Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3, Op. 29; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 "Polish", Op.29
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

2. Romeo and Juliet, fantasy-overture for orchestra in B minor (3 versions)
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Customer Reviews:

EXCITING PERFORMANCES VINTAGE STEREO SOUND BUT NOT SACD.......2005-09-27

Despite whar Mr Richman says in his review below this five disc box set does NOT consist of hybrid SACD discs. They are all CDs - generously filled but still basic 16 bit discs. It may be that Mercury's parent company plans to release these discs singly as three channel SACDs but here you get the two channel mixes that originally appeared on LP and on the 1990s CD releases. It would have been great to hear them in three channel - Dorati's "Firebird" sounds magnificent on SACD - but this box is still a bargain. There's some low level hiss and the occasional tape clunk but these are small blemishes on some exciting late 50s and early 60s recordings that make most of today's offerings sound sterile and cautious. Dorati's Tchaikovsky is never winsome or self-pitying. As a masterly ballet conductor Dorati never ignores the lilt and sway of the composer's waltz-inspired lighter moments - but he and the orchestra (London Symphony and Minneapolis) really let rip for the exciting brass perorations. Try the finale of the "Little Russian" symphony, or "Francesca di Rimini", for some real sock-blowing sound! Even if you own other recordings of these popular works try to find a space on your shelf for Dorati and the inimitable Mercury sound.

Dorati's MLP Tchaikovsky Gems Are Back!.......2005-05-25

Those familiar with my reviews on Amazon know my great love for the Mercury Living Presence series. Equally great is my disgust that so many of these brilliant recordings have been deleted in the last few years! Thankfully, some of these legendary performances are resurfacing as SACD hybrids. Unfortunately, they are now being sold at full-price, despite a competing hybrid series on RCA/BMG being available at midline. In spite of the added expense, I hope this MLP reissue trend will continue, and maybe we'll even see a few items getting their CD debut.

This Tchaikovsky Symphony Cycle by the great Antal Dorati has always been one of my favorite MLP offerings. While a two-disc set of Symphonies 1-3 and a single title of the 4th continue to be available in their original CD incarnations, the CDs of Symphonies 5 & 6 have gone out-of-print recently. However, with this box set they are now deservedly restored to the catalog. Even better is the fact that the four 5CD box sets being reissued have been so reasonably priced. This Tchaikovsky set, and the ones of Dorati conducting Bartok, Paray conducting French music, and Hanson conducting a variety of American music, including his own compositions, have a total cost cheaper than the original single issue CDs! Once again, Mercury Living Presence lives!

Tchaikovsky: Complete Symphonies, Overtures

Average customer rating:

Careful - Misprinted copies!
Do not buy it.
Bargain price, but is this a bargain?
what a bargain!!

Tchaikovsky: Complete Symphonies, Overtures
Maurice Abravanel
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Shostakovich: The String Quartets
Beethoven Collection: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Complete Recording (Box Set)

ASIN: B00005QKFQ
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Andante sostenuto; Allegro vivo
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Andantino marziale
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Moderato assai
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante; Allegro con anima
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Valse: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante maestoso; Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Lento Lugubre: Moderato con moto: Andante
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Vivace con spirito
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: andante con moto
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Allegro con fuoco
Marche Slave, Op. 31
Ouverture Solennelle, Op. 49

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Adagio; allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Allegro con grazia
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Adagio lamentoso
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Allegro tranquillo
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Allegro scherzando giocoso

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Andante lugubre; Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Moderato assai; Allegro brillante
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Allegro moderato e semplice
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Andante elegiaco
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Scherzo
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Allegro con fuoco
Francesca da Rimini, Symphonic Fantasia after Dante, Op. 32

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Andante sostenuto; Moderato con anima
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Andantino in modo di canzona
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Scherzo: Allegro
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Hamlet, Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare, Op. 67a
"Romeo & Juliet," Overture Fantasy after Shakespeare

Customer Reviews:

Careful - Misprinted copies!.......2006-03-27

As others have said in their reviews, the Utah Symphony Orchestra does a good job, but does not overwhelm the listener with passion. Overall, a good buy to get all the symphonies in one collection.

