Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 Pathetique [Hybrid SACD - DSD]

Peter Illych Tchaikovsky (Composer), Christoph Eschenbach (Conductor), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra
• Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach
• Composer: Peter Illych Tchaikovsky
• Audio CD (June 10, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Hybrid SACD - DSD
• Label: Ondine
• ASIN: B0018M6J5Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,229 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Christoph Eschenbach continue a celebrated series of hybrid SACD recordings with their third Tchaikovsky release to combine well-known symphonic works and rarely encountered piano music. One of Tchaikovsky's most important and best-selling orchestral works, the Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique" was composed in the last year of his life (1893), and is forever associated with the tragedy of his untimely death. Filling out the recording, Eschenbach performs on piano the seldomheard Dumka (Scenes from a Russian Village), making this unusual coupling a unique release. The Philadelphia Orchestra has always had a special relationship with the music of Tchaikovsky, extending back to its earliest days under such legendary maestros as Stokowski and Ormandy. The magic is as strong as ever in their partnership with Christoph Eschenbach. Enthusiastic press greeted the release of their Tchaikovsky Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, each coupled with half of the piano cycle The magnificent "Philadelphia Sound" in concert is captured as never before using the finest SACD recording technology, for a product that can be played back in SACD surround, SACD stereo or CD stereo. The six previous hybrid SACD releases by the "formidable Ondine-Eschenbach-Philadelphia partnership" (Gramophone)which began in 2005, have been honored with accolades including BBC Music Magazine's Disc of the Month, Gramophone's "Editor's Choice," The New York Times' "Top Ten Recordings of the Year," and the German Record Critics' Award, among others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent!, June 26, 2008

By 

Hannibal (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 Pathetique (Audio CD)

Casting one's eyes at the veritable glut of performances listed of Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" makes one wonder what could still be said that hasn't been said before, and yet...and yet...guess what? Eschenbach and his orchestra bring something new to the table.

Instead of trying to be more Russian than the Russians, or more visceral than Dudamel and the over-the-top school might have it, Eschenbach and his fabulous orchestra perform this great symphony as if it were straight out of the German/Brahms romantic school: with poise and seamless majesty, and IT WORKS!

Ladies and gentlemen: You should hear this. It is a beautiful and moving experience and the SACD recording process plays an important part in allowing us to hear this Brahmsian approach, convincing us that this symphony has qualities that we never quite realized before.

Give yourself a surprising treat: listen to this recording. Believe it or not, it's something else!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent performance and recording, September 16, 2008

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D. Paper "dpaper" (Logan, UT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 Pathetique (Audio CD)

I have not traditionally been much of a Tchaikovsky fan given my penchant for composers like Mahler, R. Strauss, and Bruckner. But, this recording has changed my perception. The recording is stellar in SACD, but I don't know about surround sound given that I only listen through 2 channels. The performance, in my opinion, is also stellar.

If you like excellent SACD recordings and wonderful performances, you can't miss with this one. The only caveat I can even fathom is that traditional Tchaikovsky fans might not like the conductor's interpretation. That is, the performance is dynamic, intense, and dark if anything compared to other Tchaikovsky 6 recordings. Although I don't hate other versions (i.e., Bernstein's DG digital Tchaikovsky 6), every time I listen to one (with the exception of the one I'm recommended here) I get this kind of 'syrupy' feeling in parts of the symphony. I'll start to become immersed in the symphony and then the performance just becomes a bit too sweet for me. This recording is different. I don't know if it is a Germanic influence as indicated by another reviewer or if this symphony is really darker than I thought.

All said, I highly recommend this disc without reservation. Buy it and you won't be sorry.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At the End..., June 21, 2010

By 

Jan Dierckx (Belgium, Turnhout) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 Pathetique (Audio CD)

What makes this recording particular worthwhile is the sixt symphony of Tchaikovsky. The 6th is-among other reasons-important as a human document.
The symphony was the last music he composed before he died. Tchaikowsky was never a very happy man. According to some he was homosexual ( inadmissible in the 19th century ), according to others he searched in vain for Platonic love. His music is not really happy or frolicsome either. Even The Nutcracker and Capriccio Italiano have an undertone of tragedy played by cello and contrabass.Only at the end of his compositions, there is always an outburst of energy and optimism.

Not so in his 6th and last symphony. At the end of the fourth mouvement-the Adagio Lamentoso-the music gradually becomes pianissimo (as if Tchaikowsky meant to say: this time I give up) until the music is only a faint whisper of grief. A few weeks later Tchaikovsky commits suicide.