Rimini [Import]

1. Rimini

2. Volta La Carta

3. Coda Di Lupo

4. Andrea

5. Tema Di Rimini

6. Avventura A Durango

7. Sally

8. Zirichiltaggia

9. Parlando Del Naufragio

10. Della London Valour

11. Folaghe

Rimini,Fabrizio De Andre,Sony Bmg,World Music

Average customer rating: Classic Recording culled from RCA Ormandy/Sonic Spectacular Pure Adrenaline! Bravissimo! Bold and Majestic Sound of Ormandy A safe and reliable recording Russia by America

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/ Marche Slave 25 Thunderous Classics Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Beethoven: Wellington's Victory Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/Capriccio Italien/Beethoven: Wellington's Victory Sheherazade / Russian Easter Overture ASIN: B000003F1I Release Date: 1991-06-21

Tracks:

1. 1812 Overture-Ouverture solennelle 1812
2. Capriccio italien
3. Marche slave-Slawisher Marsch-Marcia slava
4. Francesca da Rimini: Andante lugubre
5. Francesca da Rimini: Allegro vivo
6. Francesca da Rimini: Andante cantabile
7. Francesca da Rimini: Allegro vivo

Customer Reviews:

Classic Recording culled from RCA Ormandy/Sonic Spectacular .......2005-03-07

This 1812 was originally a part of an RCA Three L-P Set called
Eugene Ormandy And The Philadelphia Orchestra Sonic Spectaculars. One of the other L.P's had Beethoven's Wellington's Victory.
The gimmick of the set was it featured electronic cannons, which were at the time of 1970's Dynaflex record the best way to "record cannons". And In it's day was indeed the best, but on CD I believe the Cannons to be fairly tame, yet, as a performance I truly enjoy this more than any one including the excellent stereo recording by Eric Kunzel, and the Cincinatti Orchestra

Pure Adrenaline!.......2003-12-21

Buy this cd for the 1812. The contribution of the Morman Tabernacle Choir and the classic, battleship-sounding cannonfire mark this as a great showpiece. Purists may squawk, but this particular interpretation helped launch the 1812 into the hearts and minds of Americans over the past 30 years.

And, even though the transfer from tape to cd brought with it a fair degree of hiss/noise, this Ormandy version remains the GOLD STANDARD by which all other 1812 Overture renditions must compare. Most other renditions come up far short on the vitality and depth that Mr. Ormandy communicates to us on this recording.

Fireworks that resonate on the soul. Not bad for under 7 bucks.

Bravissimo! Bold and Majestic Sound of Ormandy.......2002-12-24

For those Tchaikovsky's fan, this is the CD you shouldn't missed.

Ormandy ingeniously build up the bold majestic sound of Philadelphia like a rolling snow ball, pumping the triumph music towards the end. Personally I could never suppress my feeling of esthetic by the emotional of Tchaikovsky rendered magnificently.

The 1812 Overture has been transcribed with Church Chorus Singing "God Save Our Czar", back up by additional brass section. Especially the Sound of French horn could never bolder or richer; The sparkling note played by the Trumpets and Trombones pushing the sound of glory projecting an triumph mood of victorious with cannon blasting the unique Philadelphia Sound sky high. At the end, you'll agreed, it is 1812 all over your living room.

The Capriccio Italien is equally spicy and joyful. It began with a bold sound of Cornet played in a steady tempo, followed by mid sound of Strings projecting an memory of civilization. Woodwind could never be sweeter and harmonized. When the music turned into vivacious dancing melody. I couldn't have myself on the chair, start swing with the music to the end. One of the Best version I've ever heard.

The Slavonic March also adapted the same style from 1812 and Capriccio Italien. Here, you'll hear the perfect balanced Sound of Philadelphia Orchestra, building up the climax of this showpiece, crash of gong and high pitch Trumpets lead the music to an glorious ending.

This is the best Francesca da Rimini that I've heard, bold, exciting and full of emotion.

This CD will be perfected if its includes "Romeo and Juliet". Still it deserve 5 stars from me.

Eugene Ormandy is undisputable "the best Tchaikovsky" specialist. unfortunately, he has been always under-rated.

A safe and reliable recording.......2001-11-10

For those on a budget, this is a great version of the 1812 to own. Before buying it you should know that this is not the original orchestration- The opening part is sung by a chorus instead of being played by the cellos. I prefer this alteration, since it adds a bit more power and emotion to an already charged piece. The chorus comes in again just prior to the climax, singing "God Save the Czar".

Something interesting about this recording is the use of electronic cannons, which is definitely better than an ordinary percussion section, but not as "booming" as a real cannonade found in some recordings.

Ormandy approaches the 1812 and Marche Slave in a careful manner, not interpreting the piece too much, which some may find bland. Despite this safe approach, Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra achieve a nice balance of sound, and this recording is a good 1812, though not as thundrously triumphant as it could be. But hey, the 1812 is the 1812, and this is a great album to have if you want a good version of that piece.

In addition to that and Marche Slave, this recordng also has the Cappriccio Italien, which is masterfully presented here. I would say that it is the best interpretation of any piece on the whole album. So for the price, you really can't beat this recording.

Russia by America.......2000-06-30

This CD of Tchaikovsky has got an excellent quality of sound, and this is very important.Really the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ormandy have done a fantastic work in this album and it shows all the strength of all the pieces and it show also, the tenderness of some parts. In fact, is a great CD for enjoy the real Tchaikovsky.