HOWEVER, it seems that at least one release of this set contains a misprint where Disc 1 is actually another artist and genre altogether! My disc 1 is some sort of Gospel CD, and even looking it up in the CCDB database didn't turn up the artist or title. Perhaps Amazon will replace your copy if you have one of the misprints, but VOXBOX will NOT. So buy with care.

Do not buy it........2006-02-03

Not Even a recording of Tchaikovsky's Symphonies. This is really music you would here at a july 4th celebration.

Bargain price, but is this a bargain?.......2005-11-19

Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony made a number of fine recordings for Vox, Vanguard, and Westminster in the 1960s and 1970s, especially of Milhaud, Harris, Copland and other 20th century composers. Abravanel, who became conductor of the Utah Symphony in the late 1940s, is credited as having raised the musicians' standard of playing, and getting the orchestra increased recognition through new recordings released during the early stereo era (late 1950s on).

The Utah Symphony plays well enough, but they do not have the power of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy, the Cleveland Orchestra under Szell, the Chicago Symphony under Reiner, in other words, of the major American orchestras. They are professional and more than competant, but do not have the lush string tone for Tchaikovsky's great moments. Therefore, you may find this wanting a bit for power in climaxes, and the louder parts of slow movements. When stacked against the best recordings of the Tchaikovsky Symphonies, Abravanel comes up short, sounding bland and unexciting.

However, there are some good recordings in this collection. Abravanel's Tchaikovsky Symphonies 1 and 2 are better than many recordings of these works, but there are exposed violin parts in Symphony 1: IV which are scratchy and out of tune. These parts are HARD to play, however, but the Utah Symphony doesn't have the precision of the Boston Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas (DG) or the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (DG), for example. Abravenel's Symphony 3 is also better than some, but not the best: dry acoustics make this rather lackluster sounding. Better for Symphony 3 is the Polish National Orchestra/Antoni Wit (Naxos).

Symphony 4 sounds good to me, but is a little light: it could use more power in the stormy pages of I, and the furious swirling passages of IV. For Symphonies 5 and 6, the competition is tough: lots of very fine recordings, so they suffer a little in comparison. 5 is especially dry; 6 fares better than 5, but neither can compare to Ormandy (Sony), Bernstein (Sony), or Wit (Naxos).

MANFRED is better than some, but again inferior to the best: Muti (EMI), Previn (EMI) or Markevitch/LSO (Philips). 1812 and Marche Slave are both excellent, Francesca less so - the lush string sound thing again.

So is this a bargain? For about $15.00, you get 7 major works and a bunch of discmates, but if you already have the great recordings listed above, you don't need this. I tend to go at the Tchaikovsky Symphonies disc by disc: Tilson Thomas/Boston (Symphony 1, DG); Markevitch/London Symphony (2, Philips);
Wit/Polish National (3, Naxos); Ormandy/Philadelphia(4, Sony);
Wit/Polish National (5, Naxos); Ormandy (6, Sony) are all suggested alternatives, but there are certainly many other excellent ones.

what a bargain!!.......2003-12-13

this collection is worth buying if only for the price--FIVE CDs for the price of one! for someone seeking an inexpensive way to explore the symphonic works of tchaikovsky this set is hard to beat. it is true that the perfomances are not at the same level of say bernstein and the NY philharmonic, they are admirably performed. personal favorites are symphonies 4,5 and 6. the utah symphony brings out the meaning and emotion of these masterworks of romanticism, particularly the muted sentiment of no. 6. the famous scherzo of no. 4 comes across with playful bounce you would expect. there are disappointments. the 1812 overture is okay, but lacks the punch of other performances, particularly the timeless one from nearly fifty years ago on the mercury label. the marche slave is a bit humdrum. but again, at this price for this much music, the flaws can be overlooked. highly recommended for beginning collectors on budget!

