Search - Yuri Temirkanov, St. Petersburg Philharmonic :: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite; Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kijé; Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

A sparkling performance of the Tchaikovsky, even if the pair

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 12/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a twixt and between CD. Passing up the complete Nutcracker and the familiar suite, Temirkanov delivers a new "symphonic suite" consisting of twelve numbers from the Overture to the Waltz of the Flowers (the latter inexcusably truncated to two minutes). Wit the Royal PHil. he had already given us a complete ballet that was often slow and moody -- not a first choice for children -- but with his impeccable Tchaiakovsky credentials, any new recording from Temirkanov is welome. Here he leads his own St. Petersburg orchestra with bright vivacity, and they don't disappoint. This is better playing, conducting, and recorded sound than Gergiev got on his complete version. For that reason alone I thoroughly enjoyed it, but to really hear Temirkanov at his best, a live recording of Nutcracker excerpts on Chandos remains first choice.



Prkofiev's Lt. Kije i also a remake; the first version used the same orchestra for RCA/BMG. The new version is about as good as it gets and is beautifully recorded. It's more pungent and cheeky than the famous Reiner recording from Chicago on RCA. The program ends with an effective Sorcerer's Apprentice. In sum, a very nice Christmas CD for anyone who wants to open the world of classical music to a child or maybe any beginner who would respond to these pops favorites."