These recordings originally appeared on Teldec in 1995, on a
CD mysteriously entitled 'Pas de Deux'. The most likely market
for this disc will be found among relative newcomers to art
music. There really is no better place to start than with Tchaikovsky
and his infallible ability to write superbly melodic music of
immortal beauty - in this case, in the form of a waltz. The
eleven heard here come not only from the famous ballets, but
also from his last two Symphonies, the haunting Serenade in
C and the rarer incidental music to Hamlet.
True, there exists a school of thought which says that it is
possible to have too many waltzes, and indeed even that a single
waltz is too many if played by André Rieu's Johann Strauss
Orchestra. If an exception should be made for anyone, it must
be not for 'waltz king' Johann Strauss but for Tchaikovsky.
Certainly, there can be no demurring against the great Nutcracker
waltzes, and that is already a quarter of the disc safely enjoyed
without a second's boredom, especially when the New York Philharmonic
are playing, and Kurt Masur is their conductor. Masur has huge
experience performing Tchaikovsky, not least his recordings
of the Symphonies for Teldec in the early Nineties with the
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Sadly, his ill health is likely
to end his conducting days in the near future, but in 1994 he
was still in his prime - as this programme testifies.
These are re-mastered recordings: consequently the audio is,
in that regard, more than satisfactory, with a particularly
impressive spatial ambience. As for these being live recordings,
as the CD states, it is actually quite difficult to tell - for
better or for worse, nearly all traces of audience have been
carefully edited out.
The booklet notes are rudimentary, to say the least - there
are none. Buyers must be satisfied with a track-listing
and a few technical details. As they are unlikely to be knowledgeable,
dedicated collectors, surely Warner might have included a few
lines about the music, if for no other reason than to encourage
further enquiry that leads to sales. The good news is that the
patient surfer will find this CD online for under £5,
which makes it an affordable gift for a loved one keen to escape
the clamour and trinketry of pop and discover what real music
sounds like.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
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Track listing
Farewell of the Guests - Waltz (from: Swan Lake) [7:20]
Waltz (from: Swan Lake) [7:25]
Waltz (from: Eugene Onegin) [6:19]
Waltz (from: Sleeping Beauty) [4:51]
Entr'acte (waltz) (from: Hamlet, op.67b) [3:50]
Waltz of the Snowflakes (from: The Nutcracker) [4:00]
Waltz of the Flowers (from: The Nutcracker) [6:53]
Final Waltz and Apotheosis (from: The Nutcracker) [3:47]
Waltz (Allegro moderato) (from: Symphony no.5) [6:31]
Allegro con grazia (from: Symphony no.6) [7:58]
Moderato - Tempo di valse (from: Serenade in C, for strings)
[3:53]
New York Philharmonic/Kurt Masur 