"I have listened to this symphony for perhaps 15 years, and over those years collected numerous recordings by all the notable orchestras and conductors. I must say, however, that none of them come anywhere close to matching the intensity and emotion in this recording. The first movement, especially, is almost painful to listen to, it is so gripping. This recording is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to hear the message Tchaikovsky was trying to give, this is the one recording of this piece you must have. All my other copies are gathering dust."
I totally agree
Brian Scott | 04/03/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Listening to this cd is actually quite a devastating experience. Not for the faint-hearted, I should add. It's all in there... and much more. This recording surpasses time, style and romanticism. A recording from beyond.Oh Lord, how much I wish I'd been there, that November evening, in Münich.Buy it without any hesitation at all."
Greatness!
Brian Scott | 02/15/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Extraordinary music making. Celibidache's Tchaikovsky is on a plateau that is both `spiritual' and visceral. An almost impossible task for our more terrestrial conductors.
An absolute recommendation for the seasoned connoisseur of great music making."
A Pathetique with intensity (and a devastating finale) but l
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 07/08/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I notice that here on Amazon most of the reviews for Celibidache's posthumous recordings are five-star raves, giving little indication about the actual difference between one recording and the next. Because he had a 'method' that he thought was superior to any other condccutor's, Celi took the same approach to all music. This in itself isn't a sign of genius, but he had so much innate talent that at times his broad, deep, highly emotional approach did become incandescent.
I wouldn't say this was such an occasion. Drawing the first movement of the Pathetique out to 25 min. when Mravinsky takes 17 min. in his classic reading on DG from 1960 brings no gain in depth or intensity. True, Celi is intense; these aren't slack readings, they just miss the spirit of the work. His greatest impact comes in the devastating finale (13 min. compared to Mrvinsky's 9:45), which accomplishes what Bernstein misses in his famous reading on DG with its extremes of pathos and wrenching self-pity (at 17 min. it makes Celi look reasonable).
I'm not sure that one great movement is enough to justify this whole performance. We get a dull second movement waltz and a Scherzo that direly needs speed and excitement. The Munich Phil. plays with total commitment for their adored maestro, and EMI's sound is full and rich. Even so, I'd save this one for Celibidahe fans only."
Highly unusual but truly extraordinary
Brian Scott | 11/30/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sergiu Celibidache had no use for recordings, comparing them to going to bed with a photograph of Brigitte Bardot. Therefore, it is not surprising that his interpretations resemble those of no-one else. His tempi are VERY slow compared to those of, say, Mravinsky with the Leningrad orchestra, or the composer's own metronome markings. However, this interpretation is so powerful, so expressive, so personal, so musical, that there are passages I prefer to any other version. I recommend it highly."