Average customer rating:

Classics of Love

Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00003XAEU
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Romeo and Juliet: Love Theme
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor "Pathetique": 2nd MVT., "More Than Love"
Wine, Women, And Song: Excerpts
Venetian Gondolier's Song
Symphonie Fantastique: 2nd MVT., Ballroom Scene
Boh: Che Gelida Manina
Traviata: Prelude
Scheherazade: The Young Prince and Princess
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude
Pearl Fishers: Au Fond du Temple Saint
Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March

Average customer rating:

Karajan is below par, with a few exceptions
Karajan (not) at his finest
Fair value, but Karajan can be heard better elsewhere
Fantastic!
von karajan truly conducts the master

Karajan Conducts Tchaikovsky

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Schubert: 8 Symphonies
Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana
R. Strauss - Ariadne auf Naxos / Schwarzkopf · Seefried · Streich · Schock · Prey · PO · Karajan

ASIN: B00004SA8B
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 'Winter Dreams': Dreams Of A Winter Journey
Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 'Winter Dreams': Land Of Desolation, Land Of Mists
Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 'Winter Dreams': Scherzo, Allegro scherzando giocoso
Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 'Winter Dreams': Finale. Andante lugubre - Allegro moderato - Allegro maestoso
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise
Eugene Onegin: Waltz
Slavic March, Op.31: Moderato in modo di marcia funebre

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In C Minor, Op.17 'Little Russian': Andante sostenuto - Allegro vivo
Symphony No.2 In C Minor, Op.17 'Little Russian': Andantino marziale, quasi moderato
Symphony No.2 In C Minor, Op.17 'Little Russian': Scherzo, Allegro molto vivace - Trio. L'istesso tempo
Symphony No.2 In C Minor, Op.17 'Little Russian': Moderato assai - Allegro vivo - Presto
Ouverture solennelle '1812', Op.49: Largo - Andante - Allegro giusto - Largo - Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Symphony No.3 in D major, Op.29 'Polish': Introduzione e Allegro. Moderato assai (Tempo di marcia funebre)
Symphony No.3 in D major, Op.29 'Polish': Alla tadesca. Allegro moderato e semplice
Symphony No.3 in D major, Op.29 'Polish': Andante elegiaco
Symphony No.3 in D major, Op.29 'Polish': Scherzo. Allegro vivo
Symphony No.3 in D major, Op.29 'Polish': Finale. Allegro con fuoco (Tempo di Polacca)
Capriccio italien, Op.45: Andante un poco rubato - Allegro moderato - Andante - Allegro moderato - Presto - Piu presto - Prestissimo

Tracks:

Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36: Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima - Moderato assai, quasi Andante - Allegro vivo
Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36: Andantino in modo di canzone
Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36: Scherzo. Pizzacato ostinato - Allegro
Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36: Finale. Allegro con fuoco
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Moderato quasi Andante - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Tema. Moderato semplice - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione I. Tempo del Tema - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione II. Tempo del Tema - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione III. Andante sostenuto - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione IV. Andante grazioso - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione V. Allegro moderato - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione VI. Andante - Mstislav Rostropovich
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Cello And Orchestra, Op.33: Variazione VII. Allegro vivo - Mstislav Rostropovich

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op.64: Andante - Allegro con anima
Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op.64: Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza - Moderato con anima - Andante mosso - Allegro non troppo - Tempo I
Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op.64: Valse. Allegro moderato
Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op.64: Finale. Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace - Molto vivace - Moderato assai e molto maestoso - Presto
Serenade for String Orchestra in C major, Op.48: Pezzo in forma di sonatina
Serenade for String Orchestra in C major, Op.48: Valse. Moderato. Tempo di Valse
Serenade for String Orchestra in C major, Op.48: Elegia. Larghetto elegiaco
Serenade for String Orchestra in C major, Op.48: Finale. Tema russo. Andante - Allegro con spirito

Tracks:

Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': Adagio - Allegro non troppo - Andante - Moderato mosso - Andante - Moderato assai - Allegro vivo - Andante come prima - Andante mosso
Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': Allegro con grazia
Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': Finale. Adagio lamentoso - Andante
Romeo And Juliet: Andante non tanto quasi Moderato - Allegro - Molto meno mosso - Allegro giusto - Moderato assai

Tracks:

