Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5, Marche Slave [Import]

Track Listings

1. Marche Slave Op 31

2. No 5 Symphony In E Minor Op 64 - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5, Marche Slave, Music, Verbitsky, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Classical

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 / 1812 Overture / Marche Slave - Essential Classics
Average customer rating:

You'll get what you pay for

Tchaikovsky estruendoso

"The Philadelphia Sound" in all its glory

Same album, same sound, different look. Still very good!

Terrific Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 / 1812 Overture / Marche Slave - Essential Classics

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5/Serenade For Strings

Tchaikovsky: The Three Piano Concertos

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

ASIN: B000069JL5
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Tracks:

I. Andante Sostenuto; Moderato Con Anima In Movimento Di Valse; Moderato Assai, Quasi Andante; Allegro Vivo
II. Andantino In Modo Di Canzona
III. Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato; Allegro
IV. Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco
'1812' Overture, Op. 49 - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Marche Slave, Op. 31

Customer Reviews:

You'll get what you pay for.......2006-06-06

I was suckered into this recording by the rather cheap price, thinking that Ormandy would work his magic with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy does take a very moderate interpretation, both in terms of tempo and dynamic, which I thought to be perfectly acceptable for Tchaikovsky. However, I did not find this to be a particularly riviting performance of any of the works, for two reasons.

First, intonation is a consistant problem throughout the disk, especially in the brass instruments. The begining of the 1812 Overture is particularly sloppy in the choir, both on intonation, as well as rhythmic precision.

Second, the style is a bit 'un-Russian'. Many of the notes that (I believe) should be played as long as possible, are clipped off, and played staccato (separated, short). For example in the opening fanfare of the Fourth Symphony, the first five notes are played so separated, it sounds weak.

The bottom line: You can get better recordings. I would take Mr. Grabowski's advice of getting the Mravinsky recording or you might want to check out Karajan's recording with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Tchaikovsky estruendoso.......2004-09-15

Tchaikovsky es un compositor que pasa de la dulzura del ballet a la tragedia de la sinfonía patética, y llega al estruendo de la overtura 1812, sin trauma, sin dolor, sin esfuerzo. La sinfonía Nº 4 es ceremoniosa, alegre, dulce y estruendosa; preparandonos en este Cd para la obertura 1812, en este caso un coro masculino nos introduce en forma mágica al mundo de la guerra, de las marchas y el estruendo, la banda militar agrega un toque solemne de desfile y las campanas y los cañones terminan en un ensordecedor holocausto del triunfo y la victoria. Finalmente una marcha en plena forma, solemne, vivaz y muy bella, la marcha eslava es un cierre lógico para estas grabaciones de fuerza incontenible que Tchaikovsky sabe entregar.
Ormandy junto al Orquesta Filadelfia saben de fuerza y belleza y lo mezclan sutilmente, el coro del Tabernaculo Mormón se acopla en forma correcta y la banda militar y los cañones cierran este apoteosis musical, mucho ruido y por cierto mucho más nueces.
Disfrutenlo, la música es ruido bellamente presentado.

"The Philadelphia Sound" in all its glory.......2003-12-07

You get pretty much what you expect with this album, if you know anything about Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra's legacy. Strings are rich and smooth. Winds have that woody "Old World" sound and vibrato. Brass and percussion are restrained.

The Fourth Symphony gets the treatment in moderate tempi and dynamics; volume tends to stay in the mf range and never falls below p or goes above f. Accents are softened. For a radical contrast (and, in all honesty, a better account of the symphony) you should check out Mravinsky's account on DG: he finds more profundity than Ormandy, although the Philadelphias are more polished.

Ormandy doesn't quite find the pathos in the work that others do, and his is more emotion recollected in (relative) tranquility. This is not to say the performance is dull, but it is not white-hot, like Bernstein's, or melodramatic, like Mravinsky's, or steely, like Monteaux's. A little annoyingly, Ormandy does not observe the considerably detailed dynamic markings in the score. (This was a common fault of his; he was never obsessed with detail and tended to be concerned with the overall sheen, the "big picture" or perhaps more accurately, "big sound.")

