Symphony No.24 in F minor - Nikolai Myaskovsky

Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dmitry Yablonsky.

I - Allegro deciso - Più mosso (Allegro non troppo) - Meno mosso - Più mosso (Allegro non troppo) - Poco più pesante - Meno mosso - Tempo giusto (Allegro non troppo) - Meno mosso - Quasi tempo I (un poco meno mosso): 0:00
II - Molto sostenuto - Più largamente - Tempo I - Poco più agitato - Più incalzando - Meno agitato - Molto patetico - Tempo I - Poco agitato - Tranquillo: 12:42
III - Allegro appassionato - Marcato e poco pesante - Più sostenuto - Più fluttuante - Tempo I - Poco più pesante, ma sempre appassionato - Pochissimo meno mosso - Poco animando- Più sostenuto - Più fluttuante - A tempo precedente - Poco largamente - Tempo I - Marcato e poco pesante - Quasi a tempo - Più tranquillo - Meno mosso - A tempo (più fluttuante) - Sostenuto molto: 23:50

Myaskovsky's Symphony No.24 was composed between March and August 1943, three months after returning to Moscow due to the war. It was premiered on December 8 of that year, conducted by Yevgeny Mravinsky in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. The work was influenced by the deaths of composer Rachmaninoff and specially his friend Vladimir Dershanovsky, an eminent musicologist and editor of the Muzyka magazine for many years, in which Myaskovsky had contributed several articles.

The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a bellicose fanfare, followed by the presentation of a heroic and forceful main theme. A lyrical and expressive second theme is introduced by the woodwinds. The turbulent and nervous development that follows is based mostly on the main theme, even when lyrical phrases attempt to divert its course. The notes of the opening fanfares reappear several times through the movements, almost like a fateful sign. The recapitulation opens with a calm variation of the main theme, followed by the second one. A slow coda of great pathos ends the movement.

The second movement is written in form of an arch. It opens with a deeply melancholic and nostalgic main theme, presented by the oboe. It is taken by the flute and passed to the orchestra. The solemn and restrained nature of the music may be as a homage of the deceased figures mentioned. Russian program annotator Aleksei Ikonnikov, wrote that the spirituality felt is not reminiscent of the icons of a monastery, but of the legendary warriors (bogatyrs) of medieval Russia, going to the defence of the fatherland in a time of severe danger. The music reaches an expressive climax in the middle part, before it acquires a more heroic tone, rising in another grand climax. The main theme is modestly recapitulated, leading us to a peaceful coda.

The third movement is structured in sonata form. As in the first movement, it begins with a brass fanfare, followed by a wilful and determined main theme. It is contrasted by a lyrical second theme of pastoral nature, presented between English horn and oboe. A highly contrapuntal development follows based on the main theme, culminating in a dense fugato. The recapitulation brings back the themes in their original form. An extensive and calm coda brings the whole work to a peaceful end.

Picture: "Saint Russia" (1901-6) by the Russian painter Mikhail Nesterov.

Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Source: https://bit.ly/3c7jqCl

To check the score: https://bit.ly/3xdWKY7