Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture Op. 49; Slavonic March Op. 31

On this CD:

1. 1812 -- Festival Overture, for orchestra in E flat major, Op. 49
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

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

3. Francesca da Rimini, symphonic fantasy for orchestra in E minor, Op. 32
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

4. Slavonic March, for orchestra, Op. 31
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by William Steinberg

Tracks:

Overture
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
Dance Of The Flutes
Scene
Waltz
Dance of the Swans
Scene 2
Hungarian Dance
III. Scherzo
I. Adagio; Allegro Non Troppo
II. Allegro Con Grazia
III. Allegro Molto Vivace
II. Andante Cantabile
Capriccio Italien In A Major, Op. 45
Marche Slave In B Flat, Op. 31
June - Michael Ponti
II. Andantino Simplice - Felicja Blumental
Coronation March
Eugen Onegin: Waltz
Romeo & Juliet: Fantasy-Overture
Serenade For Strings: II. Waltz
Sleeping Beauty: Tempo Di Valse
String Quartet In D Major, Op. 11: Andante Cantabile
Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 35: III. Allegro Vivacissimo - Aaron Rosand
1812 Overture, Op. 49: Excerpt

Customer Reviews:

hmmmm.......2005-09-14

definitely not the best rendition of the popular suite.on the other hand,try finding another one.
stuff is edited,bludgeoned,rather.
tempos verge on comical.
rather disapointing,I really needed a nice version of the sugar plum faerie dance.
will probably stick to Wendy Carlos's,cheesy,runningly cheesy,blue cheese smelly,even,as it might be,still holds the original pace and campy pomp.

...not nuch of a cheese shop is it?
-it's fairly clean.
certainly not contaminated by Cleese!

Good Introduction but poor quality.......2005-09-12

This is a good introduction to Tchaikovsky for the beginner that gives a broad sampling of his work. Considering the price, it's a good value if someone is just wanting to begin exploring classical music or Tchaikovsky in particular.
However, the sound quality on this albumn is quite poor and there are much higher quality Tchaikovsky recordings available.

Tchaikovsky's Greatest Pieces of Music.......2000-09-04

Here are some of Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky's greatest works. His Nutcraker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty ballets are the most famous in the repoirtaire. The Symphony No. 5 and 6 are very excellent symphonic orchestrations. However, despite all the good stuff in here from the Russian master, the performers and conductors cannot surpass the beauty and artistry that such Tchaikovsky music masters as Dorati, Markevitch and Ormandy are. So if you want quality Tchaikovsky, get those conductor renditions. However, for a Tchaikovsky beginner, these pieces will get you hooked. This is a good cd to begin with for a Tchaikovsky listener. I am a Tchaikovsky listener ever since a friend recommended his glorious works to me. I am a Mozart fan but Tchaikovsky is undoubtedly the greatest Romantic composer of all time. He combines Russian melodies (Russian dances, mazurkas, waltzes) and gives them a definite Western romantic feel. He was friends with such noted Romantic composers as Camille Saint Saens, known to create such marvelous music of the era- Carnival of the Animals (now popular through Dysney) and Danse Macabre, to name only a small portion. Tchaikovsky also adored Mozart and although he is not exactly a Classical composer, he greatly admires the beauty of Mozart's works. Three cheers for Tchaikovsky !

great music poorely performed........1999-09-18

T. is my favourite composer but the interpretation on this CD is rather like a good effort in high shool

Great!.......1999-04-18

I think that Peter Tchaikovsky is one of the greatest composers ever. His Nutcracker suite and Capriccio Italien are wonderful pieces of music, as well as the rest of his pieces! This CD is definetly worth owning if you like classical music.