I can't really review the 1812 Overture, because I hate it, so I'll leave you to other Amazon reviewers for an evaluation of that. (Seems to me, though, that the Philly under EO might be a little too "rounded" and "smooth" to do that work justice.) As for the Marche Slave, while this one is good, the definitive reading of that work remains Leopold Stokowski (Ormandy's predecessor in Philly!) and the London Symphony Orchestra, recorded in 1969 for London Records. If you can find that recording, which also has a stunning Firebird Suite and a fun Night on Bald Mountain, grab it. The piece on this disc is nice filler.

Same album, same sound, different look. Still very good!.......2003-09-07

You know? There are times when an album gets a new look and somewhere it said things like "Digitally remastered for superior sound!" I got this latest reissue and compared it to an earlier CD (late '90s reissue). I made sure that both CD players are pretty much in sync while carefully comparing the sound quallity. You know what? NO DIFFERENCE! They both sound very good! So, if you want the 1960s Ormandy's version of Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony, it would not make a difference if you were to get this latest release, OR the earlier issue of the SAME album.

Why do I gave it 4 stars? Well, my least favorite part is the 1812 Overture. The cannon sounds are like something out of an old movie or TV show with cheesy quality (and Hi-Fi stereo recording had already been around for quite a while)! The sound of the bells are kinda odd. At least, the playing of the piece itself is good and the orchestral sound is very good. But I prefer other versions by Dutoit and Sir Adrian Boult. Outside of the 1812 Overture, you can't go wrong.

Terrific Tchaikovsky.......2003-01-16

In the 1950s and 60s, CBS/Columbia (now Sony Classical) had the great fortune to have three of America's best orchestras and their conductors on its recording roster -- Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. Nearly a half-century later, only Leonard Bernstein remains a name that even the non-classical music world knows well. But in the world of the compact disc, this is a wonderful thing, because while Leonard Bernstein analog stereo recordings sell at mid-price, classic performances by Ormandy and Szell are regulated to the budget line. Well, my friends there is justice in the world because the vast majority of these "budget line" recordings are not only amazing, but some are still considered definitive more than 40 years later! One such definitive performance is this Ormandy recording of Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony (the 5th and 6th on Sony Essential Classics are equally amazing). Throw in terrific performances of the 1812 Overture and Marche Slave and you've got a classic disc. Never did something of such high quality come at such a small price. Enjoy!

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 /Marche Slave

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Noble & Dignified Reading

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 /Marche Slave

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4/Romeo & Juliet (Fantasy Overture)
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Tempest/Symphony No. 2
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.3; 1812 Overture
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.1 "Winter Dreams" - The Nutcracker Suite Claudio Abbado, CSO
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5/Voyevode

ASIN: B0000026G3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6, Op. 74 'Pathetique': Adagio; Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 6, Op. 74 'Pathetique': Allegro con grazia
Symphony No. 6, Op. 74 'Pathetique': Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 6, Op. 74 'Pathetique': Finale; Adagio lamentoso; Andante
Marche Slave, Op. 31

Customer Reviews:

Noble & Dignified Reading.......2007-03-27

Abbado's Sony recording of Tchaikovsky's Symphony Pathetique is often criticised or dismissed for the lack of slavonic emotinnalism. True that the first movement takes time until it warms up and the second theme is rather understated, but putting that aside, the rest of the music is puperbly played and powerfully eloquent. 2nd & 3rd movement are the finest among other great recordings. The last movement has noble control yet deeply expressive.

If you are looking for emotionally devastating account of Pathetique, your first choice may be Mravinsky's two DG recordings, Karajan's 1967, 76 DG & 71 EMI versions, Svetlanov's extremely intense Melodiya recording or Furtwangler's Legendary 1951 Cairo Live DG renowned for its depth of the last movement. But Abbado's reading is not bad if you are after more dignified and graceful interpretation.