Average customer rating: A famous "Little Russian" and more great Tchaikovsky from Giulini Extraordinary performances by a master conductor! My Favorite "Pathetique"

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6; Romeo and Juliet; Francesca da Rimini Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Beethoven: Symphonies 6, 8 & 9; Carlo Maria Giulini; London Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Recordings Dvorák: Symphony No.9/ Schubert: Symphony No.8 Mahler: Symphony No. 9 / Schubert: Symphony No. 8 Brahms: Symphony No.1, Haydn Variations ASIN: B0007RO570 Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

1. I. Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Vivo
2. II. Andantino Marziale, Quasi Moderato
3. III. Scherzo (Allegro Molto Vivace - L'istesso Tempo)
4. IV. Moderato Assai - Allegro - Presto
5. Symphonic Fantasia

Tracks:

1. I. Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo
2. II. Allegro Con Grazia
3. III. Allegro Molto Vivace
4. IV. Finale (Adagio Lamentoso - Andante)
5. Fantasy Overture

Customer Reviews:

A famous "Little Russian" and more great Tchaikovsky from Giulini.......2006-09-26

Giulini's classic recording of the 'Little Russian' symphony was always one of his calling cards--it has real sweep and urgency, miles away from the less-than-vital conducting style he adopted in later years. The sonics are paper thin but clear, and the Philharmonia plays with commitment. I was grateful to hear such excitment in the first movement (by comparison the readings from Karajan, Abbado, and even Bernstein sound inert). The pointed woodwind playing in the second movement is tangy, the Scherzo bounces along like ballet music, and the finale remains grand without pomposity. How rare those virtues are in performances of the Tchaikovsky Second.

Francesca da Rimini is considerably better recorded, but I wish EMI had toned down the treble a little. Giulini's reading doesn't quite match the searing ones from Mravinsky, Stokowski, and Markevitch, but it's very good, with additional intensity form the highlighted recording. The Pathetique that follows was always well rgarded, even if once again Giulini can't match the incandescence of Mravinsky, the sheer virtuosity of Reiner with the Chicago Sym., or the personal intensty of Bernstein on DG. His is an ardent, heart-on-sleeve performance that appeals to me far more than, say, Jansons or Pletnev, however. The Scherzo is dashing and vibrant, and the finale, a minute or two slower than usual, feels melancholy rather than tragic. The recorded sound is the best so far on this bargain two-fer.

finally we get Giulini's Romeo and Juliet, also widely admired in its day forty years ago. By now te listener will appreciate the conductor's overall style, which is distinctly warm but not Russian, tending toward gentleness rather than blazing excitement. All the ardor of Rome and Juliet is brought out, yet the intensity remains restrained. All in all, EMI has ignored these recordings for a long time, and it's woderufl to have them gathered together in one place.

Extraordinary performances by a master conductor!.......2005-12-13

Carlo Maria Giulini 's death on June has been possibly the saddest musical absences of this year. I won 't get tired to affirm the musical world lost a wise man in all sense. The happy meeting with the Philharmonia was a successful event, this orchestra is simply magnificent. Woods, strings, metals are extremely powerful and filled with aristocratic profile when you require it. Giulini and this ensemble made important contributions. Go for instance to his Mozart' s Symphonies 40 and 41 of 1965 (London Label, hard to get it, by the way)

His vision of Tchaikovsky 's Second Symphony is the most complete and integral I have ever heard previously or even later. There have been fortunate, powerful, sumptuous and perfumed versions: Markevitch and Muti have made striking performances. But anyone of them has been able to equal this unique and eloquent reading. Giulini made a true dissection, an openhearted and systematic interpretation filled with details without losing the apex of the work. He underlined literally all the ingredients that consolidate it as the most Imperial of his three First Symphonies. There is emotion, lyricism, vitality, energy, expressive elegance and visceral approach. There is not any detail you may refuse.

His Sixth Symphony deserves special mention. Absolutely idiomatic, profound and persuasive. Giulini went to the core of the score and extracted all the substance to expose before us one of the most relevant and pyramidal versions in the history of the disc. There is an admirable fact you always should take in mind every time you listen it. Go for the expressive Waltz of the second Movement and then go to the Fourth Movement and realize how the composer reintroduces the same Waltz but in a dark tonality This is the key.

Francesca de Rimini is rich in details, precise and dramatic, although the best rendition of this page comes from Munch and the Boston Symphony.

Romeo and Juliet is a magisterial version, filled of flair and panache; once more the virtuosity of the Orchestra allows us to watch those little details, such as modulation, tempi, and careful sense of expression.

This album deserves without any bit of doubt, to be placed in the coveted list of the best and more successful re mastering records of the Year. Not only due its artistic significance but besides, the sumptuous fidelity and polished sound.

Bravo for the Sound Engineers of EMI. I really hope future feats keep going like this extraordinary event.

A must-buy; it 's my most sincere recommendation.

My Favorite "Pathetique".......2005-05-25

There are lots of magical accounts of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony available on CD -- Monteux (see my review), Mravinsky, Reiner, Markevitch, Karajan, Ormandy, Barbirolli, Silvestri -- but my hands-down favorite account of the "Pathetique" has always been Giulini's 1959 recording with the Philharmonia. It was previously available in several CD incarnations from EMI but has been out-of-print for years...until now! With this release, EMI has produced another gem in the "Gemini" series, the label's new incredibly inexpensive two-disc budget classical line. This set features four glorious Giulini Tchaikovsky recordings -- the aforementioned 6th Symphony, the 2nd Symphony also known as "Little Russian" (a brilliant performance!), Romeo and Juliet, and Francesca da Rimini, all with the Philharmonia from the late 50s and early 60s in grand golden-age stereo. Like the 6th, the 2nd and Romeo have been available on CD previously but were also OOP prior to this reissue -- only the Francesca was currently in-print via an EMI Seraphim title. Now you can finally hear for yourself what all the fuss is about, and you don't have to spend a fortune to do it.

Average customer rating: A disappointment from a declining Markevitch Peter Ilyich becomes Tchaikovsky Decent performances, good value Very Straightlaced Readings Brilliant early Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1-3 Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4-6 Schubert: 8 Symphonies Schumann: The 4 Symphonies Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3; Concert Fantasy ASIN: B0000041BS Release Date: 1995-04-11

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 1. Allegro Tranquillo
2. Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 2. Adagio Cantabile Ma Non Tanto
3. Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 3. Scherzo. Allegro Scherzando Giocoso
4. Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 4. Finale. Andante Lugubre - Allegro Maestoso
5. Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 1. Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Vivo
6. Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 2. Anantino Marziale Quasi Moderato
7. Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 3. Scherzo. Allegro Molto Vivace
8. Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 4. Finale. Moderato Assai

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 1. Introduzione E Allegro
2. Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 2. Alla Tedesca. Allegro Moderato
3. Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 3. Andante Elegiaco
4. Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 4. Scherzo. Allegro Vivo
5. Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 5. Finale. Allegro Con Fuoco
6. Francesca Da Rimini, Op. 32

Amazon.com

Igor Markevitch's Tchaikovsky performances have been among the best since the early '60s. He turned the unruly London Symphony Orchestra into a first-rate Tchaikovsky ensemble, in which a finely disciplined approach to rhythm provides the perfect foundation for some highly expressive music-making. The neglected Third Symphony is particularly cogent and exciting in Markevitch's hands. No lover of this composer should miss hearing these terrific discs. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A disappointment from a declining Markevitch.......2007-03-18

Sadly, these early Tchaikovsky symphonies find Igor Markevitch, one of my great heroes, in decline. He suffered a disastrous hearing loss around 1961, and ever after his brilliant podium skills were not the same. I suppose on reputation alone one could admire these recordings, but in truth they are competent and fairly ordinary from beginning to end. I would only buy them as a standby or for reasons of economy.

