Search - Tchaikovsky, Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra :: Tchaikovsky: Sym. No. 4; 1812 Overture; Marche Slave

Steve H. from FAYETTEVILLE, NC
Reviewed on 9/1/2006...

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ormandy. Classic!

This CD includes the choral version of the 1812 Overture.

Wonderful, rich 4th, "The Philadelphia Sound" in its glory.

John Grabowski | USA | 09/20/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a Fourth that sparkles and shimmers. The Philadelphia Orchestra never sounded better--even the brass is magnificent--and this repertiore fits them perfectly. Ormandy seems at home with the Tchaikovsky 4th--he must have conducted it a thousand times when this 1970 recording was made. Tempi are middle-of-the-road and balances are perfect. The pizzicato third movement is the *fattest* I've ever heard, and the rip-roaring finale will get you doing an infectious Russian dance and longing nostalgically for the Tzar, even if you were born in the USA in the second half of the 20th century.But some of the lushness and comfort in this performance are also a minus. Compared to a Mravinsky, for example, or a Bernstein, Ormandy never got too far below the surface of this music. The same beauty of sound could also be compared to cotton candy--a little goes a long way. So, as usual, I'll say you should supplement this recording with some other viewpoints, such as Mravinsky and Bernstein. (I've reviewed one of Mravinsky's recordings elsewhere on this site, if you're interested.)I can't really comment on that old warhorse, 1812. I'm not nuts about the piece, and don't have a lot of different performances to compare this one to. So you'll have to rely on other reviews.As for Marche Slave, this is a perfectly fine performance, but nothing will ever match the incredible 1969 Stokowski/London Symphony Orchestra performance on London ("Phase 4 Quadrophonic" in its first release on vinyl). I don't know if that has been released on CD, but that is the yardstick if you want a Slave that's larger than life and viscerally thrilling.(P.S.: Feel compelled to straighten out a couple of errors. Despite what another reviewer says below, The Valley Forge Military Academy has nothing to do with this 4th Symphony recording. It's also not a particularly "Russian" interpretation. Russian orchestras, until very recently, used vibrato in the *brass,* for one example. There is nothing like that in this performance. If you want "Russian," check out the aforementioned Mravinsky. Or check out the reviews of it--for many true "Russian" is an aquired taste. The Philly Orch. is all sweetness and light by comparison.)"

Power

John Grabowski | 10/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tchaikovsky's music on this cd can be very accurately summed up in one word- power. The fourth symphony opens with the triumphant horn call, formidably telling what is to come. Marche slave, with the mournful sound of a dirge at times and a nationalistic flair at others, is enough of a reason to purchase this cd. Philadelphia does an excellent job with the pieces, and I highly recommend it."