Richard Pennycuick wonders what the extent of Andrei Eshpai's
symphonic/orchestral output is.  The following is as near completion
as I have been able to get to date without going to original sources.

Born in 1925, Eshpai's music owes much to the folk music of his native
Mari region (autonomous region/republic/oblast).  His studies at the
Moscow Conservatory 1948-53 were with Golubev, Miaskovsky (who influenced
him considerably), Rakov and Sofronitsky, followed by additional studies
with Khachaturian 1953-56.  I find his music constantly fascinating and
worthy of much repeated listening, though at the moment I have only three
discs (including the Albany Troy Richard mentions) containing Symphonies
2, 4 and 5, the Symphonic Dances, the Concerto Grosso and two of the Violin
Concerti.  I would be very interested in what other Listers think of Eshpai
and his music.  I'm trying to assemble a brief biographical sketch on the
man, but sources are extremely difficult to come by and seem to refer to
each other all the time!

Here's the orchestral oeuvre as far as I have been able to figure it out:

A Circle, ballet, 1979-80
Angara, ballet, 1974-75
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, 1989
Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra, 1994
Concerto for Double-Bass and String Orchestra, 1994-95
Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, 1992
Concerto for French Horn and String Orchestra, 1995 (apparently with an
   additional four solo French horns, but I haven't been able to confirm
   this)
Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra in F sharp minor, 1954
Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra, 1972
Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra, 1982
Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, 1985-86
Concerto for Trumpet, Trombone and Orchestra, 1995
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, 1987
Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra, G minor, 1956
Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra, 'To the
memory of Nikolai Miaskovsky', 1977
Concerto No. 3 for Violin and Orchestra, 'Bartok
Concerto', 1990-92
Concerto No. 4 for Violin and Orchestra, 1993-94
Concerto Grosso for Double-Bass, Piano, Trumpet,
Vibraphone and Orchestra, 1966-67
Festive Overture for Orchestra, 1970
Hungarian Tunes for Violin and Orchestra, 1952
Introduction for variety orchestra, 1981 (I think, but am uncertain, this
   definition -- which occurs several times in his oeuvre -- refers to
   either an orchestra of accordions or a balalaika orchestra)
Simon Bolivar, symphonic poem, 1982
Simple Waltz for variety orchestra, 1961
Songs of the Mountain and Meadow Mari, 1983
Symphonic Dances on Mari Themes, 1952
Symphony No. 1 in E flat minor, 1959
Symphony No. 2 in A major, 'Praise the Light', 1962
Symphony No. 3, 'To the memory of my Father', 1964
Symphony No. 4, 'Symphony-Ballet', 1980-89
Symphony No. 5, (dedicated to Yevgeny Svetlanov), 1987
Symphony No. 6, 'Liturgic', 1988
Symphony No. 7 for large orchestra, 1991
The Bells of the Kremlin, festive overture for chorus and orchestra, 1970
   (this may well be the same piece as the Festive Overture noted above
   but I am currently unable to confirm)
The Crossing of the Alps by Sivorov, Fantasy-Overture for large orchestra
Variations on a Theme of Symphony No. 16 by Nikolai Miaskovsky, 1966

Like I said -- if anyone has additional, corroborating or alternative
information, I would be very interested in finding out more.

Tim Mahon
Alexandria, VA
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