The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66a (Suite): 1. Introduction. La Fee des lilas. Allegro vivo - Andantino - Andante sostenuto
The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66a (Suite): 2. Adagio. Pas d'action. Andante - Adagio maestoso - Tempo I - Molto sostenuto, quasi piu Andante - Tempo I
The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66a (Suite): 3. Pas de caractere. Le Chat botte et la Chatte blanche. Allegro moderatoK
The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66a (Suite): 4. Panorama. Andantino
The Sleeping Beauty, Op.66a (Suite): 5. Valse Allegro (Tempo di Valse)
Swan Lake (Suite): 1. Scene. Moderato - Michel Schwalbe
Swan Lake (Suite): 2. Valse. Tempo di Valse - Michel Schwalbe
Swan Lake (Suite): 3. Danse des cygnes. Allegro moderato - Michel Schwalbe
Swan Lake (Suite): 4. Scene. Andante - Andante non troppo - Tempo I - Michel Schwalbe
Swan Lake (Suite): 5. Danse hongroise (Czardas). Moderato assai - Allegro moderato - Vivace - Michel Schwalbe
Swan Lake (Suite): 6. Scene finale. Allegro agitato - Alla breve. Moderato e maestoso - Michel Schwalbe
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 1. Ouverture miniature. Allegro giusto
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2a. Danses caracteristiques: Marche. Temppo di marcia viva
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2b. Danses caracteristiques: Danse de la Fee Dragee. Andante non troppo
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2c. Danses caracteristiques: Danse russe Trepak. Tempo di Trepak, molto vivace
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2d. Danses caracteristiques: Danse arabe. Allegretto
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2e. Danses caracteristiques: Danse chinoise. Allegro moderato
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 2f. Danses caracteristiques: Danse des mirlitons. Moderato assai
The Nutcracker, Op.71 (Suite): 3. Valse des fleurs. Tempo di Valse

Tracks:

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23: Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito - Sviatoslav Richter
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23: Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I - Sviatoslav Richter
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23: Allegro con fuoco - Sviatoslav Richter
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.35: Allegro moderato - Christian Ferras
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.35: Canzonetta. Andante - attacca: - Christian Ferras
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.35: Finale. Allegro vivacissimo - Christian Ferras

Customer Reviews:

Karajan is below par, with a few exceptions.......2007-05-12

It's a mystery why Karajan, a masterful conductor in so many areas, should miss the mark with an easy composer like Tchaikovsky. Mr. Leach spots the weakest recordings, such as Ferra' Violin Concerto, which is in overlit, thin sound to boot. Richter and Rostropovich give great performances, and the last three symphonies are certainly good by any standard, although the 60s analog sound definitely shows its age. Almost the only thing I would call outstanding are the ballet suites, at which Karajan was superb in both his DG and EMI sets.

Where I part with Mr. Leach is in praising the Romeo and Juliet, a mushy reading that brings out Karajan's worst tendency--he polishes every phrase to a fault and drains the work of all passion and drama. The first three symphonies are quite dull and unconvincing, but I am not so sure that the EMI cycle is any better, and it, too, suffers form problematic sound. Like Mr. Leach, I like the Fifth Sym. best form that set. So all in all, I have done little more than agree with someone else's review, but perhaps seconding the motion will be of help to some readers.

Karajan (not) at his finest.......2004-04-22

One of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, Karajan's recordings are some of the best pieces in the entire Deutsche Grammophon repertoire. This collection of Karajan Conducts Tchaikovsky is an excellent bargain - eight CDs for approximately $60 - and serves as an excellent sampling of Karajan's interpretation of Tchaikovsky's work. Unfortunately, this collection does not necessarily show Karajan at his finest.

While much of the collection is top-notch, some of the symphonies are a tad lack-luster in their execution. Indeed for Karajan fans, there are other recordings of Karajan conducting these symphonies, such as recordings of the 2nd and 5th, that you may want to try instead of the ones included in this set.

On the other hand, the ballet suites are well done, Rostropovich is excellent in the Cello Variations, and Ferras offers an interesting interpretation of the Violin Concerto. As a whole, this is a fairly solid collection that is certainly recommended for anyone whose collections have deficiencies in either Tchaikovsky or Karajan. If, however, you do already have some recordings of Karajan conducting Tchaikovsky, I would recommend skipping this set and buying individual albums where Karajan displays more of his trademark excellence.

My greatest criticism for this collection concerns its packaging. Though listed as a collectors edition, this box set is simply presented as a collection of eight discs in paper sleeves and a set of liner notes in English, German, and French inside a cardboard box.

Fair value, but Karajan can be heard better elsewhere.......2003-08-24

This is not a bad package for the price, but buyers should be aware that Karajan did some of these works better at other times. We can safely dispense with Karajan's last slackly-played VPO set, of course.

