Noble & Dignified Reading
Scriabinmahler | UK | 03/26/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"
Abbado's Sony recording of Tchaikovsky's Symphony Pathetique is often criticised or dismissed for the lack of slavonic emotinnalism. True that the first movement takes time until it warms up and the second theme is rather understated, but putting that aside, the rest of the music is puperbly played and powerfully eloquent. 2nd & 3rd movement are the finest among other great recordings. The last movement has noble control yet deeply expressive.
If you are looking for emotionally devastating account of Pathetique, your first choice may be Mravinsky's two DG recordings, Karajan's 1967, 76 DG & 71 EMI versions, Svetlanov's extremely intense Melodiya recording or Furtwangler's Legendary 1951 Cairo Live DG renowned for its depth of the last movement. But Abbado's reading is not bad if you are after more dignified and graceful interpretation."