Tchaikovsky's sixth symphony never, ever fails to please me (if I'm in the right mood). No other symphony has such unity of emotion (gloom) nor such an incredible balance between its four movements -- there is not one movement of the Pathétique one can skip over. Far better, to my mind, than any symphony by Gustav Mahler or Robert Schumann. And Brahms? Well I'll take the Pathétique with me any day.
One of these days I must listen to one of the other excellent versions I have: Toscanini, Furtwängler, Cantelli ... But I always stick on the recording of Mikhail Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra. Quite good enough for me.
The day also featured an excellent leg of young New Zealand lamb, perfectly cooked, for a change. Happy to bed.
Personal journal dealing mainly with music listened to, plus various food and wine matters. Rants at a few favourite topics.
Harry Collier
My collection of recordings
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1 comment:
Well, like some of Mahler's music - Tchaikovsky Sixth can be too gloomy (if you are in a cheery mood). So, I take that piece in small doses. I have the Virgin RNO Pletnev version (which Gramophone chose as its top version in Collection). Personally, I don't like it very much. Do you have the DG or the Virgin version, Harry?
For the Sixth with a difference - I'm sure you have & love Volodos's playing on piano of Feinberg's transcription of the 3rd mvt on Sony. Marvellous stuff!
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