For example note that these are the 1960s recordings of the last three symphonies (unlike the DG Double set which are the 1970s recordings). For the Pathetique this means you get by common consent the best of Karajan's many recordings of this works - fine playing, with spontaneity and freshness and excellent recording for 1964.

However in the case of the Fifth, the later BPO DG recording, or even better the wonderfully spontaneous 1971 EMI Berlin recording are preferable (the latter quite superb in phenomenal sound, rivalling George Szell's 1959 version in sweep and power). This 1960s Fifth does sound rather studied in comparison.

Other caveats should include a warning about the rather brightly lit CD of the three ballet suites, and Christian Ferras' terribly schmaltzy account of the violin concerto.

All that said, this set does include Richter's aristocratic First Concerto with the Vienna SO, although why DG chose to include it rather than Lazar Berman's version is a mystery, as the latter is with the BPO to match the rest of the set and doesn't seem to be otherwise unavailable. It's also a finer account to many ears.

Other worthwhile inclusions are Karajan's Winter Daydreams symphony (No 1), although enthusiasts for this work should also sample Michael Tilson Thomas' CD with the Boston SO, also on DG. Similarly Rostropovich's account of the Rococo Variations is a classic, and the Romeo and Juliet included here (never before on CD as far as I can tell) is very fine, with many imaginative touches. This Marche Slave is also one of the finest ever, full of power and brooding intensity.

All in all a decent box, but true Karafans may need to pick up other CDs to complete the full Tchaikovskian picture.

Fantastic!.......2001-10-18

Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic!
BUY IT NOW!

von karajan truly conducts the master.......2001-08-04

I'd been a fan of "the maestro's" style of conducting the B.P.O. since high school when I stumbled upon Time/Life's Beethoven Bi-centennial collection. The power & majesty brought to Beethoven's complete works were unforgetable. When I happened upon a collection of Tchaikovsky symphonies,concertos,&suites I was compelled to take the plunge. It may be pricey to some who may already have some of these in one version or another. But it truly couldn't be a more complete collection of melody,romance,grace,&total understanding of Tchaikovsky's work. I can't call this eight disc collection any thing if not priceless. A must for anyone who understands the sensual pleasure derived from properly executed classical orchestration.

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3, Op. 29; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3, Op. 29; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture

Manufacturer: Arkadia: the 78's
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00003O9IQ
Release Date: 1999-12-15

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in D, Op.29: Moderato Assai - Allegro Brillante
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29: Alla Tedesca: Allegro Moderato E Semplice
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29: Andante Elegiaco
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29: Scherzo: Allegro Vivo
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29: Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco (Tempo Di Polacca)
Romeo And Juliet Fant-Ov

Average customer rating:

Albert Coates Conducts Tchaikovsky

Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000076AP
Release Date: 1997-04-22

Tracks:

Alla Tedesca
Andante
Scherzo: Allegro Vivo
Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco
Scherzo From Manfred Symp
Hamlet-Fantasy Overture (
Romeo And Juliet-Fantasy

The Royal Edition - Tchaikovsky: Symphony no 3

Average customer rating:

A Great Romeo...A Woeful Polish

The Royal Edition - Tchaikovsky: Symphony no 3

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ravel: Bolero / Alborada Del Gracioso. Bernstein Royal Edition
Danzon Cuban / El Salon Mexico
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7
The Royal Edition, No. 66 Of 100: Maurice Ravel
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

ASIN: B0000027O0
Release Date: 1993-11-02

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in D, Op.29 'Polish': I. Intro. Moderato Assai (Tempo Di Marcia Funebre) -Allegro...
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29 'Polish': II. Alla Tedesca. Allegro Moderato E Semplice
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29 'Polish': III. Andante Elegiaco
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29 'Polish': IV. Scherzo. Allegro Vivo
Sym No.3 in D, Op.29 'Polish': V. Finale. Allegro Con Fuoco (Tempo Di Polacca)
Romeo And Juliet: Fant Ov After Shakespeare

Amazon.com

The Third Symphony, subtitled the "Polish" for some weird reason, is the least well-known of the composer's six efforts in the form, but it's by no means negligible. In five movements, rather than the usual four, it's packed with good tunes and some very colorful orchestration, all of which Bernstein clearly relishes. Romeo and Juliet was one of Lenny's signature pieces, and his performance is as good as any. A fine disc. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A Great Romeo...A Woeful Polish.......1999-03-31

