Glazunov’s musical style did not differ markedly from his early fame until the end of his life. He established his means of communication and stuck by it to great effect through his nine symphonies, the yet famous ballets, Raymonda and The Seasons, and the First Violin Concerto which was notably championed by Heifetz. After taking the Conservatory successfully through the First World War and post-Revolutionary period, by 1928 Glazunov had tired of the internal politicking and embraced the opportunity to travel abroad. After attending the celebrations in Vienna marking the centenary of Schubert’s death, 1928 saw Glazunov remain abroad and conduct extensively. The young (and later legendary) manager Sol Hurok took Glazunov to the United States, but as the composer ailed in his mid sixties he retired eventually to Paris, where he died in 1936. The Concerto Ballata Op 108 dates from these last years, written in 1931. Dedicated to Pablo Casals, it was first performed by one of the great cellist’s pupils, Maurice Eisenberg, in Paris with the composer conducting on 14th October 1933. The opening is morose, but soon quickens by moving the dark materials through beguiling rhapsodies, warm and cold. The Adagio, complete with big musical nods to Tristan und Isolde, is naturally marked con tristezza, and the finale picks up the mood without losing the cello’s baritonal reflective nature.

from notes by M Ross © 2015