Tchaikovsky: Symphony 5 / Francesca da Rimini

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Muti's reading of Tchaikovsky's stunning Fifth Symphony takes a while to warm up. The first two movements act as an introduction to the material, while it is in the last two movements that the thrills take place. Rather than throwing the listener's perspective off, the conductor's approach seems to take us through the creative process. It's a true concertgoing experience. --Robert Levine

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
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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!

Tchaikovsky: Symphony 5 / Francesca da Rimini

Average customer rating:

Long live taffy-pulling!
A fairly routine Muti production, with a little more taffy-pulling than usual
A very good 5th
An insipid intepretation masked by glorious sound.
An Excellent Recording at a Bargain Price!

Tchaikovsky: Symphony 5 / Francesca da Rimini

Manufacturer: EMI 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

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Tchaikovsky: Symphony No4, Op36; Skryabin: Symphony No5
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Symphonie Fantastique
Brahms: Complete Symphonies
Mahler: Symphony No. 1

ASIN: B00000JQYE
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

I. Andante - Allegro con anima
II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
III. Valse. Allegro moderato
IV. Finale. Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace
Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32

Amazon.com essential recording

Muti's reading of Tchaikovsky's stunning Fifth Symphony takes a while to warm up. The first two movements act as an introduction to the material, while it is in the last two movements that the thrills take place. Rather than throwing the listener's perspective off, the conductor's approach seems to take us through the creative process. It's a true concertgoing experience. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Long live taffy-pulling!.......2006-08-10

I've heard a fair number of Tchaikovsy Fifths (Monteux, Karajan, Jansons, Ormandy, Temirkanov, Markevitch, Rostropovich, and Muti/Philharmonia). For me, this joins Monteux's at the head of the list. The "taffy-pulling" that some listeners find objectionable in this performance are the life and breath of Tchaikovsky, and Muti does it better than most. If metronomic Tchaikovsky appeals to you (why?), try Ormandy or Jansons. This is a beauty, expertly paced, warm and romantic without bathos, and the price is embarassingly low-what are you waiting for?

A fairly routine Muti production, with a little more taffy-pulling than usual.......2006-07-28

Muti, who tends to be a strict time-beater in Beethoven and Verdi, turns colors in Tchaikovsky. He pushes and pulls the tempo around, never letting you forget that he's making expressive ahy. If he were a genius at spontaneous phrasing the way Furtwangler was, this could work, but I find his taffy-pulling in the opening of the Fifth Sym.'s frst movement annoying.

It's absurd that the Amazon reviewer extols this budget EMI recording even though he concedes that the first two movements are mostly a loss. Nothing special happens afterwards, either. The Andante cantabile drags its feet despite the lovely solo horn playing. The 5/4 waltz that follows is straightforward. The finale gets pulled around at the opening, then settles down for a good if not exceptional run to the end.

In all, I can't see this as an outstanding CD--it's Muti doing what he usually does. The best thing here is the Philadelphia Orch. recorded in excellent, clear sound.

A very good 5th.......2005-11-25

BUT, Muti's earlier accounts of all of the Tchaikovsky symphonies, with the Philharmonia, are better. They were certainly more original if not a bit idiosyncratic. In Philadelphia he chose to rerecord 4,5 & 6 only. (And he did also re-record Romeo & Juliet with the Philadelphians, but it was not reissued in this series.) Likewise, I hope EMI will reissue his 1981 Philadelphia recordings of the 1812 Overture and the Serenade for Strings. Those recordings were stunning! So, considering that Muti could not out-due himself, he gets 4 stars. But he does an outstanding job with Francesca da Rimini.

An insipid intepretation masked by glorious sound........2003-08-25

My opinion of this Muti remains the same, re: the above review. Please ignore this double-post. A web fault, it seems.

