Search - Tchaikovsky :: 1812 Overture

A Collection Of Classics By The Greatest Russian Composers

Robert Pollock | Durham, NC USA | 06/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always loved the style of Tchaikovsky's music. It was one of my first classical Russian composer I listened to. The melancholy, romantic style associated with Russian music was great and sounds close to the modern classical music/film scores of today. The Vienna Symphony and State Opera played flawlessly and with vigor, and Heinrich Hollreiser's interpretations were just as I would imagine it. The CD begins with the 1812 Overture, a powerful and triumphant piece that is instantly recognizable on the 4th of July. Russian Easter Overture is a lesser known piece but is full of sweet and warm tone colors which vividly displays the Easter holiday. Polovtsian Dances sounds like European festivities with a slight European-Asia feel to it. The powerful chorus makes its grand entrance on this track. Night On Bald Mountain is oddly familiar but scary. The creeping strings and threatening brass make for one hell of a ride. The ending after the action is an ominous and strange resolution. I highly recommend this jewel of a CD. It is only but a sampler of great Russian music but it gets the job done."