Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Leonard Slatkin's greatest asset in this blazingly assertive Tchaikovsky Third lies in his totally unsentimental approach, vital in this most intractable of the symphonies. For Tchaikovsky, the problems of co-opting sonata form, whilst incorporating national and personal elements into a large-scale symphonic structure found a novel solution in this elusive five-movement score, and yet the relative scarcity of concert performances and satisfactory recordings of the symphony, surely reflects widely held misgivings about the work.

Slatkin negotiates the first movement's major interpretative obstacle, the knotty transition from the Moderato assai to the main Allegro brillante more convincingly even than Jansons (Chandos), and although their respective timings differ by an overall margin of less than three seconds, Slatkin somehow provides his principal oboe with greater room for melodic inflexion in the second subject (5'04'') without losing momentum. Karajan (DG) is less incisively brilliant in the taxing and occasionally random development, where both Slatkin and Jansons excel in clarifying textural ambiguities, in what is arguably the most difficult passage of the symphony. Andrew Litton, incidentally, is hardly less convincing here with the Bournemouth SO (Virgin Classics) at an even faster basic tempo than either Jansons or Slatkin.

Slatkin retains an underlying tension in a very fast Alla Tedesca; incredibly some two minutes faster here than Karajan, whose goaded and charmless reading of the following Andante Elegiaco rapidly palls, especially when compared to Jansons, who again excels in refinement and heartwarming tenderness. But it is Slatkin who draws the most weighty and demonstrative playing of all, in the lovely molto espressivo passage of the Andante, with dark-hued, yet conservatively moulded string textures and quite exemplary wind contributions from the St Louis Symphony Orchestra; another tribute, surely, to Slatkin's great achievement in placing this orchestra solidly alongside the finest US ensembles.

Orchestral virtuosity is again a prime concern in the Scherzo, and Slatkin's tempo certainly places severe demands upon his orchestra, who sound a degree more comfortable than Jansons's Oslo Philharmonic, but in the festive Polonaise of the glittering finale the St Louis playing is absolutely magnificent. Vital, resplendent and exciting as the finale is, the threat of swaggering bombast remains, as Karajan ably demonstrates in a brazen vulgarization of the final anthem-like peroration. Although Jansons's Chandos performance set new standards in the symphony, his recording must now yield to Slatkin's superbly recorded account, which also offers a dashing and forthright Capriccio italien, with predictably virile playing from the superb St Louis orchestra.'

-- Michael Jameson, The Gramophone

TCHAIKOVSKY: SYMPHONY NO 4, FA

TCHAIKOVSKY: ROCOCO VARIATIONS

TCHAIKOVSKY: THE CHILDREN'S AL

PIERRE MONTEUX EDITION VOL 14

TCHAIKOVSKY: ROMEO & JULIET, S

ICA Classics is proud to present Vladimir Jurowski's recording of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty. It was recorded live in December 2013 with the 'Svetlanov' orchestra. Jurowski has already accumulated a large catalogue of recordings all of which have received great critical acclaim. He is a proven seller. Jurowski's interpretation is based on his view that Acts 1 & 2 inhabit a Romantic sound world and then between Act 2 and 3, the sound changes completely becoming drier with much sharper outlines. He has said that if it were not for Tchaikovsky's untimely death, he would have developed a similar style of composition to Stravinsky between 1917 and 1928, around the time of Pulcinella. The Sleeping Beauty recorded here is performed complete. The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia is one of Russia's oldest orchestras dating back to 1936. Over the past 80 years, it has been directed amongst others by Gauk, Rakhlin, Ivanov and the great Evgeny Svetlanov. In 1972, it was grated the honorary title 'academic' for it's exceptional creative achievements and in 2006 the State Academy Symphony Orchestra was officially named after Svetlanov. Jurowski was appointed Artistic Director in 2011.

Schonberg, insisting on the legitimate interest that attaches to every aspect of the life and person of a great man, once said he would have liked to see how Mahler tied his tie.

Tchaikovsky: Oprichnik

The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is the quintessential Christmas ballet. When her nutcracker toy comes to life, young Clara is transported by the magician Drosselmeyer to a magical world of excitement and delight. Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli dance the exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince; Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell take the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker; and Gary Avis is the mysterious, kindly Drosselmeyer. This performance celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday and a production that has been in The Royal Ballet’s repertory for more than thirty years. With sumptuous period designs, spellbinding stage effects and of course Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, The Nutcracker continues to enchant audiences of all ages. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true SS. "fresh and reinvigorated - Nutcrackers come and Nutcrackers go but the Royal Ballet's version is a hardy perennial. " (The Stage) "The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, always handsomely traditional, has become a tradition of its own." (The Independent) "Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell make an enchanting couple, " (The Daily Telegraph)

DETAILS:

Format: NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: None
Dubbed: None
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1