An Excellent Recording at a Bargain Price!.......2003-07-26

I have several versions of both of these works by other conductors and this is one of the versions I really like. Riccardo Muti's conducting is excellent, the Philharmonia has a full-bodied sound and the sound quality is great. The Symphony #5 starts out softly and slowly but it gradually builds up and takes the listener onto a moving and powerful musical journey. I really like the Francesca Da Rimini -- it is very exciting and dramatic as well. The stirring sounds of the strings vividly convey the fury of the flames of hell and the love theme is also beautifully played. I would rank this performance of Francesca Da Rimini equal to that by Stokowski and Sian Edwards. I highly recommend this CD!

Average customer rating:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best
Exceptional conductor
Exceptional issue !
Exceptional finesse
Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults

Igor Markevitch

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Ferenc Fricsay: A Life in Music
The 1950s Haydn Symphonies Recordings
The 1950s Concerto Recordings
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
Paul Paray Conducts French Orchestral Music

ASIN: B00009LW31
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best.......2006-03-14

I am as great an admirer of Igor Markevitch as the reviewers below who rhapsodize over this bargain 9-CD set from DG. But in truth there are few truly great performances contained here, the best of Markevitch's large output being readily available on DG, Philips, EMI, and Testament. He had the misfortune to suffer hearing loss at the end of his career and also to be associated too often with inferoir ensembles like the Lamouruex orchestra of Paris, caught here in rather awful, wiry sonics that DG has not remastered. So despite the general elation, I think it's worth examining these 9 CDs one by one. (I am adding short comments to the list prepared by a reviewer below.)

CD 1: Mozart 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP). MONO except for the Gluck
This is one of the best discs in the colleciton, featuring Markevitch's alert, lean, often rapid Mozart, played with great refinement by the Berliners. The sound is very good for the time, despite the expected edginess in the violins.

CD 2: Haydn Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954). MONO
Unless you are a fan of spiky French instrumentalists, the elegant Haydn performance sounds cramped and sharp-edged. The much more minor Cimarosa is far better played. The Schubert Third gets the best sound by far. I'm not taken with Markevitch's clipped phrasing and lack of affection throughout, but it's a vigorous, committed performance.

CD 3 and 4: All Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), Symphony #3 'Eroica' (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), Symphony #6 'Pastorale' (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958). STEREO except for Sym. #3
All the overtures from the Lamoureux forces are thin and spiky, far from the usual Beethoven style. Fans may appreciate Markevitch's Russian-Gallic temperament here; I'm not so sure. The Eroica from Berlin is much better sounding, although the mono recording is boxy and somewhat muffled--in all his Beethoven Markevitch prefers fast tempi and sharp angles. Surprisingly, the Pastrole is in a different vein--warm and relaxed, with tempos often as slow as Klemperer's. But the Lamoureux orchestra's technical abilities are quite underwhelming, and I can't find a compelling reason to listen to the performance except in patches.

CD 5: Brahms Symphony #1 with the Symphony of the Air (1956), Alto Rhapsody (with Irina Arkhipova and the Russian State Academy Choir), Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963). STEREO
For the first time since CD 1 we get a compelling sense of Markevitch's stature. The Brahms First with Toscanini's (remaned) orchestra is fully the equal of anyone's--huge, heroic, and wonderfully played. The Russian performance of the Alto Rhapsody features the great Arkhipova, and for once the Soviet sonics are good. The Tragic Overture, dating from after Markevitch's decline in hearing (1963), seems a bit undernourished and is in dim, distant sound, but it casts a spell nonetheless.

CD 6: Brahms 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963). STEREO
The Brahms Fourth is a very good performance in the lean, propulsive Toscanini style. I don't fancy the scrappy playing of the Lamoureux orchestra, especially the coarse brass blatting away in the finale--other conductors like Szell have done better in this vein--but in its punchy, rough-and-ready way Markevitch's Brahms Fourth commands attention. We are in a differetn world with the Kodaly, however, which gets a stunning performance, and the brutish playing by the Russian orchestra really works.

CD 7: Orchestral music of Wagner--Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin, Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired Idyll and Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954). MONO
The Berlin Phil. doesn't sound like the world-class orchestra it would become once again under Karajan, but these excerpts are well played and recorded for their time. Markevitch was a modernist in Wagner, favoring fast tempos and eschewing expressive profundities. The music can take it, but one is always aware that something deeper is necessary. An odd-man-out disc but enjoyable.