The LSO plays competently but without enough vitality or Russian passion. Philips' recorded sound is unattractive, too, lacking in body and warmth. I must agree with Mr. Lipscomb that if you place any of these three symphonies beside their best rivals, the "Winter Dreams" sounds listless next to Tilson Thomas and the BSO (DG), the "Little Russian" lacks the spontaneity and vigor of Giulini on EMI, and the "Polish" needs the power and conviciton of the Chicago Sym. under Abbado (Sony). The best thing here is a nervy, restless Francesca da Rimini, but that's not enough reason to purchase the whole set.

Peter Ilyich becomes Tchaikovsky.......2006-12-25

The planets aligned when the young Tchaikovsky, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Igor Markevitch came together between 1965 and 1975 in London for performances that Philips has had the good sense to issue in their high-value Philips Classics series. This two-desk set is a classic that years to be played on a high-quality sound system that will bring out the concert-hall effects it concludes.

Though the digital remastering fails to eliminate a low hum when played at high volume, the authenticity of the sound is worth this minor inconvenience. At one point, the listener can hear a page turn - perhaps a page of Markevitch's score. A cantankerous music lover might ask with annoyance how the hell they allowed a microphone close enough to Markevitch's podium to fall into a glitch like that. This astonished and less demanding reviewer almost pulled his truck off the road at the sheer historical thrill of becoming privy to such a human 'error' four decades after the fact.

In these three symphonies, Tchaikovsky is working out the tonalities that will appear in full flower later in his career, not least in the heart-rending struggles of the underrated but profoundly beautiful 'Pathetique'. The plausibilities available to a late Romantic composer like Tchaikovksy allowed the elasticity of tempo and tone that made possible the climb-and-descend, climb-and-descent motifs that are Tchaikovsky explores in these first three of his recognized symphonies, a modality that becomes almost a Tchaikovsky signature when his body of work is considered as a whole.

Markevitch's baton is patient with Tchaikovsky, allowing the LSO and the New Philharmonia Orchestra to work unhurriedly though some of Romantic music's most memorable passages.

A reviewer would be remiss not to underscore the value of the Philips Classics series, where almost canonical performances by legendary performers of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are made available at two-for-one pricing under digital remastering that rescues valuable sounds for the ages.

This 1995 issue would serve well even as a listener's sole recording of Peter Ilyich's first three symphonic steps towards becoming the rather immortal musician we know as Tchaikovsky.

Decent performances, good value.......2005-08-20

As boxed sets go, this is probably as good as you will find when it comes to the early Tchaikovsky symphonies, and the price will be impossible to beat. No doubt individual recordings of the various symphonies are available that will have more more flair to them --- definitely, these performances take a strict by-the-numbers approach which may leave more ardent Tchaikowsky devotees feeling chilled. However, by and large, the performances are consistently decent if not great (I prefer a livlier tempo for the Polish, but that's just me).

This is the perfect set for those who are largely indifferent to Tchaikowsky's symphonies --- as I must admit that I am these days --- but nonetheless would like to have them available for listening for not a lot of money. It is also a good starter set for those who are just beginning to assemble a basic collection of the standard symphonic repertoire.

Very Straightlaced Readings.......2005-05-19

This super-cheap, extremely well-recorded Philips CD set of Tchaikovsky's first three symphonies is easy to recommend. The disciplined playing by the London Symphony is top-notch and Markevitch obviously knows his way around all three scores. So if you are looking for an inexpensive way to own Tchaikovsky's earliest symphonies in excellent stereo, this set strikes me as a clear first choice.

As for the interpretations, however, I have some misgivings about Markevitch here. He was unquestionably one of the 20th Century's virtuoso conductors: his pointillistically detailed style and cool precision are recognizable in just about everything he recorded. And, on occasion, he conducted Tchaikovsky with real expressive fire - his French Radio Orchestra account of "Romeo & Juliet" (Angel LP) is my all-time favorite, along with Mengelberg's (Andante - see my review). And his Philharmonia readings of Ravel's "La Valse" and the Shostakovich 1st Symphony are in a class of their own (EMI).

It's only when you do some comparing with individual symphony recordings by other conductors that the shortcomings of Markevitch's cool objectivity here become all too apparent. Perhaps the LSO is partly to blame - they simply don't sound very Russian to my ears. With Markevitch at the helm, the 1st symphony is more like wintry dreams than Winter Dreams, the Little Russian only sounds a little Russian, and the 3rd Symphony has too much polish and too little that's Polish. In a nutshell, there isn't much heart or soul on display here.

My preferred alternatives in these works are mostly old mono recordings that any self-respecting audiophile wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole: the Dante LYS CD of the Nikolai Golovanov/USSR Radio's impassioned #1 (recorded 1948) and the old Stradivari LP (re-issue needed!) of the 1st with Natan Rachlin and the Bolshoi Symphony (coupled with a wonderful #2); #2 played with warmth and insight by Beecham/RPO (Columbia LP) and an extraordinary "live" Second with Igor Stravinsky conducting the NY Phil. (available only in that orchestra's 10-CD "Historic Broadcasts" set); and the partially cut rendition of the Polish by Albert Coates on that conductor's volume in IMG's "Great Conductors" CD series. And finally - a modern recording! - there's an inspired "live" 3rd with Svetlanov (BBC Legends).

