Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Valeri Gergiev is probably the most hyped conductor of the early century. His spate of recordings have given him exposure equal to living long-timers like Abbado and Haitink. He is regularly on European concert stages and made an American tour earlier this year. For these reasons he is overhyped, overpackaged and oversold. His recordings of Shostakovich Symphony 7, Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, Berlioz Fantastic Symphony and other staples of the orchestral repertory are generally well-liked by critics who temper their reviews to protect themselves against overindulgence of the Gergiev hype machine. No hype is necessary to sell this magnificent reading of Tchaikovsky's greatest symphony, the Symphony No. 5. Using rubato and tempo variance that would bring a smile to Stokowski and Mengelberg, Gergiev starts this journey with drama and a mercurial burst in the main allegro con anima. His Russian upbringing shows through the music's first half, with particular loveliness in the andante cantabile. Gergiev's international reputation is upheld in the second half waltz and particularly in the finale, where -- after an ominous andante maestoso -- he engages the vienna Philharmonic timpani to drive home the beat and fate message of the hyperRomantic finale. Yuri Termirkanov tried this in his second recording of this music but overdid it. Gergiev, with an assist from the engineers, incorporated timpani into the sound structure in a way Stokowski did not on his famous 1966 Stuttgart rendition on London Phase 4. The result is an audience that went crazy with applause and outbursts of "bravo". I lived 30 years with the Stokowski until I acquired this CD. I'm sure I'll go another 30 with this one until something better comes along. Tchaikovksy is rarely done this well.

This is a very fine performance of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony and, being a live recording from a concert, it has a certain sense of spark that many studio recordings miss. The usual manic energy associated with Gergiev's conducting adds to this in no small measure! As a live performance, then, it certainly makes its mark- the amazing whipping up of speed in the coda leaves you breathless and it's hardly surprising that the audience went mad at the end. Making allowances for the inevitable mistakes that happen in a concert, the symphony is extremely well-played and the strings perform astonishingly, particularly in the finale. Gergiev's choices of tempi feel absolutely right and the result is somewhere between the romantic approach of Karajan and the histrionic view taken by Mravinsky(whose stereo versions of the last three symphonies are unmissable). The opening sounds suitably dark and forboding, while the climaxes in both the first and the second movements are given plenty of power by the VPO's brass players. The third movement waltz is played with consummate charm, as you would expect from an orchestra that could play Strauss waltzes in its sleep. All in all, then, it is hard to argue with the interpretation when listening to it straight through as in a concert, so it certainly merits four stars. On repeated listening, though, one or two things do begin to grate a bit once the adrenalin rush has subsided. The recording balance does seem to give excessive weight to the brass and, along with Gergiev's emphasis on the aggression of the piece, this can come to sound a little crude, as can some of Gergiev's decisions to ignore what the score says. In the finale, for instance, the timpani spend most of the time playing at least forte but the score mostly indicates mp-mf, while some of the phrasing can at times seem rather brash. Nevertheless, these are minor points and it is hard not to be carried along by the power of the performance. It is certainly worth buying and is well worth the price even if you do get only 46 minutes of music. If you want a safer version, try Jansons on Chandos; more faithful to the score and superbly played, but it does lack the immense excitement of Gergiev's performance.

This may become the definitive recording of the Fifth. The final movement is practically perfect. Electrifying !

The VPO really outdid themselves this time. Gergiev commands the orchestra with remarkable agility and poise. For a live performance, this is unbeatable! The first and second movements are flawless. I am blown away whenever I hear Gergiev's second movement, which is so immensly passionate and romantic. The difficult third and forth movements are almost flawless. My only compaints in the entire symphony come in the fourth movement. Unfortunately, the size of the orchestra gives the fourth movement a sometimes clumsy and chaotic feeling that takes away from the complex rhythms and dynamics written in the score. The VPO also seems to loose a bit of control towards the end of the symphony, an occurance which takes place in almost every reocrding of the symphony. However, this loss of control is compounded in part due to the fact that this is a live recording and all musicians cannot retain the same energy and technical agility throughout an entire symphony. Overall this is one of the best recordings to date and is a definate best buy!