CD 8: French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959). MONO except for the Debussy
These Lamoureux readings are Gallic to the core, of course, and thoroughly delightful. Everything that sounds wrong in Beethoven works perfectly here. The mono sound, however, is edgy and shrill at loud volume. Things improve for the Debussy--La Mer, a Markevitch showpiece, gets an alert, quicksilver performance with many individual otuches in phrasing. It comes closest to being great of anything in the whole ocllection.

CD 9: Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959). MONO and STEREO respectively.
The colleciton ends on a high note, since Markevitch was arguably the greatest Tchaikovsky conductor after Mravinsky. The mono sound for the Berliners is good for its era. This is a neurotic, anguished Pathetique of the kind we rarely hear today. Likewise the Francsca da Rimini, where the Lamoureux's shrill, thin woodwinds seem to add to the effect.

In sum, the half-dozen superior performances stand out fairly obviously, and all are worthwhile for any listener. Frankly, the rest belongs in the realm of specialty collecting, although naturally others may strongly disagree, especially anyone who likes the Lamoureux orchestra much better than I do.

Exceptional conductor.......2005-06-08

Markevitch was, once, part of Diaghilev's "Ballets Russe"'s ensemble, and understood Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and other Russian composers (and their intents) very-well, and very-dynamically. His Philips' recordings (1970) of Tchaikovsky symphonies (plus other works) are still, some of the best, integral cycles-of-interpretations to be had, and his expertise was not bounded-by Russian works - his (Berlioz) Damnation of Faust, among other interpretations - are some of the best that discipline can devise. A MARVELOUS conductor, as was the (also) Russian-born, Jascha Horenstein. ... Horenstein, Markevitch, & Sixten Ehrling were some of the BEST of the post-War (including some pre-War recordings) era, and very-much of ANY recordings of them are much worth-having ... including the present, DG set.

Exceptional issue !.......2004-09-09

Since I heard once on vynil the incredible apssionate and to me the greatest veriosn ever made of the First Symphony of Johannes Brahms ever made .
And believe me , I love this symphony and I have heard at least one hundred versions : with Furtwangler , Toscanini superb performance of the forties , Istvan Kertsez , Kubelik Chicago , Munch , and a long etc .
But the inner mood and the clear but cleverly established sequence of the right tone and the use of the concise tempo in every phrase make of that version unique and unrepeteable .
I know about the Mozart Symphonies with the Berlin Philarmonic that still in those ages sounded with the furtwanglerain mood . They are sublime .
But consider once more that only with this Brahms Symphony, all the rest of the set you may consider a special buy , a worthable and fundamental bonus. Igor Markevitch was a conductor unfairly neglected .
Watch this CD because it will let you astonished and will prove by itself all the virtues of that master conductor .

Exceptional finesse.......2003-11-14

Of all the nine, really adorable, boxed sets by DG it was this one that I hastened to grab since Markevitch's interpretations had always been to my liking.
To be more honest, it was his Lamoureux recordings that I was after. In these recordings, it is the wind sound that dominates, and especially the brass section. For this reason, his Damnation and his Mozart Coronation had always been my favourites.
The present box contains a splendid Brahms 4th with a Chaconne, at the end that really moved me with its intensity (Markevitch slows quite a lot in the middle section to allow his woodwinds express themselves and this pronounces much more the forceful brass-dominated outer sections).
By the way, this set gives quite an idea of Markevitch's popularity at the time (recordings in the US with Toscanini's NBC Orchestra - renamed Symphony of the Air, recordings in Moscow with Brahms and Kodaly plus the 2 great European orchestras: the Lamoureux and the Berliners - some years before Karajan's arrival).

Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults.......2003-08-13

Now that Deutsche Grammophon is part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up.

Now in its second round of the "Original Masters" box sets, DG has chosen to follow-up on the success of the "Great Conductors of the Century" series. They have just released two glorious 9-disc collections of the performances of conductors Igor Markevitch and Ferenc Fricsay, the vast majority of which have been previously unavailable on CD.