I keep this Markevitch set because 1) it's well-played and 2) it contains my only stereo accounts of #1 and #2. However, the icy chill of Markevitch's conducting in the Philips companion CD set of #4-6 was too much for me: I weeded it.

Recommended as an inexpensive collection in first-rate sound. But for genuine excitement, I listen far more frequently to the alternatives listed above.

Brilliant early Tchaikovsky.......2005-05-01

Tchaikovsky's Symphonies 1, 2 and 3 may not share the fame and popularity of the later three (neither in the concert hall nor on disc), yet they are nonetheless fascinating pieces of music from start to end. In Igor Markevitch they find the strongest advocate. Markevitch clearly had a natural affinity with this music and quite ideally caught the contrasting moods of these early symphonies.
In this pioneering set recorded in the mid-sixties he always obtained strong, often exciting, incisive playing from the London Symphony Orchestra. An intense "Francesca da Rimini" with the New Philharmonia is offered as a thrilling bonus.
The sound quality is excellent overall. Next to Dorati's set (on Mercury) this twofer is a clear first choice for Tchaikovsky's early symphonies - at any price.

Average customer rating: A Very Different Rachamninoff!!! Outstanding Rachmaninov operas, though a libretto would've helped

Rachmaninov: Complete Operas (Aleko, The Miserly Knight, Francesca di Rimini) Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Leiferkus, Sergei | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Rachmaninov: Complete Songs, Vol. 2 Rachmaninov: Complete Songs, Vol. 3 Rachmaninov: Complete Songs, Vol. 1 Rachmaninov: Complete Works for Cello and Piano Prokofiev: The Fiery Angel ASIN: B0001Y4JI4 Release Date: 2004-06-15

Customer Reviews:

A Very Different Rachamninoff!!!.......2006-06-20

The great Sergei Rachmaninoff was not primarily known as an opera composer. However, his three operas have an important place in the music history books.
This three-disc set includes all three of Rachamninoff's operas in their entirety (one per disc) and are presented in jaw-dropping performances under the baton of conductor Neeme Jarvi. The orchestra as well as the soloists and choirs truly deliver emotionally-drenched performances on all three operas.
Musically, these operas may be overwhelming to some. There is a definite darker approach heard in these works which is a drastic departure from Rachmaninoff's romantic-styled Piano Concertos and Symphonies. There is also a definite Tchaikovsky influence heard in this music as well. Depsite the darker atmosphere of these operas, the power of this music is emmense and dynamic while never losing momentum. In other words, this is some great stuff here.
While the CD booklet includes synopsises of each opera, there are no libretti included which is a shame because the opera's are sung in Russian. To have the full set of lyrics printed out both in Russian and English would have been fantastic to follow along with while listening. No so here, though.
Despite this, this set of Rachmaninoff's complete operas is essential to any diehard Rachmaninoff fan. Even though these operas weren't as successful as his other works, his genius comes through loud and clear here and are just as good as anything else he has done.
Definitely Essential Rachmaninoff Operas!!!!

Outstanding Rachmaninov operas, though a libretto would've helped.......2006-02-03

Neeme Jarvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Goteborgs Symfoniker) have done an excellent job with Sergei Rachmaninov's three influential operas. The sound quality is amazing, and the soloists sing their heart out...WAY out.

Aleko: This is the story of love, deception, and sorrow between an old man, who is now a gypsy, and his unbalanced family. The ending is as tragic as the ending to "Boris Godunov" by Modest Mussorgsky.

The Miserly Knight: Albert is a man who finds himself in an inheritance crisis, while his father is a man who can't get enough of his own greed. The two confront each other, through words, and through violence.

Francesca da Rimini: The darkest of the three, it tells of how Francesca da Rimini & Paolo Malatesta were sent to hell with their atrocious love affair.

I'm giving this box set only four stars, clearly because of lack of the librettos by Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and Modest Tchaikovsky. All in all, this is for those who are interested in Rachmaninov's lesser works.

I give this an A-

Average customer rating: EXCITING PERFORMANCES VINTAGE STEREO SOUND BUT NOT SACD Dorati's MLP Tchaikovsky Gems Are Back!

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6 Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Antal Dorati Conducts Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Bartok: Orchestral Works; Bluebeard's Castle Paul Paray Conducts French Orchestral Music Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos ASIN: B00035VV7I Release Date: 2004-11-09

Customer Reviews:

EXCITING PERFORMANCES VINTAGE STEREO SOUND BUT NOT SACD.......2005-09-27

Despite whar Mr Richman says in his review below this five disc box set does NOT consist of hybrid SACD discs. They are all CDs - generously filled but still basic 16 bit discs. It may be that Mercury's parent company plans to release these discs singly as three channel SACDs but here you get the two channel mixes that originally appeared on LP and on the 1990s CD releases. It would have been great to hear them in three channel - Dorati's "Firebird" sounds magnificent on SACD - but this box is still a bargain. There's some low level hiss and the occasional tape clunk but these are small blemishes on some exciting late 50s and early 60s recordings that make most of today's offerings sound sterile and cautious. Dorati's Tchaikovsky is never winsome or self-pitying. As a masterly ballet conductor Dorati never ignores the lilt and sway of the composer's waltz-inspired lighter moments - but he and the orchestra (London Symphony and Minneapolis) really let rip for the exciting brass perorations. Try the finale of the "Little Russian" symphony, or "Francesca di Rimini", for some real sock-blowing sound! Even if you own other recordings of these popular works try to find a space on your shelf for Dorati and the inimitable Mercury sound.

Dorati's MLP Tchaikovsky Gems Are Back!.......2005-05-25

Those familiar with my reviews on Amazon know my great love for the Mercury Living Presence series. Equally great is my disgust that so many of these brilliant recordings have been deleted in the last few years! Thankfully, some of these legendary performances are resurfacing as SACD hybrids. Unfortunately, they are now being sold at full-price, despite a competing hybrid series on RCA/BMG being available at midline. In spite of the added expense, I hope this MLP reissue trend will continue, and maybe we'll even see a few items getting their CD debut.

