# SS 21.11.15 - Tchaikovsky "Manfred Symphony"



## 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)*

Manfred Symphony in B minor, Op. 58

1. Lento lugubre
2. Vivace con spirito
3. Andante con moto
4. Allegro con fuoco

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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

A little Tchaikovsky for the weekend  I admit this is probably the Tchaikovsky symphony that I listen too the least so it will be good to give it another spin this weekend. I usually listen to Muti for this work but this weekend I'll go with:

View attachment 77877


Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orchestra


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## D Smith

I'm a big Tchaikovsky fan, but Manfred has never thrilled me much. I'll try a different recording this weekend and perhaps change my mind. Pletnev/Russian National Orchestra


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## Pugg

I do like the Muti the most.
His _Italian_ style does it always for me.


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## elgar's ghost

D Smith said:


> I'm a big Tchaikovsky fan, but Manfred has never thrilled me much. I'll try a different recording this weekend and perhaps change my mind. Pletnev/Russian National Orchestra


Pletnev for me as well.


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## Mahlerian

elgars ghost said:


> Pletnev for me as well.


And for myself.


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## Vaneyes

This work was difficult for me to grasp. I proceeded through several recs, including Jansons, Muti. Finally, this cracked the nut...

*Tchaikovsky*: Manfred Symphony, w. Philharmonia/Ashkenazy. Recorded 1977, Kingsway Hall, London. Recording Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson.


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## Art Rock

View attachment 77886


There are few symphonies that divide the listeners this much: it usually ends up either near the top or bottom of personal favourite Tchaikovsky symphonies (near the top for me).


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## GreenMamba

Going back a ways to Goosens and Houston.


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## brotagonist

This symphony was written between the 4th and 5th Symphonies. It is not the work of a budding composer, but the work of an accomplished and mature composer. It has always mystified me that this one should be singled out to be so universally reviled. Why?

I have only ever heard it once, a couple of years back, as a result of discussion here on TC. This will be my second exposure. This recording just caught my attention:

Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony
Petrenko/Wiener Philharmoniker


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## techniquest

Yippee - after weeks and weeks, at last a symphony that I know and like 
The first CD recording I bought of this symphony was this one on the RPO's own label and it cost me all of £1.99. I like the recording and I will give this one a long-overdue re-listen tomorrow.


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## Haydn man

This symphony is one I have not listened to for a long time, so will go with this version


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## shadowdancer

An unusual choice, but a great performance though.
From the Toscanini Box...


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## Mahlerian

brotagonist said:


> This symphony was written between the 4th and 5th Symphonies. It is not the work of a budding composer, but the work of an accomplished and mature composer. It has always mystified me that this one should be singled out to be so universally reviled. Why?


It's overlong and bombastic.


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## Triplets

One of my favorites. I have recordings by Pletnev, Kitaenko, Ormandy, and Muti


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## brotagonist

Mahlerian said:


> It's overlong and bombastic.


Off topic (hush!)

I just bought a box set that included it and two other discs of marvellous Tchaikovsky tone poems. I am thrilled  I can't wait to get it.


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## GreenMamba

brotagonist said:


> It has always mystified me that this one should be singled out to be so universally reviled. Why?


If it is indeed so reviled, then how to it wind up on our list. 

It doesn't really do it for me, but I'm not a Tchaikovsky guy to begin with. I would have taken Little Russian over this.


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## techniquest

Triplets said:


> One of my favorites. I have recordings by Pletnev, Kitaenko, Ormandy, and Muti


Oooh, you're going to have a super Saturday


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## Mika

This time I picked Berliner Philharmoniker & Tugan Sokhiev from Digital Concert Hall.


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## Kivimees

Having some trouble attaching images today, but let's try again:


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## Classical Music Fan

This is my first time listening to this symphony. I got this set for 12 dollars new on amazon.


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## EdwardBast

brotagonist said:


> This symphony was written between the 4th and 5th Symphonies. It is not the work of a budding composer, but the work of an accomplished and mature composer. It has always mystified me that this one should be singled out to be so universally reviled. Why?


I don't revile it, but I find the first movement so much better than the others that I usually feel like stopping when it's done. It would have made a great free-standing symphonic poem. The programmatic underpinnings annoy me in the later movements because the overall conception (Mili Balakirev's idea, by the way) is lame. The work is an ungainly hybrid of the absolute symphony and program music and I think Tchaikovsky would have been better off keeping these things separate.


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## TurnaboutVox

My first Saturday Symphony listen in a few weeks, due to being away or receiving guests over several recent weekends. I went with:

*Tchaikovsky
Manfred Symphony, Op. 58
Mikhail Pletnev, Russian National Orchestra*
[Pentatone, 2014]

I rather liked this, not having heard it before (I quite like long and meandering). I used to listen to Tchaikovsky quite a lot as a child, and although he's not really amongst my core CM interests nowadays, whenever I do hear a work of his I'm transported back...


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## hpowders

Hate to spoil the party, but I consider the Manfred among Tchaikovsky's more disappointing symphonic efforts.


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## TurnaboutVox

hpowders said:


> Hate to spoil the party, but I consider the Manfred among Tchaikovsky's more disappointing symphonic efforts.


Well, I guess Tchaikovsky disappointments sound better to my ears than some composers' better works!


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## elgar's ghost

hpowders said:


> Hate to spoil the party, but I consider the Manfred among Tchaikovsky's more disappointing symphonic efforts.


You're far from alone, hp. I can't think of another work by Tchaikovsky which polarises his fan-base as much as this one.


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## techniquest

elgars ghost said:


> You're far from alone, hp. I can't think of another work by Tchaikovsky which polarises his fan-base as much as this one.


Hmm. '1812'....?


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## elgar's ghost

techniquest said:


> Hmm. '1812'....?


Nah - everybody loves that one really... :devil:


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## MrTortoise

Coming very late to this party but I wanted to jump in since this Symphony has been on my mental 'listen to' list for a long time. I went with Chilly and the Concertgebouw:










My first impressions are positive, though I was doing some work while listening. It may be long and wanders a bit, but it sure is Tchaikovsky.


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## Ilarion

Mahlerian said:


> It's overlong and bombastic.


Dear Mahlerian,

I am crestfallen and despondant because of your indictment of the *Manfred* - Surely thou hast read Lord Byron's poem? Praytell?...........Chaikovski nails the mood of the poem with such overwhelming accuracy - Please share more of your thinking behind your verdict........

Note to moderators: Please feel free to merge my posting about the *Manfred* in the *What has blown you away recently* thread to this thread if you feel it is appropriate - Methinks it would be........

Respectfully yours...


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## nightscape

Liked his version of 'Winter Dreams' and 'Pathetique', so going with Jurowski/London (although for the record I didn't care for his 4th/5th performances). I'll give him one more shot!


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## dieter

It's my favourite Tchaikovsky Symphony. It's like Rachmaninov 1 to me, way, way under-rated.
The best recording I have - and I have quite a few - is the Markevitch with the LSO.


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## PeterF

My least favorite of Tchaikovsky's symphonies.
Nonetheless, I will play the SACD recording by Pletnev with the Russian National Orchestra.


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