Tchaikovsky's Symphonies.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I love #2. I am pretty sure I attended a 'Manfred' Prom a few years ago.

I saw both 'Manfred' and 'Winter Daydreams' given at the Proms by Yuri Temirkanov and the St Petersburg Philharmonic. Grand occasions, both.

I am honestly surprised that the VPO, has played these works?

Valery Gergiev's live recording of the Fifth with the Vienna Phil is one of the most electrifying performances I have heard.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Agreed, the late Karajan, when he'd had a spat with the BPO, is also very good!

But I wish the Abbado had replaced the Karajan in the new VPO Symphony Edition.

Much as I adore Tchaikovsky's music, I do blame him for effectively inventing the drumkit.

[Beef Oven]

#62 CBSO Oramo 2003?

I think that could well be it. 10 years ago feels about right and Oramo definitely rings a bell.

[Petrushka]

I am honestly surprised that the VPO, has played these works?

The VPO have a long history of performing Tchaikovsky and others have mentioned some excellent PT recordings from them.

[LaurieWatt]

Mornin' all.

Has Manfred ever been played at the proms?

Last year, wonderfully, by the LPO conducted by Vladimir Jurowski and a year or two before that with Oramo and CBSO, I think.

[salymap]

Thanks for that Laurie.

Ihope to listen to symphony 2, and maybe no 3 if I have time - both today with HvK/Berlin Phil

[Barbirollians]

I have recently purchased the Pletnev cycle on Pentatone which is outstanding and is now my HD cycle of choice. Previously my favorites were Bernstein in 4, Monteux in 5 and Solti in 6, which for years were the only ones that I listened to. I then became enchanted with 1 after hearing Karajan. 2 & 3 have escaped critical scrutiny from me. Muti and the Philharmonia have lately been displaced by Pletnev.
If the composer had stopped writing Symphonies after 3, I suspect the situation would be similar to his Piano Concertos. Most people don't realize that there are 3 Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos and refer to 1 as "the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto". We would be referring to Winter Dreams as "The Tchaikovsky Symphony" and the Polish and Little Russian would be thought of as orchestral Suites that became mislabeled as Symphonies.
I hope that Pletnev and Pentatone issue a Manfred.

I have only recently discovered Monteux’s last three in that Sony box of his stereo recordings for RCA. I think they are terrific especially the Fifth . I love the balletic approach he brings to the works - by no means lightweight but never heavy or drowning in over emoting swooning strings.

[richardfinegold]

I have only recently discovered Monteux’s last three in that Sony box of his stereo recordings for RCA. I think they are terrific especially the Fifth . I love the balletic approach he brings to the works - by no means lightweight but never heavy or drowning in over emoting swooning strings.

I cut my Tchaikovsky teeth on budget reissues of Monteux 4-6. His way with the Fifth has imprinted itself as the way I think it should go, and your description is spot on

[BBMmk2]

Barbs, that sounds like a very good box!

[Barbirollians]

Barbs, that sounds like a very good box!

It is excellent BBM - you get his Tchaikovsky 4-6, Franck Symphony with the Chicago SO , the brilliant 1911 Petrushka recording - the Brahms Concerto with Szeryng and the Khachaturian VC with Kogan too , Death and Transfiguration, a particularly lovely performance of the Siegfried Idyll and other bits and bobs .

There is also a 2CD set of Orfeo and Euridicevwith Rise Stevens and Lisa Della Cass but I have not got to that yet .

[Bryn]

It is excellent BBM - you get his Tchaikovsky 4-6, Franck Symphony with the Chicago SO , the brilliant 1911 Petrushka recording - the Brahms Concerto with Szeryng and the Khachaturian VC with Kogan too , Death and Transfiguration, a particularly lovely performance of the Siegfried Idyll and other bits and bobs .

There is also a 2CD set of Orfeo and Euridice with Rise Stevens and Lisa Della Cass but I have not got to that yet .

Happy to echo that. An excellent little box of delights.

[Barbirollians]

Happy to echo that. An excellent little box of delights.

The Petrushka really is fabulous - which as Monteux conducted the premiere is I suppose no surprise. I think I am right that he always stuck to the 1911 version .

[Bryn]

The Petrushka really is fabulous - which as Monteux conducted the premiere is I suppose no surprise. I think I am right that he always stuck to the 1911 version .

There is/was also an SACD issue of this recording, coupled with the Frank Symphony in D. His Paris Conservatoire recording of a little over 2 years earlier (John Culshaw in charge) is also worth getting, if only because the pianist is none other than Julius Katchen. The orchestra, however, is no match for the Boston band.

[Braunschlag]

If I might throw in the following -

Complete sets would have to include Maazel (and he excels in 4-6 with a glorious sound and some vintage Decca engineering).
The Muti/Phil set was good but I was never really grabbed by them.
Early Abbado/VPO are certainly worth a mention.
Pletnev - that early RNO/Virgin/6 was a thing of wonder, it still has real punch and a manic scherzo. I seem to recall that they had to borrow brass instruments for the recording, some sort of airline mixup (maybe someone has the whole story). It is joined, for me at least, by the idiosyncratic Currentzis - yes, the coat is off its hook now:), going towards the door.....:)
Szell 4 - ‘nuff said, cant really go wrong there.

Oddities I haven’t really got on with are the LSO Markevitch, there’s some funny things going on there in the 4th.

Honeck 6/Pittsburgh - I found that rather sterile and humdrum, decent recording but not a keeper.

It’s always puzzled me that Solti never really cut it. I’m a Solti fan but it never seemed to sit comfortably with him.

[cloughie]

If I might throw in the following -

Complete sets would have to include Maazel (and he excels in 4-6 with a glorious sound and some vintage Decca engineering).
The Muti/Phil set was good but I was never really grabbed by them.
Early Abbado/VPO are certainly worth a mention.
Pletnev - that early RNO/Virgin/6 was a thing of wonder, it still has real punch and a manic scherzo. I seem to recall that they had to borrow brass instruments for the recording, some sort of airline mixup (maybe someone has the whole story). It is joined, for me at least, by the idiosyncratic Currentzis - yes, the coat is off its hook now:), going towards the door.....:)
Szell 4 - ‘nuff said, cant really go wrong there.

Oddities I haven’t really got on with are the LSO Markevitch, there’s some funny things going on there in the 4th.

Honeck 6/Pittsburgh - I found that rather sterile and humdrum, decent recording but not a keeper.

It’s always puzzled me that Solti never really cut it. I’m a Solti fan but it never seemed to sit comfortably with him.

Add in to the early VPO Abbado the LSO 5th. Solti's earlier 2 and 5 with the PCO have a gallic charm and that distinctive horn sound (Marmite?). Whilst what you say about Szell 4 I agree but Georg himself found something wrong as he vetoed it and Decca only released it after his death.