg is writing a string serenade and where a kind of clarinet concerto. In two of the linked movements, the clarinet plays a leading role, with a strong entry on to the stage and some vigorous soloistic work that gives it domination over the strings. Elsewhere it is used for its coloration of the string texture, rather as it is at times in the clarinet quintets of both Brahms and Mozart. There is also a prominent cadenza for a solo cello in the work’s third section. It is difficult to feel that the experiment is a success, but Vainberg’s skill and the sympathetic nature of his music-making hold the interest. The performances are lively and responsive, the recording fresh and, especially in No. 4, intelligently geared to what seem to be Vainberg’s curious intentions.'