Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, Op. 36, 1812 Overture, Op. 49 &

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet - Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique"

What's not to like? Here we have one of Eugene Ormandy's classic accounts of the Nutcracker Suite, followed by a transcription for the Modern Mandolin Quartet that sounds surprisingly attractive, all things considered. Then the fun really starts with Spike Jones' demented take on the story, full of his trademark sound effects and madcap humor. Capping it all off are two 1940s arrangements for four pianos of the Dance of the Reed Flutes and the Waltz of the Flowers. Obviously the recording quality varies widely (even the Ormandy doesn't compare to today's best), but that's not really the point. What you get is a sort of trip down memory lane with this ever-popular music--and more to the point, the arrangements are sufficiently distinctive to justify wanting to listen to the entire disc at a sitting. As a special holiday treat that gives you much more than just another Nutcracker, you simply can't go wrong. Charming and fun! --David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 - Capriccio Italien: Classic Lib

George Szell wasn't known for his Tchaikovsky, and he didn't record all that much of him. There's a very good Fourth Symphony on Decca (with the LSO), and of course he played the major concertos when necessary, but this release constitutes his outstanding contribution to the Russian composer's discography. There's certainly value in scarcity, for this Fifth Symphony is one of the great ones: magnificently played (of course), urgent and dynamic in the first movement, passionate but always flowing in the second, elegant in the waltz, and triumphant but never needlessly bombastic in the finale. Listeners who view Szell as a "strictly by the score" interpreter, largely on account of his treatment of tempo, will be surprised to hear an added cymbal crash in the finale's coda. It's all good, clean fun.


The same holds true for the Capriccio, a bubbly performance given additional brilliance thanks to Szell's willingness to let the trumpets strut their stuff (also true in the symphony) and to the orchestra's hair-trigger rhythmic precision. Szell may not have let his hair down often, but there's a difference between discipline and inhibition. His best performances, as here, offer plenty of the former with no trace of the latter. The sonics show their age in a high level of hiss and a certain want of timbral richness, but better this than a remastering that chops off the treble and robs the music of its natural brilliance. That, thank God, you can still hear in abundance. This is a release that Szell fans will surely want to acquire, assuming of course that you don't already own one of its prior incarnations.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

TCHAIKOVSKY Manfred Symphony • Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia O; • RCA-ArkivMusic 38291 (58:23)

Although Ormandy conducted and recorded a great deal of Tchaikovsky, Manfred is a work that I believe was new to his repertoire when he made this recording the day after a performance early in the 1976–77 subscription concert season. As with so many of the RCA recordings, the tempos are slower than average, but this heavy-hearted work (the first movement is marked Lento lugubre) can stand slow tempos. There are also some interpretive liberties in the final movement that one could live without. The other side of the coin is that the orchestra plays this most difficult of Tchaikovsky’s works effortlessly; the swirling woodwind figures in the second movement, for example, are preternaturally accurate. I wouldn’t want this as my only Manfred, but I know I will return to it, along with the Markevitch on Philips.

FANFARE: Richard A. Kaplan

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Fedoseyev/Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra.

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphonies: No. 1 in g, “Winter Dreams”; No. 2 in c, “Little Russian”; No. 3 in D • Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia O; • RCA-ArkivMusic 38288 (2 CDs: 128:09)

Like the Manfred Symphony, these are Ormandy’s first and only recordings of Tchaikovsky’s first three symphonies. RCA probably wanted a complete cycle—Nos. 4–6 were already in the can—and Ormandy obliged. In general, Ormandy’s stereo Columbia recordings of the last three symphonies strike me as ideal (I don’t yet know his RCA versions), but I like a lighter touch for the early ones. Maazel/Vienna Philharmonic on Decca and Markevitch/London Symphony on Philips are the standard versions, with a special place for Beecham’s spirited 1947 account of the Third and Giulini’s infectious Second with the Philharmonia on EMI. For “Winter Dreams,” especially in the first two movements, lighter would be better; the tempo marking of the second movement is Adagio cantabile ma non tanto; Ormandy ignores the ma non tanto and plays the movement in 11:35, compared to Maazel’s 10:00. On the other hand, the high point of the movement—the statement of the main theme fortissimo by the horns—is underplayed. Ormandy and Tchaikovsky are more in synch in the fourth movement, but it’s not enough compensation for the heavy treatment of the first two.

The Second Symphony is a problem piece for me; much as I love Tchaikovsky, I find it repetitious and tedious in all but the most exciting performances. Here Ormandy is too heavy in the first movement and the introduction of the last; the inner movements seem to work better, and the Finale is impressive once it gets going.

The Third, generally but misleadingly referred to as the “Polish” Symphony because its last movement is labeled Tempo di polacca, has always been a secret vice of mine; I think this is probably due to my having become acquainted with the work through Beecham’s exciting yet affectionate recording. To my ear, Ormandy falls short here. The first movement is well played, but lacking the bounce that Beecham brings to its step; the second and third movements drag. There is some nice woodwind-playing in the Scherzo, but oboist de Lancie, who was just over two years short of retiring when this recording was made in 1974, actually slurs a series of scale passages that are specifically written as staccato! The Finale sounds more aggressive than festive.

As with many of Ormandy’s late recordings, these interpretations will be of interest to fans of the extraordinary Philadelphia Orchestra—in the last years that it had what was simply called “the Philadelphia sound”—or of Ormandy, and to Tchaikovsky specialists. They may not be the last word, but, gee, it’s good to have them!

FANFARE: Richard A. Kaplan

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Leonard Bernstein led his New York players in electrifying recordings of the complete Tchaikovsky symphonies in the 1960s and early 70s. This cycle for American Columbia includes Bernstein’s only versions on disc of the first three symphonies as well as superb performances of No. 4 – “Big, rich, boldly colorful engineering does justice to … its impulsive opening movement, dazzling scherzo, and ebullient finale” (ClassicsToday) – and No. 6: “There have been some high-powered Pathétique performances on record, but none higher-powered than this. Bernstein excels himself … The recording is bright and brilliant to match the interpretation” (Gramophone). The new 5-album reissue also contains the composer’s other popular orchestral works, including Romeo and Juliet, Francesca da Rimini, the “1812” Overture, Marche slave and “Hamlet” Fantasy.

DER NUSSKNACKER

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***