This particular set, "Un Veritable Artiste," showcases some of the numerous recordings made by the great conductor Igor Markevitch for Deutsche Grammophon and Philips, many of which have been rare (and expensive) collector's items for years. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance.

The first disc contains Mozart's 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP).

Disc two features Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954).

Discs three and four are all Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), 3rd Symphony (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), 6th Symphony (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958).

Disc five is all Brahms -- the 1st Symphony with Symphony of the Air (1956), and the Alto Rhapsody (with the Russian State Academy Choir) and Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963).

Disc six continues with Brahms, his 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), and ends with Kodaly's Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963).

Disc seven focuses on orchestral music from the operas of Wagner. Here we have the Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin and the Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired-Idyll and The Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954).

Disc eight features all French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959).

The final disc, number nine, wraps things up with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959).

Despite the fact that many of these recordings are in mono (mostly the pre-1957 ones), the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. The stereo performances are the warm, glowing and brilliant accounts that vintage collectors have appreciated for years.

Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like Igor Markevitch: Un Veritable Artiste.

The Life and Works of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Average customer rating:

A fascinating look at a tortured genius

The Life and Works of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Antoni Wit , Gerhard Markson , Kenneth Jean , Michael Halasz , Ondrej Lenard , Philippe Entremont , Stefan Sanderling , CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra , National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland , National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio and Television , National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine , Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra , Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra , Wiener Kammerorchester , Bernd Glemser , Oxana Yablonskaya , Takako Nishizaki , and Vladimir Grishko
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2002-07-16

Tracks:

Tchaikovsky In Early Childhood
Music: Glinka: Overature To A Life For The Tsar
Enforced Separation From His Mother
Music: Tchaikovsky: Dumka, Op. 59
Death Of His Mother
Music: Reverie Du Soir
Early Manhood: The Spendthrift Civil Servant
Music: Minuet From Mozartina
Dismissive Opinions Of Other Composers
Music: The Storm
Journey To A Breakdown
Music: First Symphony
Abortive Engagement
The Advent Of Balakirev
Music: Romeo And Juliet
Travels And A Wounded Friendship
Music: First Piano Concerto

Tracks:

Reforming The Ballet
Music: The Rose Adagio From The Sleeping Beauty
Bizet's Carmen Has A Major Effect On Tchaikovsky's Music
Music: Francesca Da Rimini
A Compositional Paradox
Music: Rococo Variations
The Struggle Of Despair And Hope: He Decides To Marry
Music: The Tempest
The Advent Of Nadezhda Von Meck
Music: The Sleeping Beauty Waltz
The Disastrous Road To Matrimony
Music: Romeo And Juliet
Marriage, Trauma, And A Fairy Tale Annuity
Letter To Mme Von Meck
Music: Romeo And Juliet

Tracks:

Recorvery And Creativity
Music: Fourth Symphony
The Creation Of His Favorite Opera
Music: Lensky's Aria From Eugene Onegin
The Return To Compositional Health
Music: Violin Concerto In D
He Experiences Distressing Relapses
Music: Capriccio Italien
Psychological Disturbances And A Long Fallow Period
Music: Piano Trio In A Minor
Sufferings For Mme Von Meck; He Decides To Settle Down
Music: Manfred Symphony
Conducting Tours And Domestic Bliss
Music: Fifth Symphony
More Conducting Tours, And A Working Holiday In Italy
Music: Souvenir De Florence

Tracks:

The Rift With Mme Von Meck
Music: Sixth Symphony (Second Movement)
His Obsession With 'Bob' Davydov; Adventures In America
Music: Fifth Symphony
Further American Adventures
A Trip To Niagara
Music: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
A Darker Episode
Music: Voyevode
Portrait Of A Conductor
A Hero's Return
Music: Sixth Symphony
The Mystery Surrounding His Death
Music: First Piano Concerto

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating look at a tortured genius.......2002-08-21

Naxos continues to do a wonderful job with its "Life and Works" series. Quite some time ago, we had a Life/Works of Mozart, one of Chopin and then two more, Liszt and Beethoven. he latter are even better packaged than are the earlier sets, with a thick booklet that offers us essays on the historical background, the position of the composer in his time, a look at the major works, a listening plan, recommended readings, personalities, a calendar of the artist's life, a glossary, and a discography. This booklet is worth the price of the set alone.

