Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Vasily Petrenko, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra :: Tchaikovsky: Ballet Music [Highlights]

The first fruits of a major conducting career?

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/20/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A recent Gramophone article alerted me to Vasily Petrenko, newly appointed conductor of the Royal Liverpool Phil. At 32, the St. Petersburg-trained Petrenko was named the magazine's Young Artist of the Year for 2007. A major career might be in the offing - or not. London has been home for one outstanding Russian expat, Vassily Sinaisky, whose name never quite crossed the Atlantic, while another, Vladimir Jurowwski, now holds one of the most prestigious positions in the UK as principal conductor of the London Phil.



Russia's deep musical roster has been a boon to Europe ever since the fall of Communism, so how does the charismatic young Petrenko stack up? As pure conducting, this CD of chestnuts from Tchaikovsky ballets -- the first with his new orchestra -- is vigorous, incisive, and rhythmically alive. So far, so good. The Liverpool orchestra is no great shakes, however, and their fairly plain playing, although enthusiastic, doesn't make them competitive in this repertoire. Yet there's enough flair in Petrenko's style that I will be keen to hear his upcoming Manfred Sym. on Naxos; the label is also undertaking a complete Shostakovich symphony cycle with him, so he's clearly one to watch."