# SS 12.03.16 - Tchaikovsky #3 "Polish"



## realdealblues

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*_For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)*

Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 "Polish" 

1. Introduzione e Allegro: Moderato assai (Tempo di marcia funebre)
2. Alla tedesca: Allegro moderato e semplice
3. Andante elegiaco
4. Scherzo: Allegro vivo
5. Finale: Allegro con fuoco (Tempo di polacca)

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues

Another weekend of symphonic enjoyment is here 

This week it's Tchaikovsky's 3rd. This symphony has grown on me over the years but it doesn't get as much listening from me as it probably should. Anyway, looking forward to rehearing it. I'll go with one of the best ever put on disc in my opinion:

View attachment 82390


Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic


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## Pugg

Easy one: Riccardo Muti & Philharmonia Orchestra :tiphat:


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## Jeff W

I think I will go with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic as well. Is this the same recording?


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## D Smith

I'll listen to Masur/Leipzig which is my favourite recording along with Bernstein's.


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## realdealblues

Jeff W said:


> Is this the same recording?


Yes it is. Lenny only recorded this one once and it's a dandy. He brought just the right color and excitement to it.


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## MrTortoise

I have Lenny and the NY Phil queued up in Spotify


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## Jeff W

realdealblues said:


> Yes it is. Lenny only recorded this one once and it's a dandy. He brought just the right color and excitement to it.


Thanks. I've had trouble warming up to this symphony (and the 2nd, for that matter). Maybe this one will work for me!


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## kanishknishar

*Mariss Jansons does it for me*














​
I am going to listen to Jansons' set of Tchaikovsky's Symphonies with his Oslo Philharmonic. Wanting to get 'round it, this gives me the perfect opportunity!

​


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## hpowders

I find the Abbado a very polished performance.


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## shadowdancer

I will join this week with Karajan's


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## Mahlerian

Out of left field, but because it's what the library had:

Antoni Wit/Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra


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## Triplets

I just heard this piece recently with Muti leading the CSO I've owned the Bernstein recording for years but I think I'll listen to the Muti Philharmonia recording. It and the "Little Russian" are still the weak links in the Tchaikovsky Symphony Chain


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## Haydn man

I shall go with this version for this weeks offering


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## Becca

London Symphony / Antal Dorati - One of the earliest sets of the first 3 Tchaikovsky symphonies and still one of the best (although Janssons is also up there).

View attachment 82402


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## Mika

Will listen Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra


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## TxllxT




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## Mahlerian

Mika said:


> Will listen Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
> 
> View attachment 82404


That cover is amazing. I can't imagine what thought process created it.


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## Orfeo

I'll go with Svetlanov's latest recording of this work, which sounds very caressing and balletic, and where tempi do broaden noticeably especially in the outer movements, and yet with the pacing that never sounds languorous. In short, solid, steady, gripping.


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## Pugg

It seem to be swinging al the way this time, not a clear favourite. 
That's good.


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## kanishknishar

Pugg said:


> It seem to be swinging al the way this time, not a clear favourite.
> That's good.


I agree. I am happy to see so much variety.



Mika said:


> Will listen Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
> 
> View attachment 82404


How do you rate the performance, Mika?



Mahlerian said:


> That cover is amazing. I can't imagine what thought process created it.


Why? What's special about the cover?


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## Mahlerian

Herrenvolk said:


> Why? What's special about the cover?












Many, many things.

- Is Jarvi trying to shield his face from the paparazzi, or is he a priest giving a blessing?
- Why a staircase?
- Why is Jarvi superimposed on a staircase?
- Why does the superposition look like a bad photoshop?
- Why is he positioned at an odd angle relative to the staircase?
- Why is the lighting completely different for him and the staircase?


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## Manxfeeder

Karajan. It's a toss-up between that and my other recording on Naxos with Witt, and I haven't heard Karajan's version enough to have a judgment on it, so I'm going with that one.


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## Balthazar

I am going with Zubin Mehta and Los Angeles.


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## Cosmos

Mahlerian said:


> Out of left field, but because it's what the library had:
> 
> Antoni Wit/Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra


Didn't know this was the symphony today! I'll listen right now, and to this Naxos label recording


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## Classical Music Fan

I listened to Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra from this set. 







