Battling against workmen with pneumatic drills or whatever you call them amd signing daughters I have managed to make an ever so little recording. It is by a composer almost uknown abroad, but who is very popular in Russia, principally for his music for Pushkin's short story, "The Storm". This is taken from the pieces he wrote for (I believe) his son: his "Album for Children". It is called: Old Dance" (Staryj Tan'ec).

I am planning on doing some other pieces of his, workmen allowing.

Hi Mr. Willmer,

I had a listen and will say it sounds good. I like how the main theme doesn't sound too staccato, you make it sound almost like a march, but with more maestoso. I like how this piece is an "Ancient Dance," there are parts in the B section where it sounds like an old folk song. If I could offer you any criticism I will say a slower tempo on the runs might sound better. I don't have the text in front of me, just something I would have preferred.

-Riley

Hi Richard,

Glad you got enough of a respite from the workmen to make a recording! I was unfamiliar until now with Sviridov's work. Although we hear works for children by Heller, Burgmuller, Schumann, Grieg, Debussy and others, it's more unusual to hear the Russian contributions to this particular genre. I believe you played this Ancient Dance effectively. Thanks for sharing it here.

David

I had not heard of Sviridov before. Always nice when people submit something unknown here.
Not fair to judge a composer on one single little piece, so let's wait for some more pieces.
This particular dance sounds rather trite to me, a bit like second-rate Kabalevksy It would have benefited from a more spiky and humorous approach. You seem to be undecided between legato and portato, giving it a sort of dogged quality. A little more dynamic contrast would be good too. Apart from that, well done.
So what is your daughter signing ? Copies of her book ?

Well, I had redone it by the time I read this. It flagged a bit here in there the first one and I had omitted to open the piano lid. As for dynamic contrast, I believe to have done even more than called for but never mind. I had done a second piece (considering I had only read it a couple of hours ago, that was a record for me who takes six months to do anything). It was good until my daughter came along and started to chatter . I will try again later.

Thanks David for your comments. I have an impressive amount of music for children: 5 albums I compiled for a (hopeful) use by my daughter: there is Prokoviev, Poulenc, Rebilov, Kalinnikov, Kabalevsky, Grieg, Schumann, Bartok, Gretchaninov, Gliere, Beethoven, Bortkiewicz, Miguez, Scharwneka and so on. The Russians are quite good at it.

Thanks, Riley, I agree with you about the runs: I went out of tempo there. See how you like it now.

Hi Richard,

That's quite a collection of music you've assembled there for your daughter. You and Chris also mentioned Kabalevsky who has always been very popular in the U.S. as a prominent Russian composer who wrote piano works for the young. Another comes to mind now too--Alexander Tcherepnin. Growing up, I never played any Tcherepnin, nor did I ever here anyone else playing his pieces, but these days he gets a lot of notice and play here.

David

Tcherepnin for the young? This one I did not know about! I need to investigate.

I would heartily recommend, as I've done before in these quarters, Bartok's educational pieces. Mikrokosmos of course,
but For Children first of all.

For Children I have.

Here is a second Sviridov, still from the album for the young, this one is "Before Sleep".

This is the first time in life I manage to record something on the very same day I read it.