Average customer rating:

Classic Recording culled from RCA Ormandy/Sonic Spectacular
Pure Adrenaline!
Bravissimo! Bold and Majestic Sound of Ormandy
A safe and reliable recording
Russia by America

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003F1I
Release Date: 1991-06-21

Tracks:

1812 Overture-Ouverture solennelle 1812
Capriccio italien
Marche slave-Slawisher Marsch-Marcia slava
Francesca da Rimini: Andante lugubre
Francesca da Rimini: Allegro vivo
Francesca da Rimini: Andante cantabile
Francesca da Rimini: Allegro vivo

Customer Reviews:

Classic Recording culled from RCA Ormandy/Sonic Spectacular .......2005-03-07

This 1812 was originally a part of an RCA Three L-P Set called
Eugene Ormandy And The Philadelphia Orchestra Sonic Spectaculars. One of the other L.P's had Beethoven's Wellington's Victory.
The gimmick of the set was it featured electronic cannons, which were at the time of 1970's Dynaflex record the best way to "record cannons". And In it's day was indeed the best, but on CD I believe the Cannons to be fairly tame, yet, as a performance I truly enjoy this more than any one including the excellent stereo recording by Eric Kunzel, and the Cincinatti Orchestra

Pure Adrenaline!.......2003-12-21

Buy this cd for the 1812. The contribution of the Morman Tabernacle Choir and the classic, battleship-sounding cannonfire mark this as a great showpiece. Purists may squawk, but this particular interpretation helped launch the 1812 into the hearts and minds of Americans over the past 30 years.

And, even though the transfer from tape to cd brought with it a fair degree of hiss/noise, this Ormandy version remains the GOLD STANDARD by which all other 1812 Overture renditions must compare. Most other renditions come up far short on the vitality and depth that Mr. Ormandy communicates to us on this recording.

Fireworks that resonate on the soul. Not bad for under 7 bucks.

Bravissimo! Bold and Majestic Sound of Ormandy.......2002-12-24

For those Tchaikovsky's fan, this is the CD you shouldn't missed.

Ormandy ingeniously build up the bold majestic sound of Philadelphia like a rolling snow ball, pumping the triumph music towards the end. Personally I could never suppress my feeling of esthetic by the emotional of Tchaikovsky rendered magnificently.

The 1812 Overture has been transcribed with Church Chorus Singing "God Save Our Czar", back up by additional brass section. Especially the Sound of French horn could never bolder or richer; The sparkling note played by the Trumpets and Trombones pushing the sound of glory projecting an triumph mood of victorious with cannon blasting the unique Philadelphia Sound sky high. At the end, you'll agreed, it is 1812 all over your living room.

The Capriccio Italien is equally spicy and joyful. It began with a bold sound of Cornet played in a steady tempo, followed by mid sound of Strings projecting an memory of civilization. Woodwind could never be sweeter and harmonized. When the music turned into vivacious dancing melody. I couldn't have myself on the chair, start swing with the music to the end. One of the Best version I've ever heard.

The Slavonic March also adapted the same style from 1812 and Capriccio Italien. Here, you'll hear the perfect balanced Sound of Philadelphia Orchestra, building up the climax of this showpiece, crash of gong and high pitch Trumpets lead the music to an glorious ending.

This is the best Francesca da Rimini that I've heard, bold, exciting and full of emotion.

This CD will be perfected if its includes "Romeo and Juliet". Still it deserve 5 stars from me.

Eugene Ormandy is undisputable "the best Tchaikovsky" specialist. unfortunately, he has been always under-rated.

A safe and reliable recording.......2001-11-10

For those on a budget, this is a great version of the 1812 to own. Before buying it you should know that this is not the original orchestration- The opening part is sung by a chorus instead of being played by the cellos. I prefer this alteration, since it adds a bit more power and emotion to an already charged piece. The chorus comes in again just prior to the climax, singing "God Save the Czar".

Something interesting about this recording is the use of electronic cannons, which is definitely better than an ordinary percussion section, but not as "booming" as a real cannonade found in some recordings.

Ormandy approaches the 1812 and Marche Slave in a careful manner, not interpreting the piece too much, which some may find bland. Despite this safe approach, Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra achieve a nice balance of sound, and this recording is a good 1812, though not as thundrously triumphant as it could be. But hey, the 1812 is the 1812, and this is a great album to have if you want a good version of that piece.

