It may seem a little unkind to observe that so far as concert performances are concerned, Glazunov's symphonies have been beached by the tide of musical history, but here we have the gramophone coming to the rescue of this well crafted, often agreeably tuneful but essentially urbane symphonic writing. The whole set is available on eight LPs in excellent Russian performances, not so well recorded as these, but with the kind of zestful Slavonic intensity characteristic of their source (the orchestra is the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra, the conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev, and they were well received by MEO—Eurodisc 999 000, 2/86). Jarvi also seems to be working towards a complete series, more economically laid out. We have already had Nos. 1, 5 and 8 plus a couple of shorter works and Max Harrison thought Jarvi made ''the best possible case'' for them, and praised the recording for its ''depth ad wide stereo spread'' (S093824H, 6/85).
The sound is certainly very good in this second instalment; warm, full and naturally balanaced; perhaps, like the performances, lacking the last degree of charisma in the overall presentation—a shade more glitter in the scherzos and an occasional sense of spectacle would have countered the urbanity. But there is much to enjoy, when the orchestral playing is both cultured and committed and the phrasing polished and sympathetic. The Second Symphony (1886) came only four years after the very successful First, and is its match in quality. After a Schumannesque opening fanfare the beguiling melodic material of the first movement has an unmistakably Russian flavour, and it is well manipulated. The slow movement too is rich in melodic line and texture, and the scherzo (always the best movement in Glazunov symphonies) is a winner, marvellously scored and with another gracious lyrical tune at its centre. The Tchaikovskian influences are strong, but are thoroughly absorbed—even this master did not write a better scherzo than Glazunov. The finale, equally predictably, is the weakest movement.
Symphony No. 4 has less vitality, is rather diffuse in structure, but held together by the use of a theme which appears in each of the three movements. The Seventh has sometimes been called the ''Pastoral'', understandably so, when its key is F major and there is a charmingly delicate use of the oboe in the first movement. The Andante has distinct fervour and the Scherzo, marked giocoso is again first rate with some Rimskian brass and woodwind figurations. The finale goes on a bit but the playing evokes an agreeable bustle without overdoing the rhetoric. all in all these performances may be commended, although Glazunov is not a composer to gain from having his symphonies grouped in this way. Heard independently, No. 2, for instance, stands up rather well.'