Here's a bit of intrigue. The failure of Rachmaninov's First Symphony at its premiere in 1897 is habitually blamed on Glazunov's ineptitude as a conductor. But, by 1907 Rachmaninov had written his Second Symphony, whose instant and continuing success can be attributed to a pervasive melody of enormous emotional power. Why, then, did Glazunov incorporate a motif of striking similarity in the first movement of his 1911 Piano Concerto? Glazunov's tune is paler, less keenly felt, than Rachmaninov's, but is this a homage, an apology, or merely a coincidence? I found it so perplexing that the wistful variations in the second and final movement of the concerto passed by almost unnoticed. But there's not a lot to miss. While some of the harmonies have a smudgy, Broadway sensuality, the easy lyricism is frequently banal.

Cellist Yegor Dyachkov and pianist Jean Saulnier present Beethoven’s complete Sonatas and Variations for Cello and Piano in digital and physical formats. Comprising works from the composer’s Op. 5, Op. 17, Op. 66, and Op. 102, the complete sonatas will be released as a three-CD box set on October 28, 2022. Spanning the composer’s three creative periods, Beethoven’s sonatas for cello and piano constitute a unique group within his oeuvre. “Recording the complete sonatas marks a milestone in an artistic career,” says cellist Yegor Dyachkov. “Most artists undertake such a project only once, and only after having spent a long time in the company of these works, so that the various possible interpretive paths reach a kind of equilibrium.”