This 1958 recording of the Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasia was originally paired with Stravinsky's "Firebird" on vinyl. It was one of the highlight recordings of the early-stereo era. It stll retains its fire and passion on the CD transfer. The Third Symphony (recorded some 15 years later) certainly could have used some of that elemental urgency. Bernstein doesn't SHAPE the music whatsoever. He allows his troupe to simply play the notes, without benefit of a guiding interpretation. The result is an uninspired nullity. The two best recordings of the Third (both presently not available) are Riccardo Muti and the Philharmonia on Angel and Lorin Maazel and the Vienna Philharmonic on London. Absent the release of either of these, there is simply not a satisfactory recording of the "Polish" on the market at present.

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6; Orchestral Works (Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Is Abbado better or worse in Tchaikovsky than his reputation?

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6; Orchestral Works (Limited Edition)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

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Stravinsky: SYMPHONIES
Prokofiev: 7 Symphonies; Lieutenant Kijé
Dvorák: The String Quartets

ASIN: B00006OA67
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Tracks:

Symphony No 1 In G Minor
Symphony No 2 In C Minor
Symphony No 3 In D Major
Symphony No 4 In F Minor
Symphony No 5 In E Minor
Symphony No 6 In B Minor

Customer Reviews:

Is Abbado better or worse in Tchaikovsky than his reputation?.......2007-02-17

Claudio Abbado spent considerable time with the CSO in the 1980s but rarely returned (so far as I know) after he was appointed as Karajan's successor in Berlin. His complete Tchaikovsky cycle was a flagship enterprise for Sony, and yet the results divide listeners, some of whom categorically dismiss Abbado's interpretations as boring and fussy, lacking in Slavic passion. I had casually bought into that judgment but decided recently to listen to the whole cycle afresh, leading to the following, sometimes surprising conclusions:

Sym. #1: We start off on a high point. This work, subtitled 'Winter Dreams,' is the most immature of the symphonies, relying on much repetition in place of solid sonata development, and at times it's hard to distinguish why this is a symphony and not part of a ballet suite. However, the melodies are gorgeous, and a conductor with real conviction can make the music come across. Abbado spins out the balletic first movement with energy and verve--it makes the often recommended Tilson Thomas version from Boston (on DG) seem overly refined. The lyrical second movement evokes real tenderness, the Scherzo (another balletic movement) skips along lightly but could use more rhythmic emphasis, and the finale, after an Andante lugubre introduction that could be darker, sweeps convincingly into the grand allegro, which has lots of punch and vitality. In all, an excellent performance. After you count in the fine sonics and the gorgeous playing of the Chicago Sym., Abbado outshines all his Western competition, including Karajan, Mehta, and Bernstein in their complete sets.

Sym. #2: Outstandings recordings of the First Sym. are thin on the ground, but not of the 'Little Russian,' which boasts a classic from Giulini (EMI) and a committed reading from Bernstein (Sony). Abbado has a great advantage in outstanding solo parts played with style and commitment by the Chicagoans--you won't hear better from Karajan's Berliners. Rather than aiming for folk-style earthiness, Abbado takes the work to be grander, more symphonically European. In that vein the first movement is convincing and thrilling. But the march that follows is reticent and fussy. The performance is back in form with an energetic, propulsive Scherzo, a total success. The finale is imposingly grand at the outset, rich with brass sonorities, and although the main allegro section sounds a bit fussed over, it has requisite vigor and enthusiasm. In sum, another success, much better played and recorded than esteemed rivals like Dorati on Mercury and Markevitch on Philips.

Sym. #3: The "Polish" Sym. is the problem child, a score so drawn out and balletic (Balanchine based his full-length "Jewels" on it) that few conductors can hold it together symphonically. It doesn't help matters that so much of the music hovers around Andante instead of a vigorous Allegro, or that the harmonies are often ambiguous. Abbado takes the shadowy first movement as a processional, delicately nuanced in the phrasing but moving along. It works well, but the next movement "Alla Tedesca" sounds exactly the same; he hasn't found any contrast in tempo or mood. The third movement, which is yet another shadowy andante, sounds inward and melancholy. By now the wandering nature of the piece has won out; attention begins to wander, to. Abbado doesn't find enough earthiness in the mercurial Scherzo to salvage matters, so we might as well give in and enjoy this as ballet. Tchaikovsky wants the finale to be played "with fire," but Abbado remains at low temperature, smooth and flowing. I've been highly critical here, so let it be said that none of Abbado's Western rivals do any better. Call this attempt to interpret a sprawling ballet-symphony a middling success, with reservations.

