TCHAIKOVSKY SYMPHONY NO. 4 (PATHETIQUE)--ALFRED WALLENSTEIN CONDUCTING

Sometimes the sound quality of a recording is less important than the performance. That's the case with these two classics of the phonograph, recorded in 1938. Since its first publication, Furtwängler's "Pathétique" has been recognized as a unique achievement, bringing out the full emotional quality of the music without ever veering off into sentimentality or eccentricity. It's one of those performances when everything goes right, amazing in the continuity of its effect, especially since it was recorded in four-minute takes on 78 rpm discs. The Wagner performance is no less remarkable. Ideally we might wish for more detailed, less richly rounded sound quality, but restorer Mark Obert-Thorn has given us better sound than these recordings have exhibited before, and it's fascinating to read his brief comments and the number of copies of each record he used (five!) If you love this music, no matter what other performances you've heard, you will still find something new and valuable in this CD, which is worth much more than it costs. --Leslie Gerber

JVC XRCD ( November 19, 2002 ), Genre: Classical

Koussevitzky's early biographer Lourie reports that in his salad days Koussevitzky--like his mentor Arthur Nikisch--"based his performances of Tchaikovsky on the emotional side of the music... (but in later years) after undergoing a great and serious evolution... [Koussevitzky] adopted a correct and entirely new method of treating this composer". While that new method may have emphasized the music's symphonic structure and Beethovenian dynamism, Koussevitzky never slighted the seething emotions that permeate this composer's scores. Ever the showman, Koussevitzky deftly portrays the composer's shifting moods, from the ink-black darkness and devastation of the Pathetique to the incredible resilience of the human spirit captured in the closing moments of the Fourth Symphony, immediately following the last and most disturbing appearance of the fate motif. The playing of the Boston Symphony in this set is utterly fearless, no matter how fast the tempo or intricate the writing. Just listen to the snap of the pizzicato strings in the Fourth Symphony's scherzo or the boundless enthusiasm of the brass in finale from the Fifth. CD-1138(2) SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY SYMPHONIES. Symphony No 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 rec: Centennial Symphony Orchestra, March 11, 1949; Symphony Hall, Boston; Symphony No 5 in E Minor, Op. 64 rec: Centennial Symphony Orchestra, November 6, 1943; Symphony Hall, Boston; Symphony No 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathetique" rec: Centennial Symphony Orchestra, February 9, 1946; Symphony Hall, Boston. Previously unissued live performances. CD 1 = 68:26. CD 2 = 63:47. Technical reconstruction (2004): Aaron Z. Snyder; notes by American Record Guide contributor Tom Godell. (AAD) UPC#17685-1138-2.

(from Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique)). By Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893). Arranged by Robert Longfield. Score & Parts. Easy Music For Strings. Grade 2-3.

Release Date: August 01, 2000

CBS Masterworks

Pro Piano

Tchaikovsky's final symphony has fascinated generations of music lovers since its first performance just over a century ago. Professor Jackson explores sensitively and without prejudice the question of the Pathétique's program and its relation to Tchaikovsky's homosexuality and death. The book covers the work's conception, genesis, and reception, and presents an in-depth analysis of its remarkable formal structure. The reception chapter investigates the Pathétique's impact on Tchaikovsky's younger contemporaries as well as its political interpretation in the twentieth century, especially its transformation into a cultural icon of the Third Reich.

Powered by Frooition Pro Click here to view full size. Full Size Image Click to close full size. Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 6 - CD Boxset NEW Artist: Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich Runtime: Not Available # CDs in Boxset: 2 Retail Price: $20.95 Tracks Details Notes Reviews Tracks Details Notes Reviews Tracks Details Notes Reviews Tracks Details Notes Reviews Tracks Details Notes Reviews About Us Payment Shipping Customer Service FAQs Welcome to MovieMars All items are Brand New. We offer unbe

Release Date: March 13, 2001