Wartime Music, Vol. 9 ALEXANDER MOSSOLOV (1900-1973): Symphony in E, Cello Concerto No. 2.

Description: Like most of the symphonies in this series, Mossolov’s 1944 contribution is long (52 minutes in four movements) and uses an even larger orchestra (triple winds, eight horns, six trumpets, five trombones, two harps, piano, celesta and lots of percussion). Beaten down by the establishment, by this time Mossolov was composing in a style derived from Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov via his teacher (and lifelong friend) Myaskovsky, with Russian folk music traits the major guide. These are lyrical, melodic but predominantly slow movements, the finale the only one with an allegro marking, and you could say that the Russian soul is given musical voice throughout. Dmitry Yeremin (cello), St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra; Alexander Titov.