Tchaikowsky's First Symphony

[Ed Hudgins]

For those of you music fans who aren't familiar with the work, check out Tchaikovsky's First Symphony. Always a favorite of mine, we saw "Winter Dream" last night at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony under guest conductor Andrew Litton (see my photo below).

Especially beautiful is the slow second movement. The lovely, lyrical, very Russian-sounding main melody begins with the oboe in a trio with the flute and bassoon. The theme goes to the strings and other instruments with some development and ends with the horns holding forth.

Global warming will not stop the winter and cold whether from arriving (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere!), so curl up some winter night with a hot cup of tea/coffee/cocoa, turn off the lights, watch out your window as the snow falls, and get into the spirit of the season by listening to Tchaikovsky's First!

[Ed Hudgins]

P.S. Can't figure out how to change the Euro spelling (or misspelling) of "Tchaikowsky" in the topic title to be consistent with the English spelling "Tchaikovsky" that I use in my comments. If minds greater than mine know how, please let me know! Here's the Russian spelling! Чайковский

[Chris Grieb]

You could add a hot buttered rum to your list of things to listen to the First with.

[jeffrey smith]

I suspect the '-w-' transliteration found its origin in German; but I think the topic titles are not editable. Michael, are you reading this?

It took me a long time to appreciate this composer; most renditions of the Fifth and Sixth would send a diabetic into a coma, and it took me a long time to find a version that wasn't too sugary. In fact, in the case of the Sixth, my favorite recording happens to be conducted by Litton (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, on Virgin). But I think his best symphony was the Fourth, and the recording of the Fourth by Solti with the CSO remains one of my favorites.

[jeffrey smith]

You could add a hot buttered rum to your list of things to listen to the First with.

Rum? Rum? Zis is not Cuba! Zis is Holy Babushka Russia! Nyet to Rum! Vodka! A samovar of black tea laced with vodka, now that's the ticket!

[jeffrey smith]

And after posting the above, found this review of the concert:

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/dream-playing-for-winter-dreams.html

Now I'll go back to looking for that samovar...

[Ed Hudgins]

Jeffrey - I'll have to check out Litton's version of the Sixth. Have have an Ormandy of the Fifth and Six and the same Solti doing the Fourth!

Chris and Jeffrey - Da! Volka! But since we're Americans I guess a hot rum could work as well!

[9thdoctor]

Jeffrey - I'll have to check out Litton's version of the Sixth. Have have an Ormandy of the Fifth and Six and the same Solti doing the Fourth!

Chris and Jeffrey - Da! Volka! But since we're Americans I guess a hot rum could work as well!

I find Ormandy treacly in Tchaikovsky, the string portamenti are just over the top. But I have them in the collection, so that says something. My faves are early 60's Karajan for 4, Szell for 5, Reiner for 6, and Dorati for best complete set.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOOEzcWZqI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOOEzcWZqI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOOEzcWZqI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Nice visuals, it's not the whole movement though. Still can't get Robert Campbell's Chili Mac tune out of my head, don't click that link!