This Tchaikovsky Symphony Cycle by the great Antal Dorati has always been one of my favorite MLP offerings. While a two-disc set of Symphonies 1-3 and a single title of the 4th continue to be available in their original CD incarnations, the CDs of Symphonies 5 & 6 have gone out-of-print recently. However, with this box set they are now deservedly restored to the catalog. Even better is the fact that the four 5CD box sets being reissued have been so reasonably priced. This Tchaikovsky set, and the ones of Dorati conducting Bartok, Paray conducting French music, and Hanson conducting a variety of American music, including his own compositions, have a total cost cheaper than the original single issue CDs! Once again, Mercury Living Presence lives!

Average customer rating: Viveca sparkles Pure pleasure.... More Bravura Bel Canto Arias; Vivica Genaux BRAVA! BRAVA! BRAVA!

Bel Canto Arias; Vivica Genaux Vivica Genaux , Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti , John Nelson , and Ensemble Orchestral de Paris Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Vivica Genaux - Handel/Hasse: Opera Arias Arias for Farinelli HOMAGE: The Age of the Diva A. Scarlatti - La Santissima Trinità / Invernizzi · Gens · Genaux · Agnew · Abbondanza · Europa Galante · Biondi Tragédiennes ASIN: B0000BWTK1 Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

1. Nacqui All' Affanno
2. Cruda Sorte! Amor Tiranno!
3. Amici, In Ogni Evento...Pensa Alla Patria
4. Nella Fatal Di Rimini
5. Il Segreto Per Esser Felici
6. Popolo, Amici, Sanguinosi Allori... Ah! Si, Da Tanti Affani
7. E Sgombro Il Loco... Un Bacio, Un Bacio Ancora
8. Mura Felici
9. Eccomi Alfine In Babilonia... Ah! Quel Giorno Ognor Rammento
10. Una Voce Poco Fa

Customer Reviews:

Viveca sparkles.......2007-01-04

If you love Bel Canto and Mezzo Sopranos, you will love Vivica Genaux!

Pure pleasure...........2006-05-19

I have her Farinelli CD, as well. I also saw her on A&E some time ago. My only criticism was her excessive chin movements but, then, I don't get all bent out of shape over Bartoli's grimaces -- and the voice is the thing, after all.

As for Fach, a singer doesn't need to enjoy merely one, although many are restricted to such. What I like about Genaux, aside from the absolutely beautiful tone, is that she is NOT mannered. She has just the right take on every one of these arias. Spare me from the singers who just MUST emote all over the place when simplicity and class are sufficient.

I've had this CD since for some time and decided to see what others thought of it -- I'm always interested in other opinions.

Nancy Eckert

More Bravura.......2006-03-23

When I read a review stating that Vivica sang with two little volume on this recording, I found that very hard to believe. Everything I had previously heard of her showed a voice with unlimited power. However, when I purchased this set I agreed that Vivica sings with to little volume and possibly emotion. This is puzzling; I think it must have been an artistic decision that doesn't really work.

However, I can't agree with the other reviewer about this being the wrong repertoire. Most of Genaux's early roles were Rossini and her Bel Canto technique is superb. I love the selection of music, and despite the shortcomings, I really enjoy listening to this CD. I just wish she used a little more emotion and power in the parts that call for it.

Bel Canto Arias; Vivica Genaux.......2005-09-26

Vivica Genaux seems to have a lovely personality not to mention an absolutely fabulous voice both live and on disc, but some of these arias just don't work for her voice, some are just too.....well.... Bel Canto but the arias by Rossini I liked, especially
"Una Voce Poco Fa".
I also feel I should mention that Vivica is NOT a soprano
as "Sergey Tsoy "Dallas Opera"" states in his review, but rather a Mezzo-soprano.

BRAVA! BRAVA! BRAVA!.......2004-12-20

In my opinion, Vivica is a fantastic singer and an outstanding artist. I have heard her singing live in Rossini's La Cenerentola, and it was literally breathtaking. Many sopranos sing well and have beautiful voices, but it is perhaps their choice of vibrato which makes them sound extremely out of tune, weak, irritating, and just ugh! Also, many of them sing just loudly. I am not a singer, but to my ears, Vivica is absolutely the best soprano (or at least, one of a few) whom I have heard live - beautiful, pure, in tune (yes, fortunately and unfortunately it matters, too), great vibrato, wild tempi, rock-solid consistency of musical ideas, convincing stage presence, logical, elegant, and so forth. It is all these things add together, which make a true impression. I still wonder, how is it possible to sing with such clarity, presicion, and beauty? Because it is often either, or. But she somehow combines everything, and that's just marvelous. And also, her tonal quality is so fresh and sounds really out of the ordinary. Although I have never heard her CDs, I have no second thoughts about this particular one, which I have just bought and wait with great impatience until it arrives. Brava to Vivica, for, to my mind, her type of artistry comes in a truly short suply nowadays! It is my personal opinion.

Average customer rating: Chicago Symphony does 1812 and MORE! Favorite Tchaikovsky. Amazing "Francesca"! Very Clean and Pleasing Sound

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Capriccio Italien; Romeo & Juliet; Francesca da Rimini Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Barenboim, Daniel | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade/Capriccio Espagnol Symphonie Fantastique Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra ASIN: B000001GNO Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

1. Romeo and Juliet
2. Francesca da Rimini op. 32
3. Capriccio italien op. 45
4. Ouverture solennelle < <1812>> op. 49

Customer Reviews:

Chicago Symphony does 1812 and MORE!.......2007-03-14

The right orchestra is often the key ingredient to getting a particular classical recording "just right". The Chicago Symphony is known as an orchestra of "virtuosos". There are many recordings out there to prove this. This orchestra is perhaps not as interpretively warm as some of the best European orchestras (I'm thinking Vienna Phil and Concertgebouw) so I look for orchestral music based upon the demands upon the players and orchestra alike -- making it a point to look for Chicago recordings when the demands upon the soloists and sections are extreme and need the confidence and athleticism of the virtuosos.

When I feel a work is very sophisticated and needs extra interpretive subtlety, I then look first to those Euro orchs I mentioned above. I've seen instances where the opposite attends. I have an excellent "Pines of Rome" by the Berliner Philharmoniker, and so on.

The idea above is for a starting place to go looking and listening.

