The Tchaikovsky Album

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Georg Solti (Conductor), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Georg Solti
• Composer: Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
• Audio CD (June 9, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000007OTT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,559 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some incredible pieces, a good price, but also frustrating, February 7, 2007

By 

Biblibio - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Tchaikovsky Album (Audio CD)

While I suppose that this is a good CD to get you hooked on Tchaikovsky (which I urge and encourage, as he is one of the most brilliant composers that has ever lived), it has its ups and its downs. It's surprisingly cheap for a double CD, and it is a very good deal, but there are still some things that need to be stated.

For starters, this CD is a "sampler". It gives you tastes of the greats as opposed to the real thing. It gives you a very small slice of "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake", well played, I'll admit, but too small to give the same impression that the entire ballets give. Obviously it would be impossible to fit two full ballets, two overtures, and a symphony on two CDs, so here they settle for small suites.

While at least you get a taste, it's almost as though the beauty of the pieces is lost as a large portion gets cut. That's a big downside that frustrated me, because had I not known that "The Nutcracker" was much longer, I never would have known that there were more parts. It also discourages you from getting full CDs of the ballets, because you're under the impression that "this is it". Well, not quite.

The plus side to this CD is pretty big. The 1812 Overture (my favorite track) is simply amazing. I can listen to it on repeat (despite its 15 minute length!) for hours to an end. It's powerful, emotional, strong, and simply breathtaking. It's the perfect recording of what is one of the best classical pieces ever. The Romeo and Juliet Overture is also very good, beautiful at the right moments, and powerful and strong at those. It's both lovely and huge at the same time.

This is a good CD. It has the big reasons that make me want you to buy it, like its comfortable price and the incredible 1812, but it also has the whole issue with the ballets, and that fact that there are better recordings of, again, the ballets. If you want a "taste" of Tchaikovsky, this is it, but for the real deal (full ballets), I suggest something different.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable!, July 21, 2000

By 

alessandro dosio - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tchaikovsky Album (Audio CD)

Wow, what an energy! The 1812 ouverture is impressive, and the 6th symphony is amazing. The 3rd movement is so fast, so brillant and so powerful, that when you hear it with the headphones you will be absolutely shocked. The finale is so luod, the brass are simply incredible! Maybe there could be better performances, but if you love the Solti/CSO works, this is the album for you.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY GOOD!, April 13, 2001

By 

"fotoman311" (Urbana, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tchaikovsky Album (Audio CD)

Although I'm not a classical music expert, I know what I like, and this is definitely IT! The 1812 Overture recording on this CD gives me goosebumps whenever I listen to it at high volume and the Nutcracker brings back memories of field trips in elementary school. I honestly haven't listened to the Swan Lake nearly as much as the rest, and the 6th Symphony is very powerful and brassy, just the way I like it. (I'm a trombone and euphonium player). I HIGHLY recommend this set.