Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite no. 3

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture, TH 42 / ČW 39

Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Gennady Rozdestvensky, conductor

From a concert in Harpa, Reykjavik, April 9th, 2015.

[FilipSandecomposer]

So Nice to see an orchestra performing one of these wonderful orchestra suites of Tchaikowsky...too rarely performed.

[innocenzobarrera]

... ma che meravigliosa gestualità di questo grandissimo direttore ! ... e che risultati si ottengono !

[michaelpaulsmith]

This almost became Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony: 'But what's in a name?' he wrote to a friend. Had it been one of his enumerated symphonies then it would have reached a far wider audience and given the credit this wonderful and endlessly creative music deserves. This is one of my favourite Tchaikovsky pieces (and I've been studying him for over 50 years) and I'm at a loss to understand why it isn't more widely performed. I didn't like the rather ponderous tempi at times and there were unfortunate cuts (!) but the orchestra played well under Rozdestvensky's experienced guidance. Gorgeous music. Spread the word!

[johnsocrates]

Peter at his creative best...which was most the time!

[cstamitz]

This is a remarkable performance by a veteran Russian conductor and the Iceland Symphony. The playing is simply ravishing. One of the best performances I have ever seen on YouTube. A must see for Tchaikovsky fans, IMO.

[josemanuelbreafeijoo]

Buenísima interpretación, contenida y a la vez expresiva. ¡Bravo!

[unsignedint]

12:22 2nd movement
19:53 3rd movement
25:42 4th movement

[Egobaldo]

The interpretation by Sir Neville Marriner is excellent.

[michaelcauser]

I am surprised at the negative comments here. I thought the orchestra was ravishing.

[Glinkaism]

Lovely music. This performance is around. ten minutes shorter than others on YT,

[crundaleboy]

I might be a lone voice here - but I like and admire the way GR interprets the final movement, and the piece as a whole. It reminds me of a live concert I attended many years back with Alexander Lazarev at the helm. I too was surprised at the slow tempo he took with the Polacca, but it soon became apparent that it really worked! I don't know the directions on the score, but, to my ears, Tchaikovsky's music surely lends itself to rubato and ralls/rits to emphasise the melody line and the dynamics. The slower tempo provides the ideal environment and feeling of 'maestoso' the movement deserves. Those interpretations with the fast tempi are valid, I suppose, - but it prompts the phrase I often use when listening to musicians who excel at bravura - 'just because you can doesn't mean you should'.

[foveauxbear]

Lovely, a bit slow in places, especially Tchaikovsky specifies metronome marks in his score.

[remigio]

Muito linda esta recente gravação desta opera imortal Heliana

[gianpaga]

Stórglæsileg hljómsveit og frábær fyrsta fiðla! Góður strákur! Mikil aðdáun á hinum mikla rússneska leikstjóra.

[alexkije]

Words to opening movement, "In the beautiful garden of prayer, " a sort of secular hymn.

[edhern]

A slower interpretation I am not fond of. The 3rd mvmt was ruined with the drumming and clip-clop percussion.

[eyesandears]

I always like Gennadi's interpretations of Tchaikovsky but here the Polonaise at the end is a bit too lumbering; it just needs to be ostinato.

[paulpizzo]

very nice, but tempos are very slow...Detroit Symphony with Neeme Jarvis is perfection...more rousing and deliberate....

[bowerdw]

For me, not surprisingly terrific. Tchaikovsky is one of my favorites.

[jgesselberty]

Finale needs more oooph.  Tempos are lagging.