Search - Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mravinsky :: Mravinsky Edition 7

A great Tchaikovsky 5 and a fine Beethoven 4

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 05/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The symphonies featured here were recorded in 1973 during a single concert given in the Grand Hall of Leningrad Philharmonic.



First, considering Tchaikovsky's fifth symphony, this is one of the many (eleven, in all) recordings of this work that Mravinsky produced during his career. It is not as famous as that in the celebrated DG set (Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 6 "Pathetique"), but I was stunned by all the brilliance, force, discipline and concentration that permeates this outstanding performance. A comparison is nonetheless inevitable. The DG set is a studio production, this Melodiya edition a live performance. Perhaps that says it all. Even if I don't want to be without the excellent DG edition, this live performance has far more energy and a sharper edge. Impressive is the word.



The performance of the Beethoven symphony is fine, even if less impressive. Mravinsky is not frequently associated with Beethoven, but the performance here shows that he knows how to conduct a classical work - i.e., distinguished from the romanticism of Tchaikovsky. Of course it is not the first recommendation of this work but it is interesting in its own right, as Mravinsky's Beethoven.



Strongly recommended - especially for the Tchaikovsky fifth.

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