Now we have two more entries in this amazing series, again written and narrated by Jeremy Siepmann: "Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky" (8.558036-39) with a playing time of 4 hrs. 5 min. and "Johann Sebastian Bach" (8.558051-54) with a playing time of 4 hrs. 34 minutes. (Please see my comments on the Bach set on its webpage.)

Was there ever a sadder composer than Tchaikovsky? Siepmann practically introduces us to the child in his cradle and covers his 53 or so years of torment over his music, his sexuality, his impossibly hopeless marriage his strange relationship with Mme von Meck, and above all his music.

Tracks:

Don Giovanni: Overture
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio. Sehr Feierlich Und Sehr Langsam - Moderato
III. Scherzo. Sehr Schnell - Trio. Etwas Langsamer
IV. Finale. Bewegt, Doch Nicht Schnell

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro
II. Largo
III. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
IV. Finale. Allegro Con Spirito
Symphonic Fantasia After Dante
I. Moderato - Maestoso - Allegro
II. Scherzo. Moderato
III. Andante
IV. Allegro Maestoso

Customer Reviews:

The first great Soviet conductor to come West--and a titan.......2005-11-25

During the mid-Fifties thaw in the Cold War under Krushchev, the Soviet musicians who made the greatest impact in the West were Oistrakh, Richter, and Gilels. But there were also legends of a great orchestra and conductor, Evgeny Mravinsky and his Leningrad Phil. who had been hidden behind the Iron Curtian for decades. They didn't get too far West, just a few visits that floored London audiences. Here was an unknown titan of the podium. By the time Mravinsky died in 1988, his discography had expanded from a few celebrated Tchaikovsky recordings on DG to several dozen recordings that cover his entire career on LP from the end of WW II onward.

I mention this because buyers of the present 2-CD set are either in for a major revelation if they've never heard of Mravinsky or if they are Mravinsky devotees, mild disappointment becasue nothing new is revealed. Both camps, however, will have to admire Mravinsky's mastery, despite the variable Soviet sound from these live performances (believe me, it could have been a lot worse).

CD 1 begins with a gripping Don Giovanni Over. (1968), which perfectly suits Mravinsky's essentially tragic and highly dramatic musical personality. The rest of the disc is filled out with a Bruckner Seventh in surprisingly good broadcast stereo (1967), a smart choice on the compilers' part. Rarely do we get to hear Russian conductors in standard non-Russian repertoire, but Mravinsky was dedicated to Betthoven, Bruckner, Brahms, and Wagner, not just Tchaikovsky. There are some slips in execution, but this is an inspired reading, often blunt and explosive but just as often lyrical and delicate. If you like conducting with lots of personality, something Bruckner doesn't often receive, you will be very satisfied.

CD 2 begins with a vigorous, slightly militant Haydn Sym. 88 (1968) that shows off Mravinsky the classicist-with-guts. The sonics are noticeably closer and more vivid than anything preceding. Next comes a stupendous Francesca da Rimini that storms the heavens (1983), again in vivid, up-close sound. Here Mravinsky excels himself, delivering the single greatest performance in the whole Great Condcutors series, on a par with the Mahler Sixth from Mitropoulos. It's a shattering 24 min.

CD 2 ends with the only non-masterpiece in the set, Glazunov's Sym. 5 (1968). The work is no more than an exercise in Glazunov's academic weak-tea Tchaikovsky style, but a good deal of Mravinsky's time was taken up, loyal Soviet artist that he was, in making dull state-approved music sound nearly great, as he does here.

I have no hesitation calling this the best set in the Great Conductors series, or at least the 37 I have heard. Five stars, or as many more as you like.

Superb, Warts and All.......2005-07-10

During the year or so that I've owned my set, this collection of Mravinsky-led live performances has been one I've listened to frequently and with the greatest pleasure, this despite its decidedly monophonic sound, very occasionally punctuated by a cough from the otherwise unobtrusive audience.

