Composer: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Valéry Gergiev
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: FLAC (tracks)
Release: 2012
Size: 2.16 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13 ‘Winter Daydreams’
01. I. Allegro tranquillo
02. II. Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
03. III. Scherzo. Allegro scherzando giocoso
04. IV. Finale. Andante lugubre – Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17 ‘Little Russian’
05. I. Andante sostenuto – Allegro vivo
06. II. Andantino marziale, quasi moderato
07. III. Scherzo. Allegro molto vivace
08. IV. Finale. Moderato assai – Allegro vivo
CD 02
Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 ‘Polish’
01. I. Introduzione e allegro. Moderato assai
02. II. Alla tedesca. Allegro moderato e semplice
03. III. Andante elegiaco
04. IV. Scherzo. Allegro vivo
05. V. Finale. Allegro con fuoco
Tchaikovsky’s early trio of symphonies have long lived in the shadow of the three that followed. Following his acclaimed Mariinsky DVD of the final three symphonies, which received Choc de l’annee in France, Valery Gergiev conducts outstanding performances of the earlier works with the LSO.
Tchaikovsky’s early symphonies are full of the rich expressive melodies, for which he had a natural talent, with influences of Russian nationalism and folk tunes, particularly in the ‘Little Russian’, No. 2. The choreographer George Balanchine exploited the dance-like nature of the Third Symphony by using it as the basis for the final part of his ballet masterpiece, ‘Jewels’.
Throughout the Autumn Valery Gergiev will conduct the complete Brahms and Szymanowski cycles with the LSO in London, Edinburgh, Paris and Luxembourg. They also tour to the USA and Germany. Gergiev’s recent recordings on LSO Live include an acclaimed recording of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements. His award-winning Mahler cycle will be released as a 10-SACD box set in October.