Manfred holds a special place in Tchaikovsky's oeuvre, as it is unique: a symphony composed on an extremely large scale around a wide-ranging literary programme. Manfred is the embodiment of several facets of Tchaikovsky's individuality: it presents both Russian and European features, Tchaikovsky's own talents as a psychologist and a shrewd judge of character, his abilities as a writer for the theatre, and his mastery in creating orchestral colours. The score itself dazzles with it's variety of images and sounds - from airy to grandiose and powerful, from pastoral and peaceful to dense and dark. The dramatic concept of the work as a whole, it's psychological portrayal of the protagonists and the vivid expression in their development all come to reveal the characteristic style of Tchaikovsky's late works. What is more, Manfred remains fascinating thanks to the fact that it emerged at the crossroads of various literary, philosophical and musical trends during 19th century. The album was recorded on the eve of the 185th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's birth.

For his ballet Tchaikovsky Overtures, Alexei Ratmansky chose overtures by Pyotr Tchaikovsky which the composer had created in various stages of his life for concert performance. Content-wise, these musical works draw on the dramas of William Shakespeare: Hamlet, The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet. Although Alexei Ratmansky clearly has not created a narrative ballet, the narrative motifs from these three of Shakespeare's plays appear on the surface of the choreographic structure time and again, thus, Shakespeare's 'voice' serves as the foundation for both the dance action on stage and the music resonating from the orchestra pit. Traditionally, overtures are heard at the beginning of an opera or a ballet and carry over into a plot. In Alexei Ratmansky's Tchaikovsky Overtures, however, overture follows on overture, whereby a new beginning is truly followed by another one. Interwoven into this is a fundamental pledge of the theatre to have a new world appear with every opening of the curtains and to set a beginning that opens in the future. With the devices and resources of classical and neo-classical ballet, Alexei Ratmansky continuously refers in his choreography to the history of dance art. We should not forget here that ballet literally had to fight to survive in different epochs. The hope that factual reality would dissolve into something dance-like also constantly resonates here. Opalescent in character, the "Fantasy Overtures", the generic name of the orchestral pieces chosen from Tchaikovsky's oeuvre to be performed in the ballet program, become ideal templates for a ballet, which must also be understood as fantasizing. They represent a fantasy about the role of classical ballet today, the memories it carries, and how it might shape it's future.

For his ballet Tchaikovsky Overtures, Alexei Ratmansky chose overtures by Pyotr Tchaikovsky which the composer had created in various stages of his life for concert performance. Content-wise, these musical works draw on the dramas of William Shakespeare: Hamlet, The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet. Although Alexei Ratmansky clearly has not created a narrative ballet, the narrative motifs from these three of Shakespeare's plays appear on the surface of the choreographic structure time and again, thus, Shakespeare's 'voice' serves as the foundation for both the dance action on stage and the music resonating from the orchestra pit. Traditionally, overtures are heard at the beginning of an opera or a ballet and carry over into a plot. In Alexei Ratmansky's Tchaikovsky Overtures, however, overture follows on overture, whereby a new beginning is truly followed by another one. Interwoven into this is a fundamental pledge of the theatre to have a new world appear with every opening of the curtains and to set a beginning that opens in the future. With the devices and resources of classical and neo-classical ballet, Alexei Ratmansky continuously refers in his choreography to the history of dance art. We should not forget here that ballet literally had to fight to survive in different epochs. The hope that factual reality would dissolve into something dance-like also constantly resonates here. Opalescent in character, the "Fantasy Overtures", the generic name of the orchestral pieces chosen from Tchaikovsky's oeuvre to be performed in the ballet program, become ideal templates for a ballet, which must also be understood as fantasizing. They represent a fantasy about the role of classical ballet today, the memories it carries, and how it might shape it's future.

ROCOCO VARIATIONS, ANDANTE CAN

EUGENE ONEGIN

COMPLETE SOLO PIANO WORKS

NUTCRACKER SLEEPING BEAUTY

The dynamic young French-Canadian conductor records the symphony that has played a central role in his remarkable career. Yannick Nezet-Seguin first heard it live in Montreal at the age of eight. It was the work he chose for his debut with both the Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Conducting this quintessentially Russian music with the Rotterdam Philharmonic acknowledges his predecessor on the podium, Valery Gergiev, as well as showcasing the depth and refinement of the Dutch orchestras rich textures. Yannick Nizet-Siguin admires Tchaikovsky not just as a composer of heart-breaking melodies but also as a master symphonist. "The point for me is this works pervasive lust for life, and the lack of faith in humanity which is the implicit message of the end." the symphony is accompanied by two sets of Tchaikovsky's songs, in arrangements for piano and violin. Yannick Nezet-Seguin at the piano is joined by star violinist Lisa Batiashvili, whose understanding of the original Russian texts colors her interpretation. At just 37, Yannick Nezet-Seguin is a driving force on the international music scene.

THE NUTCRACKER

TCHAIKOVSKY

Classical Music

Three Russian composers dominate the repertoire of the Mariinsky Orchestra: Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. All three were famed for the diversity of their work composing opera, ballets, concertos and symphonies that remain popular to this day. However, few works like Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 can lay claim to be the most popular. The composer left a gap of ten years between his 4th and 5th symphonies, then a further five years between the 5th and 6th. Although all three are united by a common idea - one man facing his destiny - the final symphony is unquestionably darker and more tragic, justifying it's title, "Pathetic".

Classical Music

The Mendelssohn first appeared in this country in harness with the Ravel Trio, and the Tchaikovsky was listed in the 1952 World's Encyclopedia of Recorded Music as available on five 78rpm discs in America. In fact, it is only in recent years that the record companies have paid much attention to the Tchaikovsky and as it so happens I did not know either of the present performances.

I began the Mendelssohn with the keenest anticipation but to be frank I remained unmoved on first hearing, though the playing as such is pretty dazzling—as one would expect from "the million dollar trio". The scherzo in particular struck me as overdriven and wanting in charm, and certainly not chamber-music playing of the kind Cortot, Thibaud and Casals gave us: their 1927 account of this Trio (last available on HMV RLS723, 1/77) had a wonderful sense of intimacy and a sparkling freshness. I turned up the GRAMOPHONE for November 1952 and saw that Hubert Foss spoke of it as "magnificent—authoritatively played con amore but without a trace of sentimentality", and in a way he is right. But there is not quite the sense of intimate, spontaneous discourse of the earlier record. The second movement is by far the best thing and brings some highly expressive playing.

The Tchaikovsky is hardly less high-powered and while lost in admiration for the golden tone of both string players and the dexterity of Rubin stein, I found I was less moved by the performance than such recent versions as those by the Beaux Arts (Philips) and Barenboim/Zukerman/du Pré (EMI), and the Perlman/Ashkenazy/Harrell account, also on EMI (12/87) which is complete. (Rubinstein, Heifetz and Piatigorsky make a substantial Cut in the finale.)


Both recordings were made in August 1950 in a dry acoustic and perhaps my responses have been affected by that. Some allowance must be made for the two-dimensional quality and lack of range, particularly as far as the piano timbre is concerned. Both Heifetz and Piatigorsky are glorious, though the former tends to dominate at times and even if you share something of my slight disappointment at the Mendelssohn, the rich sonorous timbre of Heifetz and Piatigorsky is seductive.

-- Gramophone [9/1989]

TCHAIKOVSKY: PIANO CONCERTO NO