Here we have the reliable orchestral showpieces in Tchaikovsky Ouvertures. The 1812 is a great place to hear the Chicagoans crank it up and yet not split notes, or goof up at all. They are comfortable at ff and fff volume.

This would be a good introduction for someone desiring to hear what the Chicago group is all about, and would fill that needed place for the Fourth of July "whiz - bang" sound fest music.

Best to go out and hear all the world's major orchestras. . . .Anyway I like this one!

Favorite Tchaikovsky........2006-07-04

I love 1812! Great tune! I just played a few weeks ago and we sounded great!

Amazing "Francesca"!.......2005-10-26

While the CD as a whole is a gorgeous showcase of just how great the Chicago Symphony and Barenboim sound in Tchaikovsky, the disc is worth the price of admission for the recording of "Francesca da Rimini" alone. Not only is the maddeningly rhythmically difficult evocation of hell played with amazing precision and great emotional involvement, but the clarinet solo in the middle section is absolutely superlative. When I first got this CD, I replayed Francesca just to hear this stunningly beautiful solo again. Phrasing, tone, color and dynamics are utterly otherworldly.

Very Clean and Pleasing Sound.......2000-11-24

If I were to choose one American orchestra for consistency of excellence and sound over the past forty years, it would have to be the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. When on vinyl Tchaikovsky's `1812 Overture' and `Capriccio Italien' were like bookends recorded numerous times over. They sound very good here. The `Romeo and Juliet Overture' has always been a powerful composition and it is good to hear it included as well. `Francesca da Rimini' is neither here nor there for me aesthetically yet being a vinyl type of fellow the more that can be included on a CD the better as long as it sounds palatable. Barenboim's work on this recording sounds very good.

Average customer rating: A bargain recording: buy this for Giulini's FRANCESCA Tchaikovsky: piezas musicales de excepcion Generally good but you can find better Dynamic '1812' CD

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture Op. 49; Slavonic March Op. 31 Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77 Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Op. 39; Enigma Variations Op. 36 ASIN: B000000UW3 Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

1. 1812 Overture In E Flat, Op.49
2. Romeo And Juliet: Fantasy Overture In B Minor
3. Francesca da Rimini: Symphonic Fantasy In E Minor, Op.32
4. Marche Slave In B-Flat, Op.31

Customer Reviews:

A bargain recording: buy this for Giulini's FRANCESCA.......2005-12-06

Carlo Maria Giulini (1914-2005) recorded Tchaikovsky's FRANCESCA DA RIMINI with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the 1960s, and it is still considered a benchmark recording for this work to which many others are compared. Giulini starts out in a rather tame manner, but really whips up excitement in the dramatic pages, representing the forbidden love of Paolo and Francesca, and the torments of eternity in hell. If this 25 minute piece were the only work on this disc, it would be worth the very modest asking price.

FELIX Slatkin (father of conductor Leonard Slatkin) recorded 1812 with the Hollywood Bowl orchestra in the early days of stereo, and turns in a fine, if not stellar recording of the piece. The closing pages don't have the intensity of some of the finest recordings: Haintink/Concertgebouw (Philips), Dorati/Detroit (Decca), Ormandy/Philadelphia (Sony), but overall this is a fine recording of Tchaikovsky's warhorse.

Steinberg's MARCHE SLAVE is OK if you like it fast, but I prefer this work to have a little more gravitas. The Pittsburgh Symphony plays very well, as in all their EMI recordings.

So, you get some of EMI's back catalog for a pittance, and one of the best FRANCESCAs ever recorded. Recommended.

Tchaikovsky: piezas musicales de excepcion.......2004-12-01

Tchaikovsky nos sorprende con grandes obras sinfonicas que se alejan de lo que uno mas conoce de este autor, cascanueces o el increible Lago de los Cisnes, conocemos por cierto a la 1812, pero estas maravillosas Francesca da Rimini o la hermosa Romeo y Julieta son de antologia.
La obertura 1812 escuchadas por todos alguna ves es estruendosa pero esa lucha franco-rusa, la fuerza y la libertad son admirables, la version de Slatkin es muy buena, pero Ormandy y Jarvi lo hacen mucho mejor.
Igor Markevitch es un director de rigor ruso y aqui lo demuestra esta es una de mis versiones favoritas aunque Ormandy lo hace muy bien tambien.
Francesca da Rimini es una pieza maravillosa, diferente y basada en algo extraño como es el amor y la muerte, y el camino al purgatorio, es delicada y sublime, profunda, genial; Giulini es un gran director y lo hace muy bien, version alternativa, Masur o Markevitch.
Finalizamos con el fervor patriotico de una marcha excepcional, la marcha eslava es energizante, vigorosa y delicadamente popular, Steinberg hace su mejor esfuerzo y nos muestra una version estilizada, escuchen a Ormandy o Karajan en grabaciones sin igual.

Generally good but you can find better.......2003-08-08

I own numerous versions of Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture and I have to say that this version (conducted by Felix Slatkin) is not one of the best. I was disappointed that, instead of using real cannon effects during the climax, the orchestra used drums instead to similate the cannon fire. That's unforgivable! This CD is redeemed by Carlo Maria Guilini's exciting re-endition of Francesca da Rimini and by Markevitch's conducting of Romeo and Juliet. Marche Slav was also good, but not spectacular. If you're willing to pay more, there is an excellent CD of all of these same pieces with Sian Edwards conducting the Royal Philharmonic orchestra ("Classics for Pleasure" label). Another excellent inexpensive verson of the 1812 is with Adrian Leaper conducting the Royal Philharmonic ("Tchaikovsky Festival" and "The Best of Tchaikovsky" NAXOS). I would highly recommend those versions instead of this one. There are so many great versions of the 1812 Overture to choose from, why choose a fair version instead of a great one?