The second of the two CDs has a hairraising performance of Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini which actually convinces me it is not the schlock it usually comes off as in other performances. There is also the wonderful Glazounov 5th Symphony in what I believe is the most satisfying (certainly the most tasteful) performance currently available (I'm hoping the Fedoseyev someday makes it to CD). Anyone not acquainted with this symphony is in for a marvelous treat. I can't understand its relative neglect. As for the Haydn 88th (first selection on CD-2)it is fine, but honestly not my first choice for this splendid piece.

But it is the first CD that I find most extraordinary. The Mozart Don Giovanni Overture is thrillingly performed. It is followed by the Bruckner 7th. Here I must sharply differ with another reviewer's opinion. For me, this is the greatest Bruckner 7th on record - finer even than the Furtwangler, Walter and Jochum recordings. It isn't perfect; there's a horrendous out-of-tune horn entry just past the middle of the 1st movement that will shock even the most tone-deaf. Yes, things can go wrong in a live performance even when its the Leningrad Phil. But otherwise, this is a wonderfully clear, superbly balanced performance where every voice is heard. The phrasing is deeply felt and completely musical. The concentration never flags, and the overall conception is ideal. The brisk tempo of the last movement may come as a surprise, but it works. The 2nd movement (Adagio) is heartbreakingly beautiful and by itself more than many times worth the modest price of this set.

Not essential Mravinsky.......2003-10-05

I can definitely agree with the previous reviewer Mr. Richman about the value of the ambitious "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" series in general. However, this issue dedicated to the immense Russian conductor Evgeny Mravinsky is far from being an essential one. Mravinsky's genius has been well documented in the past with CDs from the labels Melodiya, Deutsche Grammophon, Erato, Russian Disc and Philips. This double CD doesn't add anything much and if it wasn't for a thrilling "Francesca da Rimini" and an excellent Glazunov's 5th (both already available on Erato and Russian Disc), this could well be a selection of curiosities for diehard Mravinsky aficionados. The Haydn 88 is too tight for its own good, while the Bruckner 7th doesn't really confirm the conductor as one of the great Brucknerians of the previous century. (Other recordings of the Bruckner 8th and 9th by Melodiya have been more revelatory in this respect.) The opening "Don Giovanni" Overture sounds best of all by its awesome precision.
This being live recordings from the 1960s in Russia the sound quality is nowhere anything to write home about. The 1983 "Francesca" is generally better.
In view of the existing catalogue, not really an essential Mravinsky issue.

Great Conductors of 20th Century = Best Reissues of the 21st.......2003-09-19

It's sad that the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" reissue series has not gotten more notice on Amazon.com and in other places, because it has my vote for the best reissue program thus far of the 21st Century. Drawing from the archives of all the major classical labels (EMI, Sony, BMG, DG, Decca, Philips, Supraphon, etc.), EMI and IMG Artists have assembled a wonderful series of affordable two-disc sets by the leading conductors of the last century. And unlike its counterpart, "The Great Pianists of the 20th Century," which are basically compilations of material already available on other CDs, the "Great Conductors" features rare and, for the most part, previously unreleased performances! And as if that wasn't enough, the most recent volumes (beginning with no. 26) are now available at mid-line instead of full-price!

This particular CD, Volume 30, features the great Evgeny Mravisnky, who was principal conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic for an incredible 50 years! As the track information is not abundantly clear above, allow me to be of assistance. Disc one begins with Mozart's "Don Giovanni" Overture and concludes with Bruckner's 7th Symphony, which contains revisions made by Mravisnky to the 1883 version. Disc two is equally well rounded with Haydn's 88th Symphony, Tchaikovsky's "Francesca da Rimini" and Glazunov's 5th Symphony. All of the recordings were made live with the LPO, and despite the fact that most date from 1967-68, only the 1983 performance of the Tchaikovsky is in stereo.