I was overjoyed to hear this performance. It is a little rough around the edges, the balance isn't perfect and there are some minor mistakes. The timpanist is a little too much at times. But what fantastic playing in all sections, string, winds, brass, especially at the end when the brass raise the roof of the concert hall. This is phenomenal performance!! The energy is powerful but the players maintain amazing control considering they are playing at 100 miles an hour. This is like being at a live concert, with coughs, audience and orchestra noises, but true spontaneity. The second movement is a true treasure. This is definitely worth hearing. A very convincing and electrifying performance of the magnificent Fifth. Gergiev lives up to his reputation. This is as good as Mravinsky and Jansons....but it's LIVE.

Gergiev speaks of his "love at first sight" relationship with the Vienna Phil., and it resulted in a stupendous Tchaikovsky Pathetique, which has now been repackaged on Decca with this Fifth Sym. It's a bi confusing when recordings jump labels, but this live 1998 recording is the same as in the Decca package, whereas two recordings, of the Fourth and Pathetique with Russian orhcestras, have remained on Philips.

If that's more or less clear, it's only necessary to say that Gergiev is at his best here. Critics have rightly praised the lyrical bueaty and intensity of the Andante, a high point. The third-movement waltz is taken quickly, almost a beat to a bar, with great suppleness from the orchestra musicians. The finale is dramatic without being overblown (Gergiev rightly resists inflating themes that sound better the simpler they are taken). Only the opening movement, taken at a measured pace, seems a bit ordinary to me.

Of course there's nothing ordinary in the polished, relaxed brilliance of the Vienna Phil., who play at their best for Gergiev. The recording quality is fine, although not up to the exceptional job that Decca did with the Pathetique. The reputation of Mravinsky hangs over Gergiev's head, and the Fifth was a Mravinsky specialty. I think it's wise of Gergiev not to try and equal the blazing intensity of his great predecessor, choosing insted to play the music from the inside out, so to speak. Highly recommended.

This live recording of Tchaikovsky's 5th is emotionally moving, musically fulfilling, and excellently recorded. For many of us, this may be a recording that we may tend to pass over, thinking that the Tchaikovsky 5th has been over-recorded and trivialized into a piece of kitsch that we just don't want to hear again any time soon, so why would we want to buy yet another recording? Hearing this recording, however, will disabuse anyone of that notion, for this performance reveals this work to be a powerful piece of serious music, and the musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic were inspired by conductor Georgiev to play it for all that is worth -- for a quick example, take the melody that first appears as a horn phrase early in the second movement, the melody that the late John Denver cribbed and set lyrics to ("you fill up my senses..."). Believe me, these musicians do not approach this as though it is a trite, kitschy melody. The end result is simply beautiful, but not at all sentimental-sounding. What a wonderful performance!

This is an instance where the Vienna Philharmonic seems to have been perfectly picked for their repertoire, in this case the Tchaikovsky fifth symphony. This is definitely one of my favorite musical works, because while many composors (Tchaikovsky included) have become renown for dark, important sounding, symphonic works, in this symphony Tchaikovsky takes a much needed step from the crowd, and creates a symphony that retains as much meaning as the works of say, Beethoven or Mahler, but is also especially sunny, flighty, and easy to listen to. The Viennese do very well in all four movements, and their great match with the repertoire is especially notable in the waltzing third movement. But don't underestimate this symphony just because it is nice. Tchaikovsky keeps this symphony serious, and each movement is filled with as much, if not more, emotion than many are capable of in their lifetime. All in all, this is an excellent interpretation of one of Tchaikovsky's triumphant works.

Several reviewers are a bit persnickety here about this or that problem with this version of the 5th. But the musical energy and grab that so many other reviews note is for real. This magical musical power is there from the start and does not let up. If you like LIVE recordings precisely for this special energy that studio recordings rarely match (for reasons we can discuss forever), here is a fine live performance that does great justice to the genius of Tchaikovsky--and you can tell, can hear plainly, that they are all of them really into this -- all the musicians and Gergiev too.

I keep buying more versions of the fifth, which is my favorite. I'm never really happy with them though. If you own Mravinsky's set, you've got it all! The only ones that have come close with me are the Jansson's. It's a powerful ride, but the master is still the master.