In addition to that and Marche Slave, this recordng also has the Cappriccio Italien, which is masterfully presented here. I would say that it is the best interpretation of any piece on the whole album. So for the price, you really can't beat this recording.

Russia by America.......2000-06-30

This CD of Tchaikovsky has got an excellent quality of sound, and this is very important.Really the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ormandy have done a fantastic work in this album and it shows all the strength of all the pieces and it show also, the tenderness of some parts. In fact, is a great CD for enjoy the real Tchaikovsky.

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/ Marche Slave

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky is at his finest
Wonderful but clearly far from the best
1812 Overture/Marche Slave
A Great Collection of Russian Composers
Incomparable

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/ Marche Slave

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B000001GDT
Release Date: 1991-03-08

Tracks:

Ouverture Solenelle '1812' - Tchaikovsky
Marche Slave Op. 31 - Tchaikovsky
In The Steppes Of Central Asia - Borodin
Polovtsian Dances - Borodin
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra: Russian Easter Festival Overture - TCHAIKOVSKY/BORODIN/ETC
Capriccio Espagnol - TCHAIKOVSKY/BORODIN/ETC

Customer Reviews:

Tchaikovsky is at his finest .......2007-02-10

Canons resound at the climax of the story which is started by a choral. It is easy to imagine being one of Napoleon's troops advancing toward Moscow with canon balls taking out comrades on our right and left. The courage of the Russian defenders can be felt.

Wonderful but clearly far from the best.......2007-02-10

This is certainly a wonderful and worthy of being in ones collection but it simply does not stand the test to those by Ormandy and Philly, Bernstein both with the New York Phil & Israel Phil, or Chicago Symphony with either Reiner or Solti or any other conductor conducting Chicago.

1812 Overture/Marche Slave.......2005-08-04

This was very much worth the price. I have listened to it many times, but never tire of it. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone.

A Great Collection of Russian Composers.......2004-12-29

This CD is truly one of the bettar CD's containing not only Tchaikovsky, but also Borodin and Rimsky-Kosakov. The most powerful peice is hard to choose, but the quick paced, Marche Slave Op.31 is sure to draw your attention. But how could we forget the classic 1812 overture with its famous cannon barrage, and the many other terrific pieces, pointing out specifically the Capriccio espagnol op. 34. I strongly suggest this CD, as with all Deutsche Grammophon(as they are superbly recorded), I am sure any lover of the great Russian Composer's will enjoy this CD.

Incomparable.......2004-10-26

Estas grabaciones son geniales desde un principio, son obras conocidas pero que aparecen con algo adicional.
La obertura 1812 incluye el coro en una forma impresionante, cañones reales y campanas de la gran catedral de Gotemburgo, es excepcional (igual o mejor que Ormandy).
La gran Pascua rusa y el capricho español, suenan increible, una orquesta soberbia para música que debe hacernos sentir el vigor de su composición. Les estepas de Asia central es una obra pequeña en el conjunto pero necesaria para el contexto de estos compositores rusos debia estar aqui, la Marcha eslava esta casi siempre donde su hermana mayor la obertura 1812 aparece, tiene sus propios meritos como el bello motivo que la inspira en su totalidad.
Se incluye ademas las danzas polotvsianas que tienen en esta versión que presupondriamos orquestal a un solista de excepción.
Música rusa en plenitud y majestuosidad incomparable.
Neeme Järvi sencillamente grandioso.

Average customer rating:

This is a question
What a thrill to find this!
Pretty good album.

Tchaikovsky: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B000003F68
Release Date: 1991-09-06

Tracks:

Swan Lake - Waltz
Symphony No. 6 Pathetique - Allegro Con Grazia
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
Pas De Deux
Waltz Of The Flowers
Andante Cantabile
Serenade For Strings - Waltz
Marche Slave
Swan Lake - Final Scene
1812 Overture

Customer Reviews:

This is a question .......2006-08-03

I was directed to this CD from an online link is track #8 conducted by Aruther Fiedler????