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra: Opening Fanfare (2001 - A Space Odyssey) - Silver Screen Classics
Adagio For Strings Op.11: Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 (Platoon) - Silver Screen Classics
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz (Rollerball) - Silver Screen Classics
Wally's Aria, Act I.: La Wally (Diva) - Silver Screen Classics
Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March (Midsummer Night's Dream) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto (Death In Venice) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto K.365: III. Rondo Allergo (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
L'Elisir d'Amore: Aria 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' (Lorenzos Oil) - Silver Screen Classics
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 6 'Pathetique': Adagio Lamentoso (The Music Lovers) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

The Four Seasons: I. Spring (allegro) (The Four Seasons) - Silver Screen Classics
Canon In D: Canon In D (Ordinary People) - Silver Screen Classics
Carmen: Habanera (Carmen Jones) - Silver Screen Classics
William Tell: Soldier's Dance (E La Nave Va) - Silver Screen Classics
Clarinet Concerto: Adagio (Out of Africa) - Silver Screen Classics
Violin Concerto No.2: III. Allegro assai (Love Story) - Silver Screen Classics
Lohengrin: Prelude Act 1 (Ludwig) - Silver Screen Classics
The Pearl Fishers: Duet ' Au Fond du Temps Saint' (The Pearl Fishers) - Silver Screen Classics
Slymphony No.8 (Unfinished): II. Andante con moto (Notturno) - Silver Screen Classics
Bolero: Bolero (10) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Gayaneh: Sabre Dance (Punchline) - Various Artists
Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo sinfonico: Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo Sinfonico (Raging Bull) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 4 'Italian': IV. Saltarello - Presto (Breaking Away) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet ' Viene La Sera' (Mona Lisa) - Various Artists
Pomp & Circumstance: March No. 1 (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Gianni Schicci: Aria 'O Mio Babbino Caro' (A Room With A View) - Various Artists
Twilight Of The Gods: Funeral March (Excalibur) - Various Artists
Sinfonia concertante K. 364: I. Allegro maestoso (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Moment Musical D.780 No. 3: Moment Musical D.780 No. 3 (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Flute Sonata In F Major K.13: I. Allegro (Love Story) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 7 In A Major: II. Allegretto (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Ride of the Valkyries: Ride Of The Valkyries (Apocalypse Now) - Various Artists
Piano Concerto No. 21: II. Andante (Elvira Madigan) - Various Artists
Dance Of The Toy Flutes: Dance Of The Toy Flutes (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
William Tell: Overture (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Finale 'Con Onor Muore' (Fatal Attraction) - Various Artists
String Quartet In C D.956: II. Adagio (Notturno) - Various Artists
Aufschwung: Aufschwung (Heat and Dust) - Various Artists
Idomeneo: March (Barry Lyndon) - Various Artists
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Emperor Waltz: Emperor Waltz (The Last Emperor) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Tocatta In D Minor: Tocatta In D Minor (Rollerball) - Various Artists
Mandoline Concerto: Mandoline Concerto (Kramer Vs. Kramer) - Various Artists
Symphony No 29 In A Major K.201: I. Allegro moderato (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Symphony No 9 In C Major: II. Andante con Moto (Notturno) - Various Artists
The Force Of Destiny: Overture (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Manon Lescaut: Aria: 'Sola, perduta, abbadonata' (Hannah And Her Sisters) - Various Artists
Clair de Lune: Clair de Lune (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Carmen: Seguedille of Carmen 'Pres de remparts' (Carmen) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 9 'Choral': 4th Movement (Excerpts) (Dead Poets Society) - Various Artists
Fur Elise: Fur Elise (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture (Trading Places) - Various Artists
Concerto for 2 violins: II. Largo ma non tanto (Children Of A Lesser God) - Various Artists
Quintet In F Major 'Trout Quintet': I. Allegro vivace (Notturno) - Various Artists
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Adagio (Lorenzos Oil) - Various Artists
Tales From The Vienna Woods: Tales From The Vienna Woods (Heat And Dust) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 9 'Choral': 2nd Movement (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
l'apres midi d'un faune: Prelude (Nijinsky) - Various Artists
