Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphonies Nos. 4-6 (Evgeny Mravinsky)

Information

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
• Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
• Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 - "Pathétique"

Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra

Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor

Date: 1960

Label: Deutsche Grammophon

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Review

The name Yevgeny Mravinsky has a ring of the legendary, but he came from a generation (or two) before that of many classical music listeners in the streaming era, and he may be more recognized by name than for actual music. If so, here is a fabulous place to start. These recordings were made in 1960 in London and Vienna during a tour by Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic during the so-called "Thaw" in the Soviet Union. They appeared on the Deutsche Grammophon label in remastered versions in the late 2000s that wisely accepted some tape hiss in exchange for sharper definition of the instrumental work on the part of the Philharmonic, perhaps never better than on the days of these recordings. The BBC some years ago picked this album as one of the 50 greatest of all time, and the U.S. National Public Radio, not to be outdone, called them "hair-raising" and "among the absolute classics of the catalog." Everything one has heard is true. The astonishing dynamic range, even with the equipment of the day, comes through, and the pit of despair with which Tchaikovsky's symphonic output ended has never been more vivid. Evident as well is Mravinsky's skill in retaining detail in furiously intense passages; Tchaikovsky the contrapuntist is never lost even during these peaks of late Romantic emotionalism. Mravinsky had a remarkable way of adding just a bit of extra speed in already quick tempos to goose the impact and keep perfect control over the process. One can find any number of examples here, but the march Scherzo in the Symphony No. 6 is especially replete; one wonders how the tradition of applauding after this movement sounded at this point during Mravinsky's tour. An extraordinary release, among the true classics of the 20th century.

-- James Manheim

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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Romantic Russian composer. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the current classical repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his First Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, the Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy, several symphonies, and the opera Eugene Onegin. Despite his many popular successes, Tchaikovsky's life was punctuated by personal crises and depression.

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Evgeny Mravinsky (4 June 1903 – 19 January 1988) was a Soviet and Russian conductor. He studied at the Leningrad Conservatory and conducted at the Kirov Ballet and Bolshoi Opera throughout the 1930s. In September 1938, he won the All-Union Conductors Competition in Moscow, then, in October, he was appointed principal conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, a post which he held until his death. Under Mravinsky, the Leningrad Philharmonic gained international renown, particularly in performances of Russian music. He recorded for the state classical label Melodiya and for Deutsche Grammophon.

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