Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig :: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4-6

Generally fine

Jeffrey Lee | Asheville area, NC USA | 02/06/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With Karajan's Tchaikovsky, I sense some absence of deep feeling. On the other hand, others occasionally fault Bernstein for excessive emotion. With Kurt Masur, most of Tchaikovsky's soaring melodies are presented nicely. The sentiment is there in satisfying measure. It is not overdone. Mazur is also fairly effective at underscoring tension and dynamic thrust. Added to this is a fluid and mobile Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, which reveals a wide range of tonal colors and textures, and Teldec's recording team, which provides detailed, open, ambient sound. But...I have some critical observations. The first movement of the Fourth Symphony could do with a little more liveliness. At times, the third movement march of the Sixth is rendered too breathlessly. And, the second movement waltz would have benefitted from a little more charm. Then, at the beginning portions of the last movement of the Fifth, I would have liked more of an air of expectancy. More often than not, however, I generally respect Masur's interpretive choices. Overall, a pretty decent set. If you have Mravinsky's stereo set (I do) and if you have Karajan's last (1977) Berlin Philharmonic set (I did), you might want to compare them with this one and see what you hear, think and feel."

Excellent

Erez Katz | CA, USA | 03/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An orchestra in top form with one of the worlds best romantic conductors.

Outstanding playing with sensitive and true interpretation.

The 4th symphony is superb (I own 7 other recordings of that piece and it is my favorite). The 5th is excellent with probably the best French Horn solo of the second movement ever recorded. The 6th is also very good, passionate yet not overbaring.

I am not always a fan of Kurt Masur but there is no doubt in this recording that he is a conductor of the highest caliber."