Your First Tchaikovsky record.

[pastoralguy]

In for a penny...


My first was the fourth symphony with the SNO under Sir Alexander Gibson on CfP. My first ever concert was them playing it at a Prom concert in the Usher Hall in June 1977. I was thrilled I could get a record of the same people doing it.

Another Lp I played until it wore out.

[Bryn]

A 12" shellac of items from the Nutcracker. Can't recall which dances they were offhand, though I am pretty sure the Chinese Dance must have been one of them. I would have been around 5 or 6 at the time.

[Barbirollians]

Rostropovich's Pathetique on EMI Eminence . A noisy pressing and not played all that often - then along came Monteux's awesome highlights from Swan Lake .

[gurnemanz]

George Szell Tchaikovsky 4 with LSO recorded in 1961 but suppressed by the conductor (for no obvious reason) and not released till 1972 on the cheapo Decca label "World of Great Classics". Marvellous recording and years later I got the CD.

[Barbirollians]

That reminds me - the first Tchaikovsky symphony record that really captured my imagination was Szell's Fifth on CBS.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Romeo & Juliet on 78s (5 sides). I still expect side changes whenever I hear it. Later I bought highlights from Swan Lake and then 1812 on. 45 rpm EP. Then followed the Little Russian Symphony on a Fidelity LP for 9/11 - talk about scrappy playing in the finale - it sounded like a school orchestra (though quite different from the SWR Stuttgart).

[richardfinegold]

I think it was the 1812 coupled with Capriccio on some ultra budget lp.
The first that I played obsesively was an Ormandy/Philadelphia excerpt disc of the Nutcracker, then Bernstenin/NYP in the 4th Symphony. The Monteux/BSO 5th was next and I think I must of have played it until the stylus wore through the disc.

[Dave2002]

78s-Nutcracker Suite. Can't remember the conductor.
Also on 78s, the first piano concerto, which I think was conducted by Barbirolli with Rubinstein. If it wasn't Rubinstein it might have been Moseiwitsch. Checking on t'Internet suggests my first guess was probably correct. Also, despite some reviewers' comments re later CD transfers, I thought the sound on 78s was really not too bad - I used to enjoy it a lot.

[Pabmusic]

Definitely 1812 on an EP conducted by Golovanov. A Soviet version that substituted God Save the Tsar with something else. Even at a tender age (7 or 8?) Pabs could tell the substitution was poorly done.

I waited till about 19 for my second - the Pathetique with Ansermet/Suisse Romande.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Definitely 1812 on an EP conducted by Golovanov. A Soviet version that substituted God Save the Tsar with something else. Even at a tender age (7 or 8?) Pabs could tell the substitution was poorly done.

Yes, I'm surprised they didn't rename it the 1917 Overture.

[Beef Oven!]

Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Swan Lake LPS, circa 1968 found along side the Mantovani, Sid Philips and various 'Breakthrough' LPs, next to the record player. We didn't always have a TV (rented for the world cup, Lunar landing etc), but we ALWAYS had a record player.

Lieutenant Kije, too.

Anyone remember 'Breakthrough LPs?

We had this.

[Radio64]

(..spooky! I was listening to some Tchaik this morning!)

Anyway first experience was 1812 Overture played during a school music lesson. I still remember the scene, which classroom, where I was sitting. Totally blew me away.

Nutcracker was probably my first purchase.

[Pabmusic]

Yes, I'm surprised they didn't rename it the 1917 Overture.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The first Tchaikovsky disc I ever bought was a "Greatest Hits of" LP; not the CBS series, but a cheap (there was a 50p price sticker on the front in the shape of a 50p piece) album exclusive to Woolworth's in the mid-'70s. Carlini's World of Strings were the performers (a misnomer - it was a full Symphony Orchestra [they'd just had lunch]) - the Exposition (minus slow Introduction) of R & J, the famous Waltzes from the three Ballets, the opening of the Slow Movement of the Fifth Symphony and the Second Group of the Pathetique. Whetted the appetite without dampening the spirits. After Christmas (thank you, Auntie Bertha) I advanced to extended highlights from the Nutcracker on DECCA's "World of the Great Classics" series, Anatole Fistoulari conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra: probably the worst orchestra ever to appear from the Decca stables, and such mincing recorded sound: even at that age, I was critical.

[frankwm]

Anyone remember 'Breakthrough LPs?

There was probably only the one: STWO 1 - a sampler -@ 12/6 (bought a copy from Army & Navy Stores - have one now: includes a great version of The Beatles "Michelle" (Band of the Irish Guards)...plus 633 Squadron (Ron Goodwin) ..many of the rest are Lemons..

Tchaikovsky PC.1 - Yuri Boukoff (c/w Liszt PC.1: Vienna SO/Fournet/Somogyi) on Fontana Stereo Special SFL 14034 - also from the A&N, Victoria St, @ 13/11, in 1968..... Can't recall anything about the performance/s..