Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations/Souvenir de Florence

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
This album features top Russian artists: Mstislav Rostropovich, the Borodin String Quartet, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra performing two of the most precious compositions of Russian classical repertoire: Variations on a Rococo Theme and Souvenir de Florence by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

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:

Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Moderato quasi Andante
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Tema: Moderato semplice
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone I: Tempo del Tema
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone II: Tempo del Tema
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone III: Andante sostenuto
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone IV: Andante grazioso
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone V: Allegro moderato
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Cadenza
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone: VI: Andante
Variations On A Rococo Theme For Violoncello And Orchestra Op. 33: Variazone: VII e Coda: Allegro vivo
Lensky's Aria: Arie des Lenski
Nocturne
Andante cantabile
Souvenir De Florence: Allegro con spirito
Souvenir De Florence: Adagio cantabile e con moto - Moderato
Souvenir De Florence: Allegretto moderato
Souvenir De Florence: Allegro vivace

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful recording of Rococo Variations!.......2007-07-08

Maisky's playing is superb - I love his recording of the Rococo Variations. Get this CD, you won't be sorry!

Possibly the best Rococo.......2006-10-06

The reviewer from Tucson (below) "teed off" on this CD, writing off this recording of the Rococo Variations as merely "acceptable." This is a tremendous disservice to any of you considering buying this CD, as well as to Maisky himself and the members of the Orpheus CO. IMHO, Maisky has a sympathetic orchestra accompanying him, but it is also very true that the Orpheus players have a "sympathetic" soloist here.

Specifically regarding this recording of the Rococo Variations: Maisky's careful feeling for dynamics is evident throughout; in the first and second variations, he is meticulous about his volume, playing mezzo-piano when the orchestra members have the melody, making himself adequately heard while avoiding even the hint of overpowering the group and spoiling the melody. Maisky takes the third variation slower here than other soloists I've heard, but it certainly doesn't spoil the recording.

In the concluding seventh variation, Maisky impressively rips through those fiendish passages (his intonation and phrasing are arguably flawless), and THIS is the place where other soloists and their accompanying orchestras often make a less-than-heartstopping impact, with the orchestra often registering a slightly distant echo in the call-and-response. But Maisky and the Orpheus violins match each other stride for stride, especially in dynamics - the violins' presence here is EXACTLY what it should be. Likewise, the orchestra does not wash out Maisky's cello during the closing chords.

This is one of my very few "favorite" DG recordings, because of the size of the venue and the proximity of the microphones. The Recital Hall at SUNY-Purchase yields an intimate (but roomy enough) acoustic, rather than one of a cavernous auditorium.

In comparison to other recordings I have, including two by the great Slava Rostropovich and one by Yo-Yo Ma, I keep returning to this particular "Rococo." Maisky's reading of the Andante Cantabile from String Quartet 1 is likewise, thoughtfully and beautifully played.

Most people thinking about this CD are considering it for the Rococo Variations, and Misha Maisky and the Orpheus come out of this recording shining. Beautifully done.

Souvenir De Florence is for sextet, not for string Orchestra.......1999-09-02

Sextet in D (called Souvenir De Florence) was written as a sextet. Here it is performed by a rather large string orchestra. The original clarity, drama and brilliance of the sextet is compromised. The fugues are hardly decernable. Nowhere on the Amazon.com page or liner notes of the CD is this fact explained. The Sextet version is far superior to this muddy string orchestra presentation, so I returned the CD as unacceptable. The Rocco Variations and other pieces on this CD are acceptable, but not outstanding.

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005YRKN
Release Date: 2000-07-10

Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations/Souvenir de Florence

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations/Souvenir de Florence

Manufacturer: Moscow Studio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000E6XJX
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33 - String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70 "Souvenir de Florence"
Allegro con spirito
Adagio cantabile e con moto
Allegretto moderato
Allegro vivace

Album Description

This album features top Russian artists: Mstislav Rostropovich, the Borodin String Quartet, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra performing two of the most precious compositions of Russian classical repertoire: Variations on a Rococo Theme and Souvenir de Florence by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Variations on a Rococo Theme; Souvenir de Florence

Average customer rating:

Variations on a Rococo Theme; Souvenir de Florence
Pyotr Tchaikovsky , Gennady Rozhdestvensky , Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra , Borodin String Quartet , and cello Mstislav Rostropovich
Manufacturer: CDK Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Album Description

This album features top Russian artists: Mstislav Rostropovich, the Borodin String Quartet, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

Mstislav Rostropovich has performed and recorded nearly the entire cello repertoire and inspired the creation of an unprecedented large quantity of new compositions for the instrument. Composers who have written music for Rostropovich include: Britten, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Khachaturian, Boulez, Berio, Messiaen, Schnittke, Bernstein, Dutilleux and Lutoslawski.

The distinguished Borodin String Quartet was named after a pioneer composer of Russian instrumental chamber music, Alexander Borodin. The brilliance and cultural background of the musicians, who are devoted enthusiasts of chamber music, and their never-ceasing and self-denying efforts aimed at mastering an inexhaustible treasury of music, have won the gratitude of music lovers around the world.

Gennady Rozhdestvensky, USSR People's Artist, Lenin Prize winner, is an outstanding musician of today. An artist of universal ideas and wide artistic interests, Rozhdestvensky has paid tribute to the art of the 20th century and mostly to Russian music, works of his contemporaries, from the very beginning of his career.

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