Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 / Hamlet (fantasy overture), Op.67 (Bernstein Royal Edition No. 93)

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For about the last 20 years of Leonard Bernstein's life, his readings became increasingly bizarre...particularly of the Romantics. His remakes of the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies on DG are very disturbing in their push-pull music-making. Prestos are transmogrified into Allegros and Andantes are suddenly Lentos. In his remake of the Pathetique, the running time of the last movement is double what it was in the original recording of the score. The 1964 recording has "Lenny" at his most inspired, if not in fact, a bit overheated. The first movement is a frenzy of what I believe to be "appropriate" hysteria. It is also a bit funny, if disconcerting to hear one or several musicians turning the score pages seconds prior to the orchestral sforzando in the first movement. The march has a kinetic power and drive that has as yet to be matched in any subsequent Sixth put to disc in the last 35 years. The Adagio that ends this work will break your heart. It is the most anguished and melancholy outcry and the Philharmonic plays this with deep passion and conviction. Once you hear the playing of the last movement on this CD, you will never forget it. The Hamlet Overture is unjustly neglected as a performance piece and this 1971 recording does itself proud with the appropriate underlined dramatic flourishes and moments of gentle reflection. This disc is a major winner. At a budget price, you will not go wrong!

Great recording. Bernstein and the NYP works well together to bring the passion and soulfulness out of the symphopny and into our ears. Sound quality could be a bit better but over all it was exciting and moving. If you don't like the NYP or Bernstein then try the BPO with Karajan or the Leningrad with Marinsky.