What a thrill to find this!.......2004-05-27

I have looked and looked for "The Polonaise" from "Eugene Onegin" and began to think I never would find it. It is one of my very favorites. However, sitting through that entire opera for just this one piece was a bit tiring. Although, it really was worth it to be transported for just a few minutes. I don't remember where I even got this CD, but played it and was estatic to hear "The Polonaise"! Beautiful piece, beautifully done. This is not to say that the rest of the CD is not 5 star, too. It is!
I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I.

Pretty good album........1999-08-03

I think that these are my favorite Tchaikovsky songs, but there are much better classical albums out there, so buy others.

Average customer rating:

Best of the best

Essential Tchaikovsky

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000060O5I
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: I Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso (Excerpt) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Romeo And Juliet: Love Theme - Wiener Philharmoniker
Symphony No.6 In B Minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': I Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orchestra
Swan Lake: Scene (Act III) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Waltz (Act I) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Dance Of The Little Swans - Herbert Von Karajan
Il Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto Souvenir De Florence, Op.70: II Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Melodie Souvenir D'un Lieu Cher, Op.42: Melodie - Philip Moll
June: Barcarolle The Seasons, Op.37b: June: Barcarolle - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Eugene Onegin: Waltz - Valery Gergiev
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: II Andantino Semplice - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Sleeping Beauty: Pas D'action (Adagio) - Wiener Philharmoniker
Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Wiener Philharmoniker
Marche Slave, Op.31 - Zubin Mehta

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D Major, Op.35: I Allegro Moderato (Excerpt) - Kyung Wha Chung
Symphony No.5 In E Minor, Op.64: II Andante Cantabile, Con Alcuna Licenza - London Symphony Orchestra
The Nutcracker: Overture - Charles Dutoit
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy - Charles Dutoit
Serenade For Strings In C Major, Op.48: II Waltz - St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
String Quartet No.1 In D Major, Op.11: II Andante Cantabile - Gabrieli String Quartet
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Valery Gergiev
Capriccio Italien, Op.45 (Excerpt) - Valery Gergiev
Symphony No.4 In F Minor, Op.36: III Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato, Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra
Elegie For Strings - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
None But The Lonely Heart, Op.6 No.6 - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, Op.41: Otche Nash (The Lord's Prayer) - St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
Valse Sentimentale, Op.51 No.6 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Pipes (Mirlitons) - Wiener Philharmoniker
The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Flowers - Wiener Philharmoniker
1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion) - Zubin Mehta

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best.......2004-03-14

There's something for every Tchaikovsky lover on this disc. From Swan Lake to Onegin, many of Tchaikovsky's most-known melodies are on this disc. I'd have preferred more than an excerpt of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 1, but this disc is a great introduction to Tchaikovsky's works.

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)

Average customer rating:

Good sound, not so good music on 1812.
1812 overture / Cincinnati Pops
Nice music
Sounding quite nice
One of the best SACDs I own!

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)
Tchaikovsky , Cincinnati Pops , Kiev Symphony Chorus , and Erich Kunzel
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005AVNH
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

Good sound, not so good music on 1812........2007-07-05

I compared this 1812 to my old Philadelphia/Ormandy CD from Sony Essential Classics. Ormandy's opening with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (using organ where Kunzel uses the woodwinds) is much more dramatic and musical then Kunzel's rushed opening, and the Mormons sing the pants off the Kiev choir. It may be unfair to compare the Cincinnati Pops with the Philadelphians who play really wonderfully on this. Kunzel's canons out-blow Ormandy's, but he brings in the Vally Forge Military Academy Band at the end to make up for weaker canon. Ormandy wins this battle!

1812 overture / Cincinnati Pops.......2007-01-18

One of the finest renditions of one of my favorite musical pieces. It brings tears to your eyes.

