Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony
Apr 23, 2012 17:43:59 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2012 17:43:59 GMT
I've just come across a live recording of the 4th Symphony that just has amazing 'balls'.
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with Michael Tilson Thomas.
The first mvt is pure drama and full of schizophrenia in that one minute it's roaring and the next minute it goes into lilting comedy but never loses sight of the drama in the music. Really gripping.
The 2nd mvt with its Russian folk song on the oboe is really plaintive.
3rd movement with it's comedy pizzicato and the oboe interruption.
Then the thunderous last movement. By the time you get to the return of the first movement fanfare, you feel like you've been dragged through a hedge.
This is a great interpretation with some real insight, which works well. Tchaikovsky can sound corny but Tilson makes it really dramatic.
The American orchetral sounds are not always my favourites. I'm not keen on the American oboe sound but it works well in this Russian music where very often, the oboe is made to 'bleat' a lot.
There is an amazing bassoonist on this recording and the brass section is (Like many American orchestras) absolutely superb. I love American Brass playing. It just has so much guts in it. Americans also seem to have a lovely 'fruity' flute sound so I guess it's just the oboe sound I find difficult as an English player.
The strings are so lush on this as well. I love the way that Tchaikovsky makes them play a sequence higher and higher and it's something that a poor orchestra just can't pull off. It can sound so corny, but this is managed really well.
It's a dramatic recording and well worh a listen even on download .... and then buy the CD for the dynamics!!!
It's brilliant.
Anyone know of a really good studio recording that's as gripping?
www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Symphony-No-4/dp/B002ZPIBZ4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335202998&sr=8-2
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with Michael Tilson Thomas.
The first mvt is pure drama and full of schizophrenia in that one minute it's roaring and the next minute it goes into lilting comedy but never loses sight of the drama in the music. Really gripping.
The 2nd mvt with its Russian folk song on the oboe is really plaintive.
3rd movement with it's comedy pizzicato and the oboe interruption.
Then the thunderous last movement. By the time you get to the return of the first movement fanfare, you feel like you've been dragged through a hedge.
This is a great interpretation with some real insight, which works well. Tchaikovsky can sound corny but Tilson makes it really dramatic.
The American orchetral sounds are not always my favourites. I'm not keen on the American oboe sound but it works well in this Russian music where very often, the oboe is made to 'bleat' a lot.
There is an amazing bassoonist on this recording and the brass section is (Like many American orchestras) absolutely superb. I love American Brass playing. It just has so much guts in it. Americans also seem to have a lovely 'fruity' flute sound so I guess it's just the oboe sound I find difficult as an English player.
The strings are so lush on this as well. I love the way that Tchaikovsky makes them play a sequence higher and higher and it's something that a poor orchestra just can't pull off. It can sound so corny, but this is managed really well.
It's a dramatic recording and well worh a listen even on download .... and then buy the CD for the dynamics!!!
It's brilliant.
Anyone know of a really good studio recording that's as gripping?
www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Symphony-No-4/dp/B002ZPIBZ4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335202998&sr=8-2