Symphony 4 F Minor Op 36 / Mrche Slave Op 31

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky

2. Slavonic March, for orchestra, Op. 31
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky

Symphony 4 F Minor Op 36 / Mrche Slave Op 31, Music, Tchaikovsky, Rozhdestvensky, London Sym Orch, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic

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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Similar Items:

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!

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36/Marche Slave, Op.31

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36/Marche Slave, Op.31

Manufacturer: IMP
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024JY1

Tracks:

Sym No.4 in f, Op.36: 1st movt: Andante sostenuto-Moderato con anima
Sym No.4 in f, Op.36: 2nd movt: Andantino in modo di canzona
Sym No.4 in f, Op.36: 3rd movt: Scherzo. Allegro
Sym No.4 in f, Op.36: 4th movt: Allegro con fuoco
Marche Slave, Op.31: (Moderato in modo di marcia funebre)

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

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

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.

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36/Marche Slave, Op.31

Manufacturer: Carlton Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000000TG6
Release Date: 1993-09-02

Tracks: