SYMPHONY NO 3 ( ILYA MUROMETS ) / CELLO CONCERTO

Russian nationalist composer Reinhold Gliere's most stirring symphony, dedicated to the life of legendary medieval knight Ilya Muromets. Clocking in at over ninety minutes, this is one of Gliere's most ambitious and modern works, premiering in 1912. He guides the listener through four tableaux of the life (and legend) of this nationalist figure, carefully curating the knight's narrative through expansive and unfolding themes. His later (1946) Cello Concerto is more restrained and less 'modernist' yet demonstrates his ability to create pleasing and stimulating works under the strictures of Stalinist censorship.