In addition to recording the six Tchaikovsky symphonies for Decca with the Vienna Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel also recorded the ‘Manfred’ – a recording often singled out as one of the best made of this symphony, as well as three of the tone poems based on literary legends, two Shakespearian (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet) and one Dante (the thrilling Francesca da Rimini). The latter was recorded as part of Decca’s ‘Phase 4’ series. This all-Tchaikovsky 2CD set is completed with two of the composer’s works for cello, the Rococo Variations and the Pezzo capriccioso, both receiving their first international release on CD.
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
CD 1
Manfred Symphony, Op. 58
Hamlet – Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare, Op. 67
CD2
Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture
Wiener Philharmoniker
Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
Pezzo capriccioso for cello and orchestra, Op. 62
Lynn Harrell, cello
The Cleveland Orchestra
Lorin Maazel
Recording Producers: Erik Smith (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet); David Harvey (Manfred Symphony); Raymond Few (Francesca da Rimini); James Mallinson (Rococo Variations, Pezzo capriccioso)
Balance Engineers: Gordon Parry (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet); Gordon Parry and James Brown (Manfred Symphony); Arthur Bannister (Francesca da Rimini); Colin Moorfoot and Martin Atkinson (Rococo Variations, Pezzo capriccioso)
Recording Locations: Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria, 17–20 May 1965 (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet), 28–30 April 1971 (Manfred Symphony); Barking Assembly Hall, London, UK, 29–30 March 1971 (Francesca da Rimini); Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, USA, 19, 22 & 23 October 1979 (Rococo Variations, Pezzo capriccioso)
‘Where excitement is concerned, there is no lack at all’ (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet) Gramophone
‘Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony has had precious few great recordings; luckily this is one of them … The finale has all the excitement, energy and crackerjack rhythmic thrust needed to make it really fly … a red-hot performance of Tchaikovsky’s Hamlet’ ClassicsToday
‘a scrupulous recording … the strings are sonorous, brass and timpani are never disproportionately loud and the detail of passagework is crystal-clear’ (Francesca da Rimini) Gramophone
‘The performance [of the Rococo Variations] is assured and brilliant … there is no lack of orchestral colour … [the recording is] bright, vivid and clear’ Gramophone