Nice music.......2007-01-07

This is not the type of music I normally listen to, but on my SACD system it does sound nice. Worth the money. This would get 5 stars from me if I were a fan of classical music. If this is not your genre either, and want something that sounds nice, I recommend you go with Beck's Sea Change SACD over this.

Not sure why people are complaining about the cannons. If you have a good system made for high end audio, with nice speakers for music all around, you should be fine. If your speakers were made for watching movies, then you may have a problem. I have not listened to this on a regular cd player yet, but I could see how a regular cd with basic speakers may have a problem as well.

My system:
Dennon 2910 player
Yamaha RX-V2400 receiver
JBL Northridge speakers (the largest ones in the series: i.e. double 10" fronts, 12" sub, surround speakers that are serious shelf speakers, etc).

Sounding quite nice.......2006-04-30

I tried different styles of play with the direct streaming recording of this SACD. What I discovered is that this format (DSD) allowed all 7 speakers to produce a plesant sound. Using the THX Music mode of my reciever.
Other SACD's that I have played on it allowed only the SACD EX (expanded) mode to work. The thundering of the cannons wasn't all that loud. I have listened to a few versions of 1812, this isn't the best that I have heard. With the special recording method, it did sound the most pleasing though.

Equipment used: Pioneer 59txi, Denon 3910 using s-400 link.

Sub: earthquake 12" 600 watt.

One of the best SACDs I own!.......2005-03-03

I was a little worried about this SACD, because I'd read user reviews that said the canons were mixed far too loud, forcing you to either miss the orchestra or else bleed from the ears when the canons go off during the finale. Nothing could be further from the truth on my system. The orchestra is at a suitable level, and is wonderfully detailed. I own quite a few SACDs, but I was still suprised by the quality of this recording, especially of the 1812 Overture itself. If you close your eyes it feels like you are there live!

For reference, I have a very good reciever and a Klipsch RF-35 based surround system; I don't know how this sounds on other setups, but it is fantastic on mine.

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Marche Slav; Romeo & Juliet Overture

Average customer rating:

Emotional and expressive Tchaikovsky without being lurid

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Marche Slav; Romeo & Juliet Overture

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001ENYKI
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

1812 Overture, Op.49
Marche Slave, Op.31
Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture
Capriccio Italien, Op.45
Hamlet Fantasy Overture, Op.67

Customer Reviews:

Emotional and expressive Tchaikovsky without being lurid.......2006-06-16

What makes this generous (80 min.) CD welcome is that Bernstein, far from going over the top, proves himself a genuinely expressive Tchaikovsky conductor. There are no choirs or cannons in the 1812 Over.(church bells are overlaid in the finale, though), no saccharine underlining of melodies, and no faking the emotion to reach the grandstands. Bernstein was to the manner born in romantic music, so his Romeo and Juliet is exciting and heartfelt. The 1812 will feel a bit low-key to anyone who expects a circus act, but it's musically sound, in case that matters.

I'm not arguing that this CD contains any revelations, but these chestnuts are all very winning in Bernstein's hands. His Capriccio italien deserves better sound--it's a bit thin and tinny--but it dances and sings. My attraction was to the problematic tone poem, Hamlet, which Bernstein believed in eough to record a second time for DG with the Israel Phil. The classic Stokowski recording on Everest tops every critic's list, but Bernstein's sounds more natural in the lyrical sections and brings quite a few thrills in the bombastic rum-tum of this uneven work.

