Tchaikovsky: The Symphonies
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Composer: Pyotr Il'yich TchaikovskyConductor: Zubin Mehta
Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Format: Box set
CD Release Date: 2006-04-11
Music Label: Decca
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- I. Reveries of a winter journey: Allegro tranquillo
- II. Land of desolation, land of mists: Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
- III. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando
- IV. Finale: Andante lugubre
- I. Andante sostenuto - Allegro vivo
- II. Andantino marziale, quasi moderato
- III. Scherzo: Allegro molto vivace
- IV. Moderato assai - Allegro vivo
- I. Moderato assai - Allegro brillante
- II. Alla tedesca: Allegro moderato e semplice
- III. Andante elegiaco
- IV. Scherzo: Allegro vivo
- V. Allegro con fuoco (Tempo di polacca)
- I. Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima
- II. Andantino in modo di canzona
- III. Scherzo (pizzicato ostinato): Allegro
- IV. Allegro con fuoco
- Act II. Sc?ne
- Act I. Valse
- Act II. Dance of the swans
- Act II. Sc?ne - Pas d'action
- Act III. Czardas
- Act IV. Sc?ne
- I. Andante - Allegro con anima
- II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
- III. Allegro moderato
- IV. Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace
- I. Ouverture miniature
- II. Marche
- III. Danse de la F?e Drag?e
- IV. Danse russe - Tr?pak
- V. Danse arabe
- VI. Danse chinoise
- VII. Danse des mirlitons
- VIII. Valse des fleurs
- I. Adagio - Allegro non troppo
- II. Allegro con grazia
- III. Allegro molto vivace
- IV. Adagio lamentoso
Free Music Notes for Tchaikovsky: The Symphonies
Free Music Review: Tchaikovsky with character!
Hit: 4 Stars
It is wonderful to see Mehta's Los Angeles refreshing Tchaikovsky set reissued. There are idiosyncracies here and there, but overall this is much more preferable than the dull, DULL symphony sets by Abbado on Sony, and especially Pletnev on DG. The sound quality in the symphonies is very full, crisp and brilliant (These are analogue 1975-1977). 1812 and Romeo are earlier, and have been remastered well. The Ballet Suites and Capriccio are with the Israel Philharmonic are somewhat drier. So to the performances:
No.1 is a strong performance, maybe a little TOO forceful. Tempos here (as throughout the whole cycle) tend to be on the quick side. The slow movement suffers in this respect. The scherzo is shorter than usual - Mehta doesn't observe the repeat.
No.2 is the highlight of the set. I am reminded (and maybe Mehta was too) of the old mono Minneapolis recording with Dmitri Mitropoulos here. Tempos again are on the swift side, and this seems absolutely right for this work. The first movement's allegro starts off moderately, but soon picks up the pace (the LA double basses are fantastic!). This is high-voltage Tchaikovsky! The second movement is fast and crisp (this movement isn't a funeral march like Markevitch or Karajan seem to think...), and the scherzo goes at a breath-taking gallop. The finale sets the seal on the performance. Like the first movement, the main Allegro vivo section starts almost sheepishly, but soon turns into a huge flood of sound (hear that enormous tam-tam stroke before the coda!!). Wow!
No.3 is more suite than symphony, and Mehta treats it as such, the outer movements given with a real swing. The central Andante elegiaco is gorgeous and the LA strings relish it.
No.4 receives a very dramatic performance, the opening movement even more urgent than the famous Leningrad Mravinsky account. The way Mehta whips up the development into a frenzy has to be heard to be believed, and the climax is electrifying, the recapitulation exploding in on the listener. Again, Decca's engineering is a marvel! Only the finale lets the peformance down a bit, Mehta not pushing on enough in the coda.
No.5 is fair, but not earth-shattering. Rhythms are nicely lifted, but everything here is just a bit matter-of-fact. (n.b. Try to listen to the 'live' recording of No.5 by Justus Frantz, bad edit and all - simply stunning!!)
The same applies with the Pathetique, but kudos to Mehta for using the bassoon instead of the bass-clarinet just before the first movement's development section, it's the only recording I know that observes this!!.
Overall, a very good set, if not my first choice. That honour still belongs to Karajan overall (especially 4-6), and try Maazel's superbly pain-ridden VPO account of Manfred too. But Mehta's No.2 is still tops!
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