# Recommendations on best newish complete Tchaikovsky symphony cycles



## Pmartel63 (Dec 9, 2020)

Looking for recommendations on newish complete Tchaikovsky symphony cycles including Manfred where possible

I have the Haitink/Concertgebow set which for pre sound has been my reference for years

As always thanks for your input


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## Monsalvat (11 mo ago)

Karajan did a cycle of all of the numbered symphonies between 1975 and 1979 for DGG with the Berlin Philharmonic, but no Manfred. Wouldn't call it "newish" but I think the Haitink/Concertgebouw set is from around the same time as this one. It's a lot easier to find 4, 5, and 6 bundled together, but I'm sure you know that anyway.

There is also an older thread which includes recommendations on both complete cycles and just 4, 5, 6 "half-cycles": Recommend Tchaikovsky symphony recordings.....


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Love V Petrenko and RLPO set of symphonies which is split into two along with the Manfred, Ballets and overtures.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

I second the V. Petrenko (Onyx). His Manfred (Naxos) is also a top pick in my opinion.

Another very good set is the Jurowski (LPO, Manfred included). It is not only beautifully played, every note and every phrase seems purposeful. It is more unorthodox than V. Petrenko and most others though. Your mileage may vary.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Muti (Philharmonia/Philadelphia, EMI/Brilliant Classics). I'm not always a big fan of Muti, but his Tchaikovsky is superb.
Very well recorded too.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Gergiev, but for real.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I highly recommend Muti , alas it's not news but nevertheless wort having. Another good one is the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Neeme Järvi. Happy exploring.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Kiki said:


> I second the V. Petrenko (Onyx). His Manfred (Naxos) is also a top pick in my opinion.
> 
> Another very good set is the Jurowski (LPO, Manfred included). It is not only beautifully played, every note and every phrase seems purposeful. It is more unorthodox than V. Petrenko and most others though. Your mileage may vary.


Totally agree with Kiki, here. At 14 years old the Jurowski set is definitely 'newish' and I really rate it highly. Although I really like the Muti, how anyone could call that cycle 'newish' is silly. It was recorded over 40 years ago! Some TC members weren't even born when it came out. It's not even in digital sound!


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Neither is very "newish", but the Muti/Philharmonia and Jansons/Oslo PO are superbly played and well recorded.

Can anyone comment on Bernstein's Tchaikovsky?


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

For new recordings, Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra is ticking more boxes for me than most.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

wkasimer said:


> ...
> Can anyone comment on Bernstein's Tchaikovsky?


I can only speak of his later DG recordings of #4-6. Overall they are extremely slow. However, the variation of tempi happens often and the range is wide. He even speeded up at many places to what I perceived as "normal" tempi.

The effect is theatrical. He also kept the slow flow reasonably fluent. He definitely did not play a few notes then took a breath before carrying on. The music seldom sounds fragmentary or broken up. Make no mistake, it is very slow. It is unorthodox. Definitely not everybody's everyday Tchaikovsky. However, accept that and there may be rewards.

I gather his earlier complete cycle on CBS/Sony is very different though.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Mikhail Pletnev on DGG did a very good cycle of all seven Symphonies, including Manfred, plus all the shorter orchestral pieces. However, my favourite is the set done on Virgin by Andrew Litton.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

wkasimer said:


> Neither is very "newish", but the Muti/Philharmonia and Jansons/Oslo PO are superbly played and well recorded.
> 
> Can anyone comment on Bernstein's Tchaikovsky?


I used to have the Bernstein cycle on cd (the cover below) but I got offered a lot more than I paid for it and sold it on. I had to remind myself what it sounded like this morning so I skipped through it before on the HD. Btw, I was sure I'd reviewed it on here before but I can't find it (use the amazing search function, Merl! -lol). OK, it's analogue so there's a bit of hiss but it's in really good analogue (I just looked at the dates on the recordings and they're mostly early 60s and 70s but there's amazing consistency in the sound. Like Karajan (IMO) , he does the early symphonies _really_ well . No phaffing about or silly extremes of tempi. I do remember saying that the 2nd is a great performance when I reviewed it and I'll stand by that after just sampling it. The 3rd is still good but not as strong as the previous two. For me, the problems start in 4-6. #4 is awful as he drags it around the houses, constantly shifting gears. I remembered it straight away when I played it (and turned it off quickly). The 5th is ok and has some great moments (I do love the brass sound) but again he constantly shifts tempo and I recalled finding the slow movement schmaltzy (it is). The 6th is the best of the later ones for me and I do recall enjoying it far more than that infamous hour-long late effort, particularly in the first movement.


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## Mathias Broucek (Feb 18, 2020)

Another vote for Jurowski. Very cheap on 7digital when I bought it

There’s a second cycle by Pletnev on Pentatone in great sound but I prefer his earlier DG set (and his earlier still Virgin 6th)


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> Mikhail Pletnev on DGG did a very good cycle of all seven Symphonies, including Manfred, plus all the shorter orchestral pieces. However, my favourite is the set done on Virgin by Andrew Litton.


Obviosuly a man with great taste CnC - those are the only two complete sets I have and I am happy enough with them. I do have individual discs but have not been tempted by another complete set.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Kitaenko (Kitayenko, Kitajenko) with Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne on Oehms Classics is hypercomplete with Manfred and a reconstruction of the "7th" symphony (based on piano concerto #3). Recent modern sound but probably not really up with the very best as interpretations.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I have been terribly disappointed at the generally lousy quality of the Tchaikovsky sets made over the past few decades. I've picked most of them up, and gave a lot away. There are really very few conductors who do the composer well - they are too inhibited and too stiff.

The biggest disappointments: Jarvi on Bis was just glib and uninvolved. His son's new set has some good things, but so much just not very well done. Bychkov is just boring and should have, could have been something great - it isn't. The Slatkin box on RCA is just routine and he doesn't seem to care. The Ormandy box is very good, but the sound is often congested and shows its age. The Karajan (generally excellent), Bernstein (very exciting) and Markevitch (wonderful) and Maazel (very fine) are not "newish". They're all at least 50 years old. But they sure knew their Tchaikovsky! I've never heard what others do in the Jansons set on Chandos - there are better, much better versions. Andrew Litton on Virgin was ok, but while he excelled in Rachmaninoff his Tchaikovsky was less thrilling. Pletnev was fast, loud and unromantic. The Svetlanovs on Melodiya (from the 60s) suffer from poor sonics, but the performances are terrific - possibly the best. Too bad the sound is so crappy. The Jurowski LPO set is excellent - and the Manfred is a knockout!

But if I could keep only one symphony (1-6) set it would be Temirkanov. Superb playing, understanding and volatile conducting. And no holds barred! Get his Manfred on EMI (now Warner) and you have a great Tchaikovsky symphony set. The RCA sound is thrilling and for under $22 the price hard to beat!


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

^^^ I am afraid I too found the Bychkov set somewhat dull, and I am a big fan of the Czech Phil, and after his impassioned words on the Ukraine crisis, of Bychkov too. I do think the Concertos are the best thing in that box....(but I really dislike the First Piano Concerto, and have never understood the fuss about it!)

I think Pletnev is better than you are giving him credit for, though. In my book, Tchaikovsky can be ruined by the hyper-romantic heart-on-sleeve approach, after a few listens it can get boring and cloying. I feel Pletnev does a damned good job for Tchaikovsky The Symphonist, in preference to Tchaikovsky the tortured soul..... no it's not the last word on these works, but it's just as valid an angle, surely?


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