Sym. #4: The last three symphonies are meat for every great conductor, needless to say, so Abbado had little chance of rising to the very summit. He competes with himself, in fact, given that his Decca recording of the Fourth with the Vienna Phil. ranks among his best recordings from the Seventies. A good or even very good reading won't do, and that's about all that Abbado gives us. The CSO brass suddenly begin to snarl a bit, a la Solti, and softer passages get fussed over. The first movement fails to cohere convincingly, and one wonders exactly where the interpretation is going. Is this just big-band international Tchaikovsky? On the whole, yes. The oboe solo in the Andante flows by without much individuality or expression, and you realize that this music doesn't mean much to anyone here. The Scherzo is virtuosic without being thrilling. The finale is heavy and not fast enough to raise one's blood, immediately turning tepid in the lyrical second subject. All in all, not an inspired reading. In fact, a definite miss unless you simply must hear the CSO run thorugh its paces.

Sym. #5: Although much loved, the Fifth suffers from repeating the same motive in the first and last movements, as well as repetitive development sections that hammer simple rhythmic patterns over and over. To really succeed, an interpretation must be intense, dramatic, and played with edge of the seat intensity (in a word, the way Mravinsky does it). Abbado starts out with a full, broad statement that isn't premonitory enough (it doesn't promise great things to come), but no one can doubt how detailed and beautiful the playing is. There's a lot to be said for avoiding banality in this music or hollow grandiosity. Add in the outstanding Chicago playing (thankfully less blaring in the brass), and the first movement turns into a real success. Likewise the Andante, which begins with ravishing cellos and a natural, unforced solo horn. Here Abbado moves things along rather quickly, perhaps too much so for the music to tell as expressively as it might. But again, no sentimentality allowed. The waltz Scherzo is weaker in its characterization, coming off as well played but faceless. Up to this point, I've been feeling that Abbado's reading deserves respet, which is confirmed by a sober but full-voiced finale, the place where sentimentality and false heroics lay real traps. In all, I like this Fifth and rate it higher than the Fourth. Those who prefer blood-and-thunder won't agree. This is a Fifth for those who usually avoid the work.

Sym. #6: It's as difficult to produce a truly memorable 'Pathetique' as it is to produce a truly memorable Beethoven Fifth, and yet neither work ever misfires under a good conductor. So the challenge is greatness, pure and simple. Abbado had looming over his head Reiner's acclaimed Sixth with the same CSO in Living Stereo on RCA, a classic. Let's note right off that the playing and recording here are up to Reiner's standards. Reiner was a cool customer, perhaps the greatest technicin of his day. Abbado is cool, too, but without the intensity of a master craftsman. His 'Pathetique' is too loose-limbed at the beginning; one soon realizes that as with the Fourth, he has no pressing thing to say in this music. One episode follows another beautifully, if at times cautiously (E.g., a tepid second subject in the opening movement that needs to soar). The succeeding movements don't change that impression, even though everyone concerned tries to thrill us in the Scherzo, and do. Tchaikovksy's last symphony rises and falls on its tragic finale--I want a wrenching catharsis--but Abbado has decided that pathos is the dominant feeling. He's not alone in that, so if you want less than catharsis, here is a well-played finale that I find unmemorable. In all, I'd place Abbado's Sixth a little higher than the Fourth but well shy of the Fifth.

Overall judgement: I was surprised, given its lackluster reputation, that this is often a spectacular set, full of exciting playing. Abbado has no riveting conception in the last three symphonies, and in fact rises to his best in the First and Second. For overall conviction, I'd buy the Temirkanov set on RCA, but Abbado is more convincing to me than Karajan, and better in the early works than Bernstein. Experienced collectors will already have multiple favorites among the individual suymphonies and won't want a complete set. For them, Abbado's "Winter Dreams" is the overlooked gem.