I'll also find time either today or tomorrow to listen to Karajan from the Symphony Edition


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## kanishknishar

Mahlerian said:


> Many, many things.
> 
> - Is Jarvi trying to shield his face from the paparazzi, or is he a priest giving a blessing?
> - Why a staircase?
> - Why is Jarvi superimposed on a staircase?
> - Why does the superposition look like a bad photoshop?
> - Why is he positioned at an odd angle relative to the staircase?
> - Why is the lighting completely different for him and the staircase?


Bravo. Didn't notice these things. Sharp mind, ya got, M-Bear.


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## Triplets

Herrenvolk said:


> Bravo. Didn't notice these things. Sharp mind, ya got, M-Bear.


I suspect they took it as he was walking past a staircase and that it means nothing. Like those Bis covers for Brautigan's Beethoven Cycle that show him standing next to logging trees

Anyway, I wound up listening to Pletnev on Pentatone, but it wasn't very inspiring


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## Manxfeeder

Mahlerian said:


> Many, many things.
> 
> - Is Jarvi trying to shield his face from the paparazzi, or is he a priest giving a blessing?
> - Why a staircase?
> - Why is Jarvi superimposed on a staircase?
> - Why does the superposition look like a bad photoshop?
> - Why is he positioned at an odd angle relative to the staircase?
> - Why is the lighting completely different for him and the staircase?


Maybe he's using a Jedi mind trick.


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## maestro267

At a push, the Third is probably my favourite of the early Tchaikovsky symphonies. It's just brimming with energy, a joy to listen to. And the triumphant D major chorale near the end of the finale is an incredible moment, followed by the rip-roaring conclusion that Tchaikovsky is a master of.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Triplets said:


> I just heard this piece recently with Muti leading the CSO I've owned the Bernstein recording for years but I think I'll listen to the Muti Philharmonia recording. It and the "Little Russian" are still the weak links in the Tchaikovsky Symphony Chain


Actually, I don't see how these symphonies are 'weak'. They're just different than 4-6, imo . I think they're excellent in their own ways.


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## TxllxT

Manxfeeder said:


> Karajan. It's a toss-up between that and my other recording on Naxos with Witt, and I haven't heard Karajan's version enough to have a judgment on it, so I'm going with that one.
> 
> View attachment 82430


Karajan has a wonderful fourth symphony with syncopation rhythms!


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## Pugg

TxllxT said:


>


That's what I called patriotism :tiphat:


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## PeterF

I have one version of the Tchaikovsky 3rd Symphony . It is a fairly recent recording by Mikhail Pletnev and the 
Russian National Orchestra.


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## PlaySalieri

I must be missing something that everyone else can hear - but the first 3 Tchaik symphonies are, for me - barely worth a listen. I went to a perf of the little russian a year ago and nearly fell asleep.
How Tchaik went from the relative mediocrity of the 3rd sy to his supreme masterpiece sy no 4 - is quite a marvel indeed - as big a leap as Beethoven made with his 3rd sy.
No doubt this view will not be popular but there it is.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

stomanek said:


> I must be missing something that everyone else can hear - but the first 3 Tchaik symphonies are, for me - barely worth a listen. I went to a perf of the little russian a year ago and nearly fell asleep.
> How Tchaik went from the relative mediocrity of the 3rd sy to his supreme masterpiece sy no 4 - is quite a marvel indeed - as big a leap as Beethoven made with his 3rd sy.
> No doubt this view will not be popular but there it is.


I disagree fully. I think the 'Little Russian' is brilliant - excellent melodies, orchestration, strucutre. Nothing amiss imo.


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## TxllxT

Pugg said:


> That's what I called patriotism :tiphat:


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## PeterF

What seems to missing in this discussion is the sense that all symphonies cannot be "great", and yet may be highly enjoyable.
For me this fits the first 3 symphonies of Tchaikovsky. 
Just listened to Symphony No.3. Not ready to call it one of the truly great pieces of symphonic music, but listening to my SACD surround sound recording by the Russian National Symphony conducted by Mikhail Pletnev was wonderful. It was well structured, exciting, and a solid example of the Romantic style.


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