sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 20, 2007 20:56:45 GMT -8
I was listening to one of the 'war horse' classical pieces Tchaikovsky's 5th and when the second movement started playing the andante cantabile with the famous horn solo my thoughts drifted to our own Armin wondering if he had ever played that solo before. I'm sure he has and it is only a question of how many times and is he sick of it.
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Post by TJ on Dec 20, 2007 21:08:49 GMT -8
I really need to listen to the Symphonies. I have this huge set on Sony Classical under Claudio Abbado that cost like $16 a couple years ago, it has all the major works and its just such a daunting task to listen to it all. Maybe I'll have tos tart with #5.
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sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 20, 2007 21:35:46 GMT -8
The beauty of all of his symphonies is the accessibility that they have. They are wonderfully melodic, well developed and some of his finest writing.
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Post by Armin on Dec 21, 2007 6:38:00 GMT -8
As a matter of fact I have never played the Tchaik 5 solo in concert. I am however sick of playing it in every single audition on the planet. In addition I've played 2nd and assistant in some performance and on European tour some years ago. Overall one of Tchaikovsky's better works.
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Post by Yavar Moradi on Dec 21, 2007 9:32:15 GMT -8
My ranking of the Tchaikovsky symphonies (my personal preference, folks):
4 (thought I'm tempted to bump it down for the weird scherzo which while okay on its own doesn't feel like it fits in with the rest IMO) 1 (yes, you heard me....it's underrated) 6 (fairly regarded as a masterpiece) 5 (excellent first movement) 2 (really not far behind the rest...and easily the best scherzo of them all...wish it was in place of #4's, sacrilege though that might be...) Manfred 3 (has some highlights but overall relatively weak IMO)
Yavar
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Post by christopher on Dec 21, 2007 12:33:19 GMT -8
Tchaikovsky wrote a symphony called Manfred? I don't know if I've heard any of these, actually. Chances are that I have and didn't know what I was listening to. On a somewhat related note, I really like the first part of the first movement of his 1st piano concerto, but then the killer theme goes away for the rest of the (rather lengthy) mvt. What gives?
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Post by TJ on Dec 21, 2007 14:40:01 GMT -8
The Manfred may be the most popular?
I think it was on one of those "Heavy Classics" compilations
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Post by Armin on Dec 21, 2007 19:33:57 GMT -8
Manfred is indeed a sepearte symphony and it's quite all right. Not great, but it has its moments.
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sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 21, 2007 20:31:14 GMT -8
Interesting list Yavar that you presented. Your least favorite of his symphonies (I don't count Manfred as a structured symphony) is the one he did in a major key. My opinion is 4,6,1,5,2 & 3. Three is also my least favorite and Winter Dreams is a strong first effort in a symphony IMHO too.
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sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 23, 2007 7:06:39 GMT -8
I had a listen last night to "Winter Reveries" (#1) having not listened to it for awhile. Incredibly well done for his first symphony.
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Post by Armin on Dec 23, 2007 15:29:11 GMT -8
I can't remember it too well, but there are some very weak points in it. It's a first symphony though, so it was quite a promising start.
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sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 24, 2007 20:15:17 GMT -8
Given some of the other first efforts I've heard it was very very good. As I stated earlier I feel it is stronger than 5, 2, and 3.
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jb
Intern
Posts: 19
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Post by jb on Dec 26, 2007 20:30:34 GMT -8
I think his third is pretty much accepted as his weakest symphony. My list would be:
5, 6, 1, 4, 2, 3
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sdtom
Conductor
Posts: 1,109
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Post by sdtom on Dec 27, 2007 22:17:38 GMT -8
I had a listen to the Third last night and the Scherzo is really quite good.
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