Tchaikovsky: Sym. No. 4; 1812 Overture; Marche Slave

Average customer rating:

Great renditions of some of Tchaikovsky's best
snore city
never a dull moment with this music
Driving a Cadillac on tranquilizers
Ormandy's Tchaikovsky 4 is still one of the best

Tchaikovsky: Sym. No. 4; 1812 Overture; Marche Slave

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 "Romantic"
Strauss: Orchestral Music from Stage Works
Eugene Ormandy
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

ASIN: B00000276L
Release Date: 1991-04-05

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36: I. Adante sostenuto; Moderato con anima in movimento di valse; Moderato assai, quasi andante; Allegero vivo
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36: II. Andantino In modo di canzona
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36: Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato; Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36: IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco
1812 Overture, Op.49
Marche Slave, Op. 31

Amazon.com

Eugene Ormandy's great Tchaikovsky recordings were all made for Sony (then CBS), and this performance of the Fourth Symphony and other goodies features his typically lush, Romantic string sonority, along with a few orchestral retouchings, particularly at the very end. Generations of music lovers grew up on these performances, and hearing them again (in much better sound and at budget price) is like meeting an old friend after a long absence. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Great renditions of some of Tchaikovsky's best.......2006-08-19

This recording is a wonderful mix of one of his most notable symphonies, along with the two shorter pieces that are most widely known. Symphony No.4 is good, but not great; buy this album for "1812" and "Slavic March."

"1812" is moving and spirited; a choral introduction replaces the more traditional instrumental, and although it is in English, it works very well with the spirit of the piece. Throughout, the tempo is spirited, the music compelling, and of course, the cannons appropriately bombastic.

"Slavic March" is not nearly as well known as "1812," but this recording shows it deserves equal attention as a great short work, capturing the essence of the great Russian musical traditions.

snore city.......2006-06-01

If you want to fall asleep to some really lush strings, absurdly slow tempi and almost in audible brass, then buy this recording. When I was in high school, I remember returning my copy of the vinyl of this performance of the 4th symphony by Ormandy, and purchasing the glorious Munch/Boston performance (available currently only from BMG Japanese Victor, as an import).
I purchased this CD thinking that, as I had aged and presumably become more tolerant of diversity and interpretation, that somehow I had grown to appreciate ORMANDY'S UNIQUENESS. Nope, it's still too slow and tedious. Ormandy does to tempi what Bernstein did but, without the creativity and passion.Save your money. buy almost anyone else's 4th Symphony.

never a dull moment with this music .......2006-01-14

Never a dull moment with this music.

Driving a Cadillac on tranquilizers.......2005-11-08

David Hurwitz may think this recording is like meeting an old friend, but I lived thorugh the Ormandy era, and to me this CD is like remembering an old nap. Ormandy readings are reliable, shapeless, without imaginaiton or even the desire for imaginaiton. They just sit there, and meanwhile his glorious orchestra--at least Ormandy had that to his credit--made Cadillac sounds for a driver on tranquilizers. I guess the other reviewers here are enamored of the sounds and don't care that Tchaikovsky is a much more vital, incisive, and even wilder composer than Ormandy registers.

Ormandy's Tchaikovsky 4 is still one of the best.......2005-09-01

Recorded in the 1960s for Columbia, Ormandy's Tchaikovsky 4 is still one of the best. The Philadelphia Orchestra had played under Ormandy for 25 years when this was recorded, and the rapport between them shows. Ormandy takes moderate tempos, and never drives the dramatic passages of I and IV the way some conductors: Beecham (EMI), Bernstein (Sony) do. Instead, Ormandy lets the music unfold naturally, and steps back for the more dramatic moments, just letting the music speak for itself.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is excellent in every department, especially the strings, but the woodwinds and brass too: they SING, and are never harsh or strident.

The accompanying works, MARCHE SLAVE and OVERTURE 1812 make nice discmates, but I'm not as fond of Ormandy's 1812 as some are. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir opens with their own version of "God save the Czar" sung in English, and the Philadelphia Orchestra plays beautifully, but I am not as convinced by their playing of the closing hymn and coda as in some recordings; I prefer Dorati/Detroit (London) or Haitink/Concertgebouw (Philips, perhaps hard to find presently). Marche Slave is better than Ormandy's later remake for RCA, but most listeners would buy this for Symphony 4 rather than the discmates.

