Composer: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Performer: Andres Cardenes
Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Jaap van Zweden
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: DSO Live
Catalogue: DSOLIVE003
Release: 2012
Size: 220 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
01. I. Andante sostenuto – Moderato con anima
02. II. Andantino in modo di canzone
03. III. Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato
04. IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Suite No. 4 in G major, Op.61 ‘Mozartiana’
05. I. Gigue
06. II. Menuet
07. III. Preghiera
08. IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco
This CD captures Jaap van Zweden’s on-going triumphs with the DSO. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony was recorded live during the September 17–20, 2009 concerts and Suite No. 4, Mozartiana was recorded under studio conditions on Sept. 15 and 16, 2010 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The pairing of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony and Suite No. 4, Mozartiana, shows contrasting styles by the composer. The Fourth Symphony shows Tchaikovsky’s darker side, the turbulence, despair and hopelessness in his personal life. Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 4, Mozartiana is lighter and more straightforward, inspired by the style of Mozart. “Andrés Cárdenes … delivered the flashy violin solos with unassuming authority and refined tone,” wrote Dallas Morning News classical music critic Scott Cantrell.
Recorded live, these performances of Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor and the Suite No. 4, “Mozartiana,” are energetic and spontaneous, but the symphony is hampered throughout by lackluster audio, leaving only the suite as a viable selection. Jaap van Zweden leads the Dallas Symphony Orchestra with apparent subtlety and intelligence, and the musicians respond with feeling and skill in both works, so under better circumstances, the performance of the Fourth would be perfectly enjoyable for its musical values. It is possible that a patient listener might be able to find something worthwhile here, but the reproduction is far from ideal. The sound’s dimensions are flat and distant, and the music seems recorded at too low a level, requiring one to turn the volume up almost all the way to hear any details except in the loudest sections. “Mozartiana” is much better, thanks to a clearer and fuller sound and focused microphone placement. However, most listeners will be disappointed by the mediocre recording of the Fourth, and since there is no shortage of exceptional recordings of that work, this CD is most suitable for diehard fans of the conductor and the orchestra.