Dynamic '1812' CD.......2000-12-02

I remember the '60's, when you could pack a picnic dinner around July 4th and sit in the 'cheap' seats up top at the Hollywood Bowl and enjoy the '1812' with full Carrolong (bells, chimes) accompanied by cannons. The cannons were fireworks set off behind the 'bowl'. It made the occasion spectacular! I miss that and was hoping to recapture some nostalgia. This CD featureres the same conductor/orchestra in a little bit hurried tempo studio version of the performances I enjoyed. There are no sound effects. The dynamic range of the CD is great compared with the vinyl record. However, I will still listen to my cassette dub of the now scratched 33 1/3 LP. Amazon is a great way to get back some of the music I have enjoyed over the years. I am still searching for the perfect '1812' as well as the perfect 'Firebird', Slavkin's 'symphonic dances', as well as Howard Ropberts 'HR is a dirty guitar player' and others. Good hunting to you. HL

Average customer rating: This is it. Really! One of the greatest achievements in the Tchaikovsky discography--Not to be missed A Superb Bargain An Outstanding Collection

Tchaikovsky Symphonic Poems / Manfred Symphony Tchaikovsky , Russian National Orchestra , and Pletnev Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Pletnev, Mikhail | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Russian National Orchestra | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Complete Suites for Orchestra Sibelius: Tone Poems Dvorak: Symphonic Poems Mussorsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, Night on the Bare Mountain Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 5 ASIN: B0001ZWGIS Release Date: 2004-06-15

Customer Reviews:

This is it. Really!.......2007-05-18

Everything said by the reviewers below is true.

This is the greatest, most magnificent rendition of these pieces, ever. And I've heard dozens of interpretations on record, from Bernstein on down (or on up).

Nothing but color, excitement, electricity, philosophical wisdom, perfect musical judgment, and delicious playing is heard for about 4 hours on these 3 discs. Gorgeous. When the "1812" ended (the last track on the last disc), I felt tears coming into my eyes - a reaction more to the culmination of the whole set than to the roaring cannons. By the way, the explosions are vivid in this old warhorse.

Pletnev puts Muti to shame in the Manfred - and gives Jansons a cruel run for his money, and is better recorded than Jansons, to boot.

I love this profoundly. If you're looking for these pieces, this is the one. Really.

One of the greatest achievements in the Tchaikovsky discography--Not to be missed.......2006-11-19

This is an inexpensive issue of phenomenal interpretations, electric when necessary, always on target.

Mikhail Pletnev began his career as a pianist, but when the USSR finally collapsed he took up conducting, piecing together his own orchestra of virtuoso players from the shambles. He made these recordings for Deutsche Grammaphon over a four year period; Manfred and the Tempest in 1993, the rest during two months in 1996. (I wonder what I was doing during those days.) The recorded sound is excellent--perhaps a little recessed here and there in Marche slave, but it is nothing to quibble over. The DG engineers do Pletnev proud, giving him the big Tchaikovsky sound without being terribly bombastic. And while we are on the topic of the bombastic...

Fatum is and excellent, neglected work. Many complain of its awkward form and bombastic nature, but I find little trace of this. Perhaps it is my love of Tchaikovsky's music in general that renders this music so delightful to me--perhaps it is Pletnev. He also does well in the other three little known works, namely The Voyevoda, The Festival Overture on the Danish National Anthem, and The Overture in F major (inaccurately described as Op. 67 on the case, that number belongs to Hamlet). Give these works time and they shall become nearly as much of a joy to listen to as Romeo and Juliet. The middle section of The Voyevoda is taken at a deliciously slow pace, allowing Tchaikovsky's beautiful writing to sing out in full. No complaints about the other two either.

Now to discuss the more popular works, many of which are still unjustly neglected. The Tempest comes to mind. It is my favorite piece of any sort that I have come across, period. Romeo and Juliet is sited in the Penguin Guide as one of the best in existence. The same guide states that the present recordings of Francesca da Rimini and Hamlet are very much in the same league as Stokowski's famous account. The introduction of Capriccio italien may be on the slow side, but Pletnev makes up for it with plenty of verve later on. 1812 Overture is also pleasantly executed.

Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony is simply not played enough. But here it is, coupled with a near complete program of Tchaikovsky Symphonic Poems at bargain price. The interpretation is nothing to scoff at either ("one of his finest Tchaikovsky records." Penguin Guide). I have heard complaints about the rubato, but do not see anything wrong with a few small tempo changes--and they are small. This account is among the best, about as excellent as Jansons' fabulous recording.

The packaging is good, the notes sparse, but if you want to know more about these works, the internet is more than willing to oblige.

Overall, this is indeed the best, a must for any admirer of the music or the performers (I am an admirer of both). If you desire but a single disc collection, Berstein's mid-price Sony recording is quite good, if you don't mind an analogue recording. Dorati's Double Decca is also fine, if a little lacking when compared to Berstein or Pletnev. I own another recording of all but two of the works in this trio set, and I prefer Pletnev in most every case. In other words, Pletnev is the way to go.

A Superb Bargain.......2006-05-09

Here is the place to get your Tchaikovsky program-music fix. It's all here, from the well-known and well-loved to the obscure and rightly-so. Into that latter category falls "Fatum," one of the Russian's most fatuous and bombastic compositions but still worth a listen for the colors this master orchestrator can draw from the instruments. And DG's recording captures the all-important low end of the orchestral spectrum, including bass drum, thrillingly! Similarly, the "Manfred Symphony," though not as well known as it should be, is a marvelous piece of orchestration, from the delicate shimmer of the waterfall and its attendant Alpine fairy, which Tchaikovsky paints in what amounts to a scherzo, to the wild bacchanal of the finale, rounded out with one of his most beautifully serene passages. Riccardo Muti's white-hot reading of this work on EMI is my favorite, but Pletnev is not far behind, and he is accorded slightly finer sound.

Among the well-known and well-loved compositions, there are "Romeo and Juliet" and "Francesca da Rimini," both given bold and dramatic readings here. In "Francesca da Rimini," I find Pletnev's tendency to luxuriate over certain passages hinders the flow of the music; this seems a common failure among pianists turned conductor, such as Daniel Barenboim and Christoph Eschenbach. But the conclusion of the work is wildly exciting in Pletnev's reading, as is the battle music in "Romeo," and in this work Pletnev is refreshingly straightforward in his approach.