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6/Marche Slave/Capriccio Italien

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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6/Marche Slave/Capriccio Italien

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FF9
Release Date: 1993-06-08

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 - 'Pathetique': Adagio; Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 6 - 'Pathetique': Allegro con grazia
Symphony No. 6 - 'Pathetique': Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 6 - 'Pathetique': Adagio lamentoso
Marche slave
Capriccio italien

Amazon.com

Not great. Eugene Ormandy made his reputation as a Tchaikovsky "specialist," but all of his best recordings are the ones he did for Sony in the 1960s, which are available as excellently remastered, budget-priced CDs. These later versions are good, but not as good, and even more disturbing, they are markedly less well recorded. Ormandy's Tchaikovsky is well worth having, but only if you take the time to seek out the right versions. Caveat emptor! --David Hurwitz

Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony/Marche Slave/Fantasy Overture-Romeo & Juliet/Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2

Average customer rating:

A splendid Rachmaninov 2nd.
Fantastic
Yuri Temirkanov's Rachy's 2nd Rocks!

Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony/Marche Slave/Fantasy Overture-Romeo & Juliet/Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2

Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002SFQ
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

'Manfred' Sym, Op.58: I. Lento lugubre - Moderato con moto - Andante - London SO/Andre Previn
'Manfred' Sym, Op.58: II. Vivace con spirito - London SO/Andre Previn
'Manfred' Sym, Op.58: III. Andante con moto - London SO/Andre Previn
'Manfred' Sym, Op.58: IV. Allegro con fucco - London SO/Andre Previn
Marche slave, Op.31 - London SO/Andre Previn

Tracks:

Fantasy Ov: Romeo & Juliet - London SO/Andre Previn
Sym No.2 in e, Op.27: I. Largo - Allegro moderato - Royal PO/Yuri Temirkanov
Sym No.2 in e, Op.27: II. Allegro molto - Royal PO/Yuri Temirkanov
Sym No.2 in e, Op.27: III. Adagio - Royal PO/Yuri Temirkanov
Sym No.2 in e, Op.27: IV. Allegro vivace - Royal PO/Yuri Temirkanov

Customer Reviews:

A splendid Rachmaninov 2nd........2003-09-18

I had lived with a flawed single recording of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony for far too long and was looking for a better replacement. Thanks to the enthusiastic reviews below I invested in this CD set, and I must say Temirkanov's reading of the 2nd is really really good. From the opening bars you sense a feeling of "rightness" about it immediately: this performance has authority and genuine drama. I had previously sworn off buying any more Royal Philharmonic recordings because of several lousy experiences with this orchestra's lacklustre 1980s CDs. Here however, the RPO sound once more like the great ensemble they were under Beecham. If anything, this Rach 2nd sounds like a natural follow-up to the musical success the RPO achieved in their famous "Scheherazade" recording under Beecham. Temirkanov and RPO dig up an endless array of glittering details in the score.

The Previn performances are good too, even though they have been surpassed by some modern versions. Nevertheless they make wonderful handmaidens to Temirkanov's luscious performance.

Fantastic.......2003-03-10

Prior to purchasing these CDs, I read somewhere that the performance of the Manfred symphony was "admirable," but that it was the Rachmaninov that really shined. I bought this CD set for Manfred, and I was thrilled: the power and precision Previn gets out of the LSO is amazing. Listening to the Manfred symphony (not to mention the Marche Slave and Romeo & Juliet overture) as recorded here, I got the feeling I was hearing them played "right," that I didn't need to listen to other interpretations to understand how the music was "supposed" to sound--and that's a feeling that's hard to come by. Listening to Rachmaninov's Second, though, I had to redefine my standards of what "right" is. Previn's works on these CDs are indeed admirable; they're tough acts to follow--but the Rachmaninov, which I approached as just some bonus music on my Tchaikovsky CDs, absolutely blew me away. Temirkanov imbues the music with such incredible power and passion that it seems to be a living, breathing entity, changing the question from "Is this interpretation 'right'?" to "Can any other interpretation possibly be 'right'?" I agree with the other reviewer that it's difficult to believe this kind of lush, gorgeous sound can come out of the RPO, even as underrated as I think they are. This is a ten-star recording. The bottom line is, this is a 2-CD set that should not be passed up at any price. It's extremely difficult to beat this interpretation of the Tchaikovsky pieces; it's impossible to beat the Rachmaninov.

