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 [log in to unmask]