If you don't know "The Voyevoda," Pletnev's reading should make you an instant admirer. This odd, demonically driven piece is Tchaikovsky's last tone poem; note the use of the celesta, a brand-new instrument that Tchaikovsky introduced to the music world in his "Nutcracker" around the same time, 1890-91. "The Voyevoda" is another tragic love tale like "Romeo" and "Francesca," but it has a focus and singleness of purpose that are rare among Tchaikovsky's tone poems. "Hamlet," for instance, is one of those pieces that seem to ramble a bit--like "Fatum"--but Pletnev does as much as he can with it.

In those great old chestnuts "Marche Slav" and the "1812 Overture," Pletnev and his forces really deliver. True, these pieces almost play themselves, but the performances here sound especially idiomatic, full of Russian melancholy at the opening, Russian fire at the close.

The only omission I can think of is Tchaikovsky's early "The Storm," not to be confused with "The Tempest," which DG does include in this box set. If you want "The Storm," there is a nice recording from Naxos with Antoni Wit; it includes a sympathetic if slightly understated performance of the Fifth Symphony. But "The Tempest" is a more striking work, with a very dramatic opening and some thrilling tone painting in the pages that portray the eponymous tempest. Pletnev and his orchestra do it to a T. As with the "Manfred Symphony" and "The Voyevoda," I believe this is underrated Tchaikovsky and am glad Pletnev does it such justice.

DG provides big, sumptuous sound in all these works, really underscoring the drama inherent in Pletnev's readings. In fact, these are some of the best sounding discs I've heard of Tchaikovsky's music. So for lovers of Tchaikovsky's music and for sound buffs alike, this is indeed a great bargain.

An Outstanding Collection.......2004-11-06

The 3 CDs in this set are available separately from Deutsche Gramophone but the set is such a good buy that if you don't have any of the Pletnev/Russian National Orchestra series buy this set.

The performances come from 1994, 1997 and 1998. Each CD is generously filled (total timing: 237 minutes) with the third topping at 80:40. This is a fairly comprehensive survey of Tchaikovsky's shorter orchestral works. An exception is The Storm op. 76 (a work dating to 1864 but not performed and published until after the composer's death) but the omission is made up for with the obscure Overture in F major and the Festive Overture on the Danish National Anthem. The collection includes excellent performances of such staples as Romeo and Juliet, Francesca da Rimini, Marche slav, the 1812 Overture, Hamlet and Capriccio Italien.

Among the less familiar works there is an excellent recording of The Tempest and the works published following the death of Tchaikovsky: Fate op. 77 and Voyewoda op. 78. Fate has an interesting history. It was written in 1869, to no specific program, when Tchaikovsky was writing music under the tutelage of Milly Balakirev. The work was performed only twice, and when Balakirev made a critical comment Tchaikovsky withdrew the work and destroyed the score. Fate was assembled after his death and published.

The Manfred Symphony is also seldom performed and recorded and receives a great performance here. Mr. Pletnev takes a fast tempo at times. I think the conclusion of the first movement would have a more dramatic character if, like Andrew Litton and the Bournemouth, would have given more space to the music. Despite this small complaint, the symphony is beautifully played and the recording is nicely balanced, as are the other works.

This set is an excellent value, and even if you have some of the music recorded here you will want to have these superb performances. There is a booklet accompanying the set but it is only a brief survey of Tchaikovsky's music, as one would expect from a reduced price set.

Average customer rating: One of the Greatest Recordings Buy this not just for the symphony

Bizet: Symphony in C Manufacturer: Chesky Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Symphonic Music of Cesar Franck Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Beethoven: Concerto for Violin & Orchestra; Schumann: Concerto for Piano & Orchestra ASIN: B000003GCS Release Date: 1994-06-23

Tracks:

1. Symphony In C: Allegro vivo
2. Symphony In C: Adagio
3. Symphony In C: Allegro vivace; Trio
4. Symphony In C: Allegro vivace
5. Francesca da Rimini: Overture - Fantasia

Customer Reviews:

One of the Greatest Recordings.......2004-06-10

Munch's timeless recording of the Bizet Symphony has always been one of the great gramophone miracles. Recorded in the mid-'60's for Reader's Digest by RCA, then re-released in the 70's by Quintessence Records, then on CD in 1987 by Chesky Records, this brilliant performance seems to have never been out of the catalogue - until now. Munch also recorded this Symphony with the French National Radio Orchestra, released in the States on budget label, Nonesuch. That, too, is a fine performance, but it doesn't have the electricity - or speed - of this version. Coupled with it was Bizet's "Patrie Overture" and "Jeux d'enfants", also well done, but with rather boxy sound. Chesky, and Amazon, must be compelled to make the present recording available again.

Tchaikovsky's "Francesca Da Rimini" is also heard here in a great performance, far better than Munch's other recording with the Boston Symphony (RCA). The RPO brass are vividly caught by engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, and the entire performance is gripping.

What a disc!

Buy this not just for the symphony.......2003-09-09

Although I like Bizet's symphony, I bought this recording mainly for Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini that is included on the disk. If you like something that brings out some subtler and more poetic aspects of this tone poem, then this is the CD for you.
The sound quality is EXCELLENT. The pace is somewhat slower and more leisurely in places compared to some of the other versions I own, but that seems to allow the time to really enjoy some of the substance. The gong and cymbals are really great in this one. For example, the gong in at the beginning of the whirlwind somehow manages to sound mocking and evil. (Just like in Liszt's "Dante Symphony"--Franz manages to make a harp sound mocking and evil, too). How is that possible? Well, it happens in this here. The demons call with deep and resonating voices.  The violins scream "I don't care, I want it!!" and the violas, cellos, basses are saying at the same time, "No you don't!!" The brass section  punctuates both ominously with "this is big trouble." The side characters all play their parts. The little helpless flourishes of the flutes are victims of the relentless whirlwind, but their pathetic little cries are still clearly heard. The Paolo/Francesca love theme in the middle is Tchaikovsky at his lyrical finest...it is very touching. It would make Dante himself cry. The finale here is more drawn out than most. This tragedy does not wrap up quickly. And as in Liszt's 'Dante Symphony,' there is madness here. The gongs and cymbals seem to sound like demon whips that are sending the unfortunate souls on their way.

This music is quite an odd juxtaposition with the more pleasant and carefree "Sympbony in C."

Highest recommendation.

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