The Thieving Magpie: Overture (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 6 In F Major 'Pastorale': IV. Allegro - The Storm (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue: Rhapsody In Blue (Manhattan) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Aria: 'Un bel di vedremo' (Fatal Attraction) - Various Artists
Adagio: Adagio (Gallipoli) - Various Artists
Turandot: Aria: 'Nessun dorma' (The Witches Of Eastwick) - Various Artists
The Marriage Of Figaro: March (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Piano Trio No. 2 In E Flat Major: II. Andante con moto (Notturno) - Various Artists
Requiem: Introitus (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Dies Irae (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Rex Tremendae (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Confutatis (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Lacrymosa (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: I. Allegro conbrio (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Strike Up The Band: Strike Up The Band (Manhattan) - Silver Screen Classics
La Boheme: Aria: 'Che Gelida Manina' (Moonstruck) - Silver Screen Classics
'1812': Overture (The Music Lovers) - Silver Screen Classics
Ave verum corpus: Ave Verum Corpus (Lorenzos Oil) - Silver Screen Classics
Carmen: Escamillio's Song 'Votre Toast' (Carmen) - Silver Screen Classics
La Boheme: Aria: 'Addio...D'onde lieta usci' (Moonstruck) - Silver Screen Classics
The Abduction From The Seraglio: Finale (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor: II. Romanze (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 25: Allegro con brio (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
The Marriage Of Figaro: Finale 'Pace, pace' (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Peer Gynt: Morning (Song Of Norway) - Silver Screen Classics
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Menuetto Allegretto - Rondo Allegro (Ace Venture - Pet Detective) - Silver Screen Classics
Xerxes: Largo (Les Liaisons Dangereuse) - Silver Screen Classics
The Magic Flute: Aria: 'Der Holle Rache'; Aria Queen Of The Night (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 6 'Pastorale': II. Andante molto mosso (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
La Gioconda: Dance Of The Hours (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
Ave Maria: Ave Maria (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
Andrea Chenier: Aria: 'Come se amare' - 'La mamma morta'; Aria Of Maddalena, 3.Akt (Philadelphia) - Silver Screen Classics
Semiramide: Overture (Unfaithfully Yours) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto No.5 'Emperor': II. Adagio un poco mosso (Immortal Beloved) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Messiah: Hallelujah (Look Who's Talking Too) - Various Artists
Serenade 'Gran Partita': III. Adagio (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Stabat Mater: 'Quando corpus morietur' (Amadeus) - Various Artists
The Magic Flute: Aria: 'Ein Madchen Oder Weibchen' (Amadeus) - Various Artists
A Night On The Bare Mountain (Fantasia) - Various Artists
Tannhauser: Pilgrims Chorus (Unfaithfully Yours) - Various Artists
Francesca da Rimini: Francesca Da Rimini (Unfaithfully Yours) - Various Artists
Blue Danube Waltz (Champagne Waltz) - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

An excellent sampler to get into classical music.......2002-07-02

So often we hear classical music in the movies and wonder "What is that called?" Well now it's here - a chance to find it and listen again to something that caught your ear and your heart. While normally I'm not a big fan of sampler complication albums, I love this set because of the breadth of works represented here. While not explicitly instructional (the liner notes are non-existent, and there is no real explanation of the works beyond their appearance in a specific movie), it lets you experience many famous, and lesser known pieces of classical music. Besides just giving you a nice album to put on and relax to, it also lets you find someone that you may not have heard before, listen to a piece and maybe go off in search of more by the same composer.

The bottom line is that for this price, you have a bargain of CD's of fine quality, and extraordinary breadth, with an anchor to the movies to help put them in a place. Besides, where else can you look for a specific film to try and find out what was that piece that is stuck in your head?

Ten cd's for one incredible price........2001-08-26

Not only do you receive an entire collection of ten cds for a phenomenal value, but you get the best classical music ever composed. These are songs that have been featured in widely popular films, including Apocalypse Now, which brought fame to Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. This will make a priceless gift for any lover of the cinema or of classical music. All of the songs that are included range from a variety of eras. In addition, famous composers from Mozart to Strauss make an appearance in this musical collection. These songs will remind you of the great movies that you've seen.