Post Description

Tchaikovsky - Symphony 2 - RNO, Pletnev

Due to the extreme popularity of Tchaikovsky's Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth symphonies, his earlier, less dramatic symphonies have been more or less eclipsed, and though there are certainly recordings available, they are usually overlooked by newcomers. This hybrid SACD by Mikhail Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra of the Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Little Russian," is sure to get attention from audiophiles because of its spectacular sound quality, and it is likely to draw in Tchaikovsky collectors because it includes the 1879 version of the symphony with a bonus performance of the 1872 version of the first movement. But listeners approaching the piece for the first time will benefit the most from hearing Pletnev and his musicians playing the heart out of the "Little Russian," rendering it with the passion and coloration that only a Russian orchestra can achieve. The work gets its nickname from the Ukrainian melodies Tchaikovsky adapted for it, though there is no programmatic narrative behind the music, and unlike Tchaikovsky's famous Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique," it is free of autobiographical associations. Pletnev and the RNO sound magnificent in PentaTone's multichannel recording, which captures the spacious acoustics and the ensemble's details with exceptional separation and realistic presence. Highly recommended. 


dank aan originele poster