Giya Kancheli - Symphony No. 3, No. 6 (1984)

To follow on from Bright Sorrow/Mourned By The Wind, here's two more great recordings of Giya Kancheli's works, again performed by the State Symphony Orchestra of Georgia.  These two symphonies were originally paired on an hour-long single LP in 1984, with CD reissues in 1990.

Kancheli's 3rd Symphony (comp. 1973, rec. 1979), taking its cues from Georgian folk music, opens with an stark, wordless tenor voice before a stabbing brass theme brings in influences from Stravinsky.  The work marches on in the gloom of more brass and some eerie strings before a really lovely middle section calms things down slightly, and the voice returns, as it will once more to end things as they began.

The 6th Symphony (comp. 1978-80, rec. 1981) has a similar structure, but the main melody is led by the strings, and little punctuations of flute and harpsichord.  As with much of Kancheli's work, any calm period is highly likely to be blown away in spectacular style at any moment, and the 6th does this in spades in its near-apocalyptic second half.  Really enjoyable, invigorating stuff to listen to.

original LP cover, 1984

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