A collection of all of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies and ballet suites from the rich archives of Deutsche Grammophon.
All the performances have been justifiably critically appraised. This volume includes Tchaikovsky’s final symphony, the ‘Pathétique’ and the tone poem ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – both recorded by Claudio Abbado in the early 1970s – as well as a rare recording of the ‘Manfred Symphony’ by Yuri Ahronovitch and Ferdinand Leitner’s bright 1959 account of the ‘Capriccio italien’.
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
CD 1
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ‘Pathétique’*
Romeo and Juliet – Fantasy-Overture+
Wiener Philharmoniker*
Boston Symphony Orchestra+
Claudio Abbado
CD 2
Capriccio italien, Op. 45
Berliner Philharmoniker
Ferdinand Leitner
Manfred Symphony, Op. 58
London Symphony Orchestra
Yuri Ahronovitch
Recording Producers: Wolfgang Lohse (Capriccio italien); Karl Faust, Rainer Brock (Romeo and Juliet); Rainer Brock (Symphony No. 6); Cord Garben, Heinz Wildhagen (Manfred Symphony)
Balance Engineers: Werner Wolf (Capriccio italien); Günter Hermanns (Romeo and Juliet); Günter Hermanns, Volker Martin (Symphony No. 6); Heinz Wildhagen, Gernot Westhäuser (Manfred Symphony)
Recording Locations: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin, Germany, 27 May 1959 (Capriccio italien); Symphony Hall, Boston, February 1971 (Romeo and Juliet); Grosser Musikvereinssaal, Vienna, Austria, 1 & 3 October 1973 (Symphony No. 6); Watford Town Hall, London, UK, 30 January and 1 February 1977, with organ of Herkulessaal, Munich, synchronised in March 1977 (Manfred Symphony)
Remastering Engineers: Chris Bernauer (CD1); Michael Beier (CD2)
‘[Abbado] provides a strong impulse throughout, and the second subject of the first movement sounds remarkably fresh, with radiant sounds from the strings.’ (Symphony No. 6) Penguin Stereo Record and Cassette Guide
‘Abbado’s is a noble reading … A performance to live with: its spellbinding qualities increase with familiarity. The recording is splendid, very brilliant as well as full’ Penguin Stereo Record and Cassette Guide
‘Ahronovitch is superbly recorded by DG’ (Manfred Symphony) Penguin Stereo Record and Cassette Guide