Average customer rating:

The Story of Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Edouard van Remoortel , and Arthur Hannes
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001KD9
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Finale
Overture
June (Barcarolle)
Andante Cantabile
Waltz
Romeo and Juliet (Overture-Fantasy)
None But The Lonely Heart, Op. 6 No. 6
Allegro Non Troppo
Waltz
Andante cantabile
Chanson Triste, Op. 40 No. 2
'Pathetique' Allegro Con Grazia
Andante Sostenuto
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Finale
Marche Slave, Op. 31
Excerpts
1812 Overture, Op. 49
'Pathetique' Excerpts
Scene
Valse
Dance Of The Swans
Scene
Hungarian Dance
Panorama Andantino
Tempo Di Valse

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture & Other Orchestral Works

Average customer rating:

Poor sound quality, shallow orchestra
Great recording? Oh, No!
Would be nice to hear the orchestra...
Is there someone conducting?
Even better than their first one

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture & Other Orchestral Works
Erich Kunzel
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)

ASIN: B00005AQ38
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

1812 Overture - Kiev Symphony Chorus
Polonaise
Capriccio Italien
Marche Slave
Waltz
Festival Coronation March
Cossack Dance

Customer Reviews:

Poor sound quality, shallow orchestra.......2002-02-02

I had high hopes of hearing the marvelous 1812 overture in DVD Audio, with the bells, cannons, and full orchestra that CAN make the 1812 overture an incredible music experience.

This DVD-Audio falls completely flat. From the second I began listening, I figured SOMETHING had to be wrong with my system. I checked my connections. I checked to make sure that it was actually running in DVD-Audio mode in my DVD - AUDIO player.

I played another DVD-Audio, which sounded incredible! It wasn't the setting. Lo and behold, it wasn't my system. It's this DVD! THe problems are as follows:

1) The sound level is too low.
2) THe orchestra is way too thin - there is no immediacy.
3) The only thing that is full, is the low bass for the bass drum, which overpowers the whole orchestra somehow.
4) The surround sound is almost inaudible and worthless.
5) The orchestra itself is lifeless and dull.

Again, I tell you, this is the 1812 overture! At the end, you are supposed to be virtually swept off your feet with the majesty of the bells, cannons, and FULL ORCHESTRA blasting in glorious cacophony! But on this performance, you're left yawning.

And the "warning" about making sure you need to check your audio level when the cannons go off because they're too loud, what a bunch of tripe!! It's simply not the case. They're not loud. They don't even sound like cannons; instead, they sound like pistol fire.

This DVD is an EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT..

Great recording? Oh, No!.......2002-01-17

I should've listened carefully to the two reviewers who gave ONE star to this CD. I bought it mainly for the sound. The sound was horrible: shallow, out of focus, and no ambience. Even the digital cannons didn't supprise me at all. I invited my friend over my home who had the original 1978 Telarc recording and we compared the two recordings: the first one was far better, both in playing and sound. It's like a cheap pizza you buy at a convenience store - lots of shallow toppings but no taste at all. Buy the first one and you won't be disappointed.

Would be nice to hear the orchestra..........2001-12-24

But instead of the orchestra, we are treated to the wonderful sound of reverb, along with some very fine compression artifacts when the cannons go off. I was truly disappointed by the sound of this - it is the aural equivalent of mud and cotton, very mushy, hard to make out the details, and not something I really want to deal with. The conducting seems particularly heavy handed, as if the conductor wanted to make a name for himself by making his own slight alterations to the piece that, while not significant, are unnecessary and very irritating. Poor recording technique and a wierd performance, but wait! There's a warning on the label that the cannons are very loud!! Oh my, then this MUST be the recording to get to show off a [amt.] stereo in the bachelor pad - maybe the cannons will be so loud that your date will hop right into your lap!

This is to classical music what a primer-grey muscle car is to a show of luxury automobiles.

Is there someone conducting?.......2001-11-22

I think the whole orchestra was sleeping during the recording of this 1812. There is absolutely no life in this music. I bought this version because the sound was supposed to be great... I was so disapointed! The sound is not even good!

If you don't have Antal Dorati's version of the 1812 (on Mercury), buy it! This is the 1812 to buy! If you already own it, you will not find a better recording, with hi-fi sound, lively and fast conducting, and heavy metal cannons in bonus!

Even better than their first one.......2001-06-23

I had to buy this and was not disappointed. The inclusion of the chorus makes this effort even better than their first (hard to believe, but true). This recording will fill your house with awesome sound.

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!

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