Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Neeme Järvi, Irina Mishura-Lekhtman :: Tchaikovsky: The Snow Maiden

The best "unknown" Tchaikovsky piece ever written

albertatamazon | East Point, Georgia USA | 12/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How anybody can give this beautiful work only three stars is beyond me. Of all Tchaikovsky's infrequently played works, this is easily the best one, full of the beautiful melody that he is famous for. It surpasses the first three Tchaikovsky symphonies as well as the "Manfred Symphony". True, there is some repetition, but the previous reviewer forgets that this is not opera music (the opera of "The Snow Maiden" is by Rimsky-Korsakov, not Tchaikovsky). Tchaikovsky's score for "The Snow Maiden"---written NOT for the Hans Christian Andersen story but for the first production of a Russian fantasy-play by Tchaikovsky's contemporary, 19th century playwight Alexander Ostrovsky, is incidental music written for that play, and incidental music is the direct ancestor of movie background music. It was meant to be played both during the action and between set changes, which were enormously time-consuming in elaborate productions such as this.



Just as a James Bond film repeats the catchy Bond theme more than once during any 007 feature, a composer who writes theatrical music for a play will repeat several of his main themes more than once. And Tchaikovsky was not the only composer to do this; Mendelssohn did it in his music for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Grieg did it in his "Peer Gynt" music. What is so awful about Tchaikovsky following their example?



As for the performances and the recorded sound, they are excellent. Neeme Jervi is unsurpassed at bringing unknown music to light, and he has done a masterful job here. The soloists are just fine; I can see no reason for faulting them.



This is an excellent addition to anyone's record collection, especially if they love Tchaikovsky or are passionately interested in 19th century theatrical music for dramatic plays---now if only some intelligent producer would stage this long-forgotten play on PBS, WITH Tchaikovsky's music."

Great Performance

Carlos Quintero | Caracas, Venezuela | 09/19/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"


Perhaps this is not great music from dear Piotr Ilich, but it is truly

beautiful music. Neeme Järvi brings us a great recording of full score.

This is a MUST for every tchaikovsky lover and collector. Thanks a lot

maestro Järvi."