Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 Pathetique (Volume 14) [MONTEUX EDITION]

Tchaikovsky (Artist), Monteux (Artist), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003FLY
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,832 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36: Andante sostenuto; Moderato con anima

2. Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36: Andantino in modo di canzona

3. Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36: Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato (Allegro)

4. Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36: Finale: Allegro con fuoco

5. Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64: Andante; Allegro con anima

6. Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64: Andante cantabile, con alcum licenza

Disc: 2

1. Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64: Valse: Allegro moderato

2. Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64: Finale: Andante maestoso

3. Symphony No. 6 in B minor ('Pathétique'), Op. 74: Adagio, allegro non troppo

4. Symphony No. 6 in B minor ('Pathétique'), Op. 74: Allegro con grazia

5. Symphony No. 6 in B minor ('Pathétique'), Op. 74: Allegro molto vivace

6. Symphony No. 6 in B minor ('Pathétique'), Op. 74: Adagio lamentoso

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars tanner k., January 8, 2005

By 

Tanner J. Knight (greenbelt, md United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 Pathetique (Volume 14) [MONTEUX EDITION] (Audio CD)

i recently found this set at a used cd store in manhattan (academy records...check it out if you are around 18th and 6th ave). this set typifies monteux's lyricism, elegance, and power at the helm of his beloved boston symphony orchestra. monteux's take on tchaikovsky is different from what you are perhaps used to from masters such as karajan or solti. monteux's tchaikovsky dispenses with the over indulgences of conductors such as bernstein or abbado, and cuts straight to the core, leaving the listener involuntarily saying "wow" after every single movement. the first of the three masterpieces to be recorded by the venerable pair of monteux and the boston orchestra was the 6th in 1955, followed by the 5th in 1958, and finally the 4th in 1959. the recording quality is surprisingly brilliant and live for being captured in the early days of stereophonic sound recording, but credit must be given to the fine remastering team at rca for cleaning up the originals.
this set is well worth sitting in your collection next to that of mravinsky with the lenningrad philharmonic, or the karajan/berlin set. however, the difference between this set and those of the later era are that monteux and tchaikovsky were alive at the same time in the late 19th century. monteux represents one of the greatest modern links to russian and french music from the generations before that of the recording innovations of the 20th century. debussy, ravel, stravinsky, and many other prominent composers hand picked monteux to conduct their orchestral works. this reading of tchaikovsky displays this fact greater than even his authoritative recordings of the rite of spring and petroushka, both of which he gave the world premieres for diagalev's ballet russe. if you have a chance to find this set on cd, i would advise buying it, no matter the price tag.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Tchaikovsky Set by Pierre Monteux, December 13, 2007

By 

David R. Beauregard "Tchaikovsky Music Lover" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 Pathetique (Volume 14) [MONTEUX EDITION] (Audio CD)

I totally agree with the review from Mr. Knight. The recording is lyrical, powerful, emotional and excellently recorded. I purchased my set used thru Amazon Maketplace. I prefer the listening and playing qualities of this Pierre Monteux set over the Mravinsky Tchaikovsky DG set. If you can find the Monteux Edition Tchaikovsky set PURCHASE IT IMMEDIATELY. It is out of print and it is fabulous music.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime reading of the Sixth!, June 10, 2005

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 Pathetique (Volume 14) [MONTEUX EDITION] (Audio CD)

First at all I never have been a fan of Pierre Moneux. I respect him as a honest and convincing director but with some diferences.
That's why I have to make a double acknowledgement in what it concerns to the final result of this Sixth Symphony performance.
There have been many succesful recordings in the past: the most remarkable to my mind, have been: Furtwangler Berlin, Toscanini NBC, Van Kempen Concertgebouw, Cantelli NBC, Giulini Philharmonia and recently discovered tresured from the nineties of a Japanese conductor who sadly is not with us: Asajina with the Osaka Philharmonic.
But this version shines with major intensity respect to the previously named performances. Monteux caught the tragic spirit with such passionate intensity and febril desperation as any other conductor. Go for the Second movement and listen carefully a theme sung in Waltz form in the middle of the movement. And then go to the final movement: you will discover the same theme but expressed in tragical mood.
This Symphony and Manfred anticipated as any other previous works the Mahlerian mood. Besides it revealed the final dissolution, and the cosmic farewell of his author in a very similar approach that Mahler employed with the Ninth 's final.
Go for this treasured album and discover the best approach of the Sixth never released before.