Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 'Little Russian'; Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 2 'Antar'

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This disc is a great buy! The Tchaikovsky 2nd is a Maazel favorite. (I heard him conducting it via broadcast with the New York Philharmonic, on a Pittsburgh Symphony broadcast and my first encounter was on an old London ffrr vinyl with the Vienna Philharmonic. So what does this thesis statement have to do with the recording?
The Pittsburgh performers get it right here. The recording venue, Shadyside Presbyterian church was an acoustically perfect choice for this music which always refers to Tchaikovsky's experience with Russian chant. The orchestral voices balance very well in this structure. Second, I find the orchestra's rhythmic execution flawless. The second symphony is quite an exciting piece on its own but these musicians bring out the best of its qualities. TELARC engineered for us a superb disc. The Penguin Guide gave this disc a rosette and it is well deserved.
Maazel didn't make too many good recordings while he was in Pittsburgh but this one is fantastic. For one fleeting moment he must have broken out of his pedantic, dull stylisms and went full bore.
This is a great recording of this work!

Lorin Maazel's performances of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Antar" (also called his Symphony No. 2) are simply outstanding. There is much competition in the Tchaikovsky, so I'll focus on the Antar. Let me just note that Maazel coaxes out of the Pittsburgh SO one of the most thrilling finales of the Tchaikovsky that I have heard, all captured in vivid digital sound.

Antar is one of those works that needs much care and attention to come off right. Despite its official title, it isn't really a symphony and Rimsky-Korsakov himself preferred for it to be called a "symphonic suite," much like Scheherezade. However, while Scheherezade has received numerous outstanding performances (my three favorite are Spano/Atlanta on Telarc, Svetlanov/LSO on BBC Legends and Karajan/BPO on DG), Antar doesn't get the attention it deserves. A recording came out several years ago by Kees Bakels and the Malaysian Philharmonic on BIS, and while that one was hailed by some as the best Antar, I think Maazel's is even better. Bakels' is certainly the most exciting, with crackerjack inner movements. But I think the piece loses some of the delicacy it needs in the process. As noted by another reviewer here, Maazel takes the third movement march at a slow tempo. Unlike him, I actually like it that way: it packs a punch but without feeling rushed. Maazel lavishes great attention to every single detail of the score in each movement and the result is certainly the most exotic performance on record. Every detail can be heard clearly thanks to Telarc's demonstration-class sound (even better in Antar than in the Tchaikovsky) and hearing this performance is like a revelation. Rimsky-Korsakov conjures up such a colorful and imaginative score that one begins to wonder if Scheherezade is really that much better than Antar. More sophisticated and mature orchestral writing, to be sure, but not necessarily the more enjoyable listening experience. Ansermet's classic 1954 performance is splendid but the recorded sound is uncompetitive with later recordings. Svetlanov's recordings are great and so is Yondani Butt's, but they are not captured in as warm and clear sound as this Maazel recording, nor is the orchestral playing as precise as that of the Pittsburgh SO. Zinman's Rotterdam performance (on an otherwise outstanding 2-CD set with some of RK's best music, played marvelously in vivid sound) is not really recommendable and Jarvi and Kitajenko are only somewhat better. The Naxos recording is on the same level as Zinman but with inferior sound. So if you're looking for the best ever Antar (though not necessarily the most physically exciting), this Maazel performance beats all.

With the best Antar and a great Tchaikovsky in splendid sound and at near-budget price, this CD is essential for lovers of 19th century Russian orchestral music.

Still have not heard a live performance yet. I was first alerted to its qualities by another recording. This one is technically quite good. Very little compression of dynamics is present. Sound is wide, deep and tall and represents the hall well. Pace is good although at times there may be a lack of energy. The brass section is well represented throughout the work as is the strings section. Occasionally bass line is a bit shy as is percussion.
Overall it is ok but I think Mr Jenner did a better job in the other recording with Maestro Abbado and CSO.

The Horn sounds great in the Tschiakowsky. (p.s. It's me)

The March in the Antar is way too slow.

The PSO at this time was playing very well and is worth hearing in spite of Maazel!