Rostropovich's Tchaikovsky

[Guest]

What do boredees make of this set? Worth a punt?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Symphonies-Nos-1-6-Manfred/dp/B00151HZ38/ref=pd_ys_qtk_general_recs?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1VU0G42RGDY4T&colid=3LHWJPFAIA5M1&pf_rd_p=231460247&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=home&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1W1H2SDER603GEPGPZ34

[cloughie]

What do boredees make of this set? Worth a punt?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-...DER603GEPGPZ34

Looks a bargain to me - great Manfred and a good set overall.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Looks a bargain to me - great Manfred and a good set overall.

I agree, but I don't like the way EMI have split Symphonies 3 & 6 across separate discs. A case of "Rip and Burn" required, methinks.

(Wouldn't prefer the set to Markevich, though.)

[Mahlerei]

Thanks for the feedback.

Markevitch? Will investigate. The last Tchaikovsky box I owned was the Litton, and I didn't warm to ti at all.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Markevitch? Will investigate.

It doesn't seem to be currently available as inexpensively as the Slava (which is much better than Litton - I agree, a great disappointment, as if nobody involved was really interested in the recordings). There used to be a four-disc set, then a pair of Phillips "Duo". Now it seems only available from Newton, which has received complaints about drop-outs in the transfers.

[Mahlerei]

fhg

Yes, I've just seen that Amazon review about the drop-outs but suspect that's just a dud pressing. Other reviews elsewhere speak very highly of the set. Think I'll chance it, so thanks for the steer.

I must admit that I don't get on with Litton; his discs are gathering dust on my shelves.

[cloughie]

fhg

Yes, I've just seen that Amazon review about the drop-outs but suspect that's just a dud pressing. Other reviews elsewhere speak very highly of the set. Think I'll chance it, so thanks for the steer.

I must admit that I don't get on with Litton; his discs are gathering dust on my shelves.

The Muti set is also very good.

[Ferretfancy]

I'm always a bit wary of Muti in orchestral music, since I know that he always expected to be able to edit his performances bar by bar,something he could not do in his opera recordings.
Is the Oslo set with Jansons still available ? I've always liked it. I agree that the Litton is a disappointment.
Two performances from further back are the Bernstein and the Dorati, who are both very good in the first three symphonies. I still don't think you can beat Mavrinsky in 4, 5, & 6.
I suspect that it's may be better to shop for single performances rather than complete sets, although having said that, Markevich strikes me as the most consistently good.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

May I also put in a good word for the VPO/Maazel set?

Barbirolli's Halle recordings of 4, 5 & 6 are stunning interpretations too, but sadly, the 4th suffers from some scrappy playing.

[Chris Newman]

Very good value: the Rostropovich. Markevich is available on two lots of Philips Duo and is a scorcher, but there is no Manfred. Jansons is sadly out of pressing at present. Barbirolli (mentioned by Alpy) and Silvestri are very good on the last three symphonies and Herbie very good on the first three. Litton was disappointing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Markevich is available on two lots of Philips Duo and is a scorcher, but there is no Manfred.

Yes; I overlooked this crucial feature - my apologies.

The Rostropovich (with its "extras" and at this price) looks ever more attractive.

[cloughie]

Yes; I overlooked this crucial feature - my apologies.

The Rostropovich (with its "extras" and at this price) looks ever more attractive.

Markevitch's Manfred was available on the Great Conductors of the 20th Century series. It was the original Philips recording. Available on Amazon but at a price!

[jayne lee wilson]

Thr original Svetlanov cycle from the mid-60s is still a reference - there's a spectacular DSD remastering of it on the Korean Aulos Music audiophile label, might still be at HMV Japan or somewhere (in an eau-de-nil palest blue box); and Svetlanov's live cycle on Pony Canyon, still with USSRSSO from Japan in 1990, HDCD encoded, is extraordinary (some dutch-pressed sets appear to include Manfred, but these are all getting scarce now; any single discs on Amazon etc. are worth it! I never got no.3, last I saw was about 200 euro...). The still later Canyon cycle recorded in Moscow is much less recommendable, stunningly recorded but slower and often lacking the same grip and drama. Some of these appeared on the Warners edition but they were, sonically, much less refined (and lacking HDCD!).

PS - don't forget Dorati's Mercury set of 1,2 and 3 - real scorchers!

[cloughie]

Thr original Svetlanov cycle from the mid-60s is still a reference - there's a spectacular DSD remastering of it on the Korean Aulos Music audiophile label, might still be at HMV Japan or somewhere (in an eau-de-nil palest blue box); and Svetlanov's live cycle on Pony Canyon, still with USSRSSO from Japan in 1990, HDCD encoded, is extraordinary (some dutch-pressed sets appear to include Manfred, but these are all getting scarce now; any single discs on Amazon etc. are worth it! I never got no.3, last I saw was about 200 euro...). The still later Canyon cycle recorded in Moscow is much less recommendable, stunningly recorded but slower and often lacking the same grip and drama. Some of these appeared on the Warners edition but they were, sonically, much less refined (and lacking HDCD!).

PS - don't forget Dorati's Mercury set of 1,2 and 3 - real scorchers!

Svetlanov's Manfred was very good, there was a brief period when Melodiya were available on CD from BMG - good trange reasonable price. Looking at current issues Melodiya is not benefitting from the big box at a good price.

[Alison]

I know the Rostropovich set very well. Fresh and engaging performances of some passion.
The marginal disappointment is the fifth symphony which never quite catches fire, an individual
and never boring account nonethless.
The real winner for me is Manfred, slow and brooding with a superbly taut opening movement.
The LPO playing regularly achieves a good standard, a rather old fashioned, very english sounding first oboe not withstanding.
Take the punt Danny boy - especially at the price. For some while this set was unavailable and I had to pay a lot more.