Yuri Temirkanov's Rachy's 2nd Rocks!.......1999-11-22

I want to only comment on the Rachmaninov. This sounds like the Royal Philharmonic of Beecham, not the down-trodden group that sometimes plays well, sometimes not. Angelic playing, powerful performance, this performance makes you believe that Stokowski came back to inhabit Y.T.'s body! 'nuf said... A great bargain, even if you don't listen to the other disc!

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, Pathétique/Marche Slave

Average customer rating:

Breathtaking
Impressive

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, Pathétique/Marche Slave
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Mikhail Pletnev , and Russian National Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000DNZN
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking.......2003-04-02

Why does everyone criticize Pletnev, the conductor, and praise Pletnev, the pianist? He might not be the best conductor- who is the best? - but he is not so "pathetic" in this Symphonie Pathetique.

Pletnev conducts an amazingly overwhelming Russian National Orchestra in this Tchaikovsky Symphony No.6.

They play with freedom, madness, as if they just escaped from some other planet, where convention and restraint are unheard of. They are intriguing, dramatic, intoxicating.

What a shattering experience!

The sound is so powerful and rapturous that everything seems to fall or fly around the room, especially in the third movement of the symphony, and the "Marche Slave." It's wild, provocative, exhilarating!

Mikhail Pletnev has recorded with Deutsche Grammophon the complete six Tchaikovsky symphonies, with a very good sound (1996, 4D).
In this box set, the symphony No.6 is equally magnificent, played by the same orchestra, but with more reserve and maturity.
I enjoy both interpretations, although I tend to favor the eccentric one.

Impressive.......2001-08-30

It seems this went out of print for a time in the U.S., but now it is back as part of a 2 for price of 1 set on Virgin along with Pletnev's version of The Seasons (although it doesn't appear this is available through Amazon). This version of the Pathetique is one of the finest available and is much preferable to Pletnev's later effort with the same orchestra on DG. The playing is crisp yet expressive, but not overly sentimental. The third movement "Allegro Molto Vivace" is taken at breakneck speed and just doesn't let up with climaxes that are absolutely shattering in impact. While Pletnev has been accused at times of being overly cold and calculating, it seems to me the proper amount of Tchaikovsky hysteria is allowed to come through without sacrificing the structure of the piece. The sound is first class and the Marche Slave has a similar intensity.

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Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique"; Marche Slave

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Tracks:

Sym No.6 in b, Op.74 'Pathetique': Adagio-Allegro non troppo
Sym No.6 in b, Op.74 'Pathetique': Allegro con grazia
Sym No.6 in b, Op.74 'Pathetique': Allegro molto vivace
Sym No.6 in b, Op.74 'Pathetique': Finale: Adagio lamentoso
Marche Slave, Op.31 - Hungarian State Orch/Adam Fischer

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5/Marche Slave

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Complementary numbers balance this Album

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5/Marche Slave

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000002993
Release Date: 1994-05-31

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in e, Op.64: I. Andante - Allegro Con Anima
Sym No.5 in e, Op.64: II. Andante Cantabile, Con Alcuna Licenza
Sym No.5 in e, Op.64: III. Valse. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.5 in e, Op.64: IV. Finale. Andante Maestoso - Allegro Vivace
Marche Slave, Op.31 - Georgian Festival Orch/Vato Kahi

Customer Reviews:

Complementary numbers balance this Album.......2002-12-28

Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, produced several years after his rather depressing 4th Symphony, is a quite different work from a quite different composer.

The theme of the march that pervades and provides an underlying theme to most of the Fifth Symphony begins as depressing, but as the symphony progresses you will get the feeling that the composer has been marching to glory. The finale is particulary optimistic for a composer who had tried to commit suicide only a few years before. Well worth a listen for any Classical music fan.

The "Slave March" is a emotional roller coaster ride - intertwining melodies from Serbian folk music with such things as "God Save the King". This number is great to walk to, and provides listening enjoyment from a composer better known for other works.