Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Pletnev, Russian National Orchestra :: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6 - Mikhail Pletnev

More Exciting Tchaikovsky from Pletnev

Charles W. Batten | 02/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mikhail Pletnev burst onto the conducting scene nearly a decade ago with an electrifying account of Tchaikovsky's 6th with this same orchestra on Virgin classics. Indeed, that recording is the most viscerally exciting account of the 6th ever committed to disc. Though this set of all Tchaikosvky's symphonies does not quite attain the same heights, it is still an exciting traversal of the great Russian's output in this genre. (And, contrary to the opinion expressed by the Russian reviewer below, Tchaikovsky's first three symphonies are also brilliant masterworks.) It is a pity that DG was not more generous, failing to include the fill-ups mentioned by the reviewer from Singapore; nevertheless, this is authentic Tchaikovsky from one of the most exciting Russian conductors (and pianists) alive today. Do not hesitate to hear this!"

Mr. Hurwitz is Wrong !!

Charles W. Batten | Conestoga, PA | 10/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Can a recording truly be as bad as Mr. Hurwitz states in his review? I have listened to these recordings twice through and I think they are excellent !! I own other Tchaikovsky Symphony sets conducted by Abbado, Bernstein, Jansons, Karajan and Abravanel. I also have Symphonies 4-6 with Dutoit and Ormandy. While I believe that the Jansons set is by far the best, this set by Pletnev is definitely very good. I'm sorry that some people believe that, in order for a new recording of old music to be great, it has to be radically different from all previous recordings. These symphonies are well conducted, well played and, most importantly, well recorded. Sorry, there are no surprise wild tempo shifts although there are some rather pleasant dynamics differences from other recordings. A truly enjoyable listening experience!!"

You could do worse...

Mike Owen Simmons, Betsy Beach | chelmsford, MA United States | 03/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"You could do worse'Pletnev isn't as bad a conductor as some make him out to be (his recording of Tchaikovsky's Sixth on Virgin records is actually quite spectacular). Tchaikovsky is my favorite symphonic composer, and while only his later 3 have achieved popularity, his first 3 are very enjoyable. They may lack the intensity of the 4th or 6th, and the poignancy of the 5th, and the form is noticeably sophomoric, but they do contain some fairly ingenious musical ideas and thematic elements. If you are thinking of buying just 2 or 3 of the symphonies, it is undoubtedly worth the money to purchase all 6 (7 if you include Manfred). This set is the best you can get for the under fifty dollars, but it isn't the best set you can buy. Pletnev does am outstanding job with the quieter and less intense moments of the music. His slow movements are absolutely touching (with the exception of the final movement of the final symphony, which, though slow and mournful, requires a more underlying intensity that is lacking here). The second movement's heart stopping opening chord sequence is simply some of the most beautiful music ever written, and Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra make it all the more touching. Unfortunately, the music does lack intensity. The climax of the sixth symphony's first movement is very intense, but other many other points in the music lack that same passion. At times, the balance of the orchestra can be a little off as well. There are actually several themes and motifs that I never knew were there (because they were drowned out) until I looked at the score. So if you don't want to spend to much money on these amazing pieces, this is a good set, but if you a more dedicated classicalist, I would recommend springing for an alternate set."