 "This Should Be In Every Classical Music Collection" | 2009-02-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1665GGGDM0ZPO |
At last count, I currently own, or have previewed and returned, or owned and sold 35 different recordings of Tchaikovsky's Sixth. Two of these recordings are standout favorites.
The Ormandy/Philadelphia version on CBS is recorded very well. Smooth, sweet high end and plenty of warm depth to the bass. Very clear and open, but not the best approximation of a sound stage.
The Philadelphia Orchestra in those days billed itself as being "The World's Greatest Orchestra." Although that claim may be disbutable, they sound like it here. The playing is sweet and powerful, with the famed Philly strings especially ingratiating. The sound is so gorgeous that I feel exhilerated listening to it. The beauty of the playing is what gets to me. On the other hand, my wife gets annoyed at me for playing this as it makes her feel depressed. After all, this music is incredibly sad.
The engineering on the Bernstein is even better. In addition to all the same strengths as the Ormandy, the Bernstein has a wider, deeper, and more open soundstage.
I most often listen to the Bernstein with headphones, so that my wife doesn't hear it. If my wife is irritated by the Ormandy, the Bernstein would be unbearable. This might be the most anguished recording ever made, except that Bernstein does the same thing for the 4th movement of Mahler's Third on another DG recording. It is not just the very slow pace. Gergiev (Kirov/Philips) is also quite slow, but his plods along with heavy leaden feet, while Bernstein even at this slow pace conveys a sense of tension. I cannot imagine how the players held this together at such a slow pace, but they do, and the New York Philharmonic plays magnificently for Bernstein.
I often slip the Ormandy into my CD player and then skip to the 4th Movement to hear the glorious playing and the power. With the Bernstein, it is the opposite. Sometimes I can't make it as far as the 4th movement. Its just too much anguish to bear all in one sitting.
There are many very good recordings of the 6th, including the Markevitch on Philips, the Guilini on EMI, the Karajan also on EMI, and the aforementioned Ormandy. If you already have one or more of those, it would still be worthwhile to add the Bernstein. It is that unique. |
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 "2.5 stars- Lenny drawing attention to himself" | 2007-05-21 |
| - Reviewed By markareds |
| I can't believe that these other reviewers think that the last movenment being played at about 18:00 is valid. To show complete despair, does it have to really be played at a crawling pace like that? Karajan's late 70's DG version is full of despair but is played at a fairly quick 9:50. Bernstein, especially in his last years, was very self-indulgent, and it really shows in this reading. The longest last movement that I've ever seen before this clocked in at about 11:30. This is interesting to hear maybe once or twice but most people will want a better more competent version than this one. Buy the Karajan DG version from the late 70's and just forget about this self-indulgent reading. |
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| "Intense and heart-felt..." | 2007-05-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3UHOON35DEPSE |
This is Tchaikovsky's most meloncholic work: it embodies the composer's suffering as much as it embodies the whole of Russia's soulful feelings of sadness. Bernstein's interpretation is the most intense and heart-felt of all I've heard, maybe too much so for some listeners; but I think it is quite profound in how it touches upon those last and desperate days of Tchaikovsky.
Comparisons: Ormandy (earlier rec.); Dutiot |
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| "A Devastating Performance" | 2007-03-29 |
| - Reviewed By muslit2 |
I just heard this work performed in New York by the Philharmonic with Kurt Masur conducting. The only movement which musically seemed to come off was the 2nd. The coda of the first movement lacked dignity (because of the tempo's similarity with Masur's reading of the second tune), the third movement was the fastest march on record, and the finale was played like an allegretto. I kept going back to the Bernstein recording of the same symphony.
I've always felt this Bernstein recording of the Tchaikovsky 6th to be the one that devastates the emotions. Ultimately, he sees the first three movements as a preparation for the last. At the end of the last movement, the despair is complete.
Bernstein, when choosing slower than normal tempos, never lacked inner rhythm. His slow tempos move like no other. His interpretation of the final movement is extremely slow and personal. Yet it seems right to me. So right, in fact, I'm unable to hear any other tempo for it, so convincing an end it is to this incredibly anguished work. |
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| "An extremely valid interpretation" | 2006-12-23 |
| - Reviewed By -king- |
Maestro Bernstein was the subject of controversy throughout his entire career. His flamboyance, excessiveness and superstar status seem to have made people forget that Lenny was a master conductor, as well as musical educator. Unfortunately, some people can't seem to put personal feelings
aside and just listen. This is also a problem for the other superstar conductor of the 20th century, Herbert von Karajan. Although Karajan's involvement as a Nazi sympathizer is really much more of a real scandal than Berstein's penchant for over-indulgence and doing things "his way".
I've just finished listening to both Maestro's versions of Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony in order to make an accurate assessment. Bernstein's has been creating quite a stir since it was first released but like others, I'm perplexed as to exactly why. There is nothing particularly odd here, but I think the stretching of the tempi in the first and last movements is more than some can handle. Although one can't help but think that certain people are just looking for an excuse to blast Lenny since that's fairly fashionable. In either case I'd suggest sitting down with this and giving it a good listen before passing judgment, which is something all classical music fans should be doing anyway.
About 15:30 into the Adagio, THE moment of the symphony happens. The sustaining strings hold in suspense as a towering brass motif thunders over it. This is one of the most powerful moments in music history and Bernstein handles it nearly perfectly. He does take it slower than most, but in turn we are allowed to stay in terror even longer, and a big impression is made. The recorded sound it brilliant and handles the epic quality of this section perfectly. I actually prefer Karajan's white-hot take on "THE moment", but why settle for just one great version?
The other movements are beautifully played and conducted here as well but I won't get into them. The finale is taken very, very slowly so be prepared for that. It works well despite the crawling pace and succeeds in offering the feeling of a dying life- quite appropriate considering this functions as a requiem of sorts since nine days after this symphony's premier, Tchaikovsky committed suicide. |
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| "Best overall performance of this moving work" | 2006-04-02 |
| - Reviewed By theanswer24 |
I had recently reviewed Bernstein's outstanding recordings of Tchaikovsky's Fourth and Fifth symphonies on DG. Those are desert island discs, and while the Pathetique is not quite up to par with those magisterial interpretations, this is still the prime recommendation for a work that is replete with despair.
Under Bernstein's hands, the piece moves at a pace that is much slower than most. However, for a piece fraught with sorrow, this approach works very well. Listen to the famous main theme of the first movement and the way Bernstein presents it. It is extremely slow and heart-wrenching. The development section is appropriately violent and contains some tremendous playing from the strings and powerful brass! The second movement is a lovely waltz, light-hearted and flowing. The third movement, which is a triumphant march, is also played slower than most, but Bernstein always keeps things exciting with prominent percussion (loud cymbal crashes!) and blazing brass. It is the Finale, however, which is the highlight of this entire recording. Most performances get through this movement in about 10-11 minutes, but Bernstein drags it out to about 18 minutes! This is very controversial, and there will be many who oppose this treatment. However, there is no doubt that Bernstein always gave everything he had to a piece, and here it is evident that he is trying to coax every last ounce of pain and sorrow from this famous movement. By slowing down the tempo, the buildup to the climax gains a lot more tension, and once the climax is reached, a true fortissimo is provided. The final moments of the Finale fade away slowly, like a dying man breathing his last breaths.
Once again, Bernstein has provided a definive performance that is unlikely to be surpassed, at least to my ears. However, if slow, self-indulgent, and extremely emotional are not what you want in your Pathetique, then try Pletnev (on Virgin) or Mravinsky (on both DG and Erato), who also give great interpretations. However, it is Bernstein's interpretation that I keep coming back to over and over again. My only regret is that a coupling was not provided for this CD. Surely, DG could have fit in the Capriccio Italien at the very least! |
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