Search - Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos 4 & 5 on DVD

Performances a mixed bag, video inferior

HB | Fort Mill, SC | 03/28/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a mixed bag and I would try to rent it before buying it. We have four works here, although one of them is really just an encore. The program starts with the 4th Symphony, with the NY Philharmonic. The performance is rather stiff in the first movement. The orchestra seems a little bored. Things get better in slow movement, which is played with much more passion. The splendid scherzo is exceptionally well played and a delight. The finale is okay but a little overwrought.

The 5th Symphony is next, this time with the Boston Symphony. Their playing is much more flexible than the New Yorkers and it has much more warmth and spontanaiety. It is from Tanglewood and most enjoyable.

Next comes the Violin Concerto, again from New York and with Boris Belkin as the soloist. Mr. Belkin has an enormous technique but I find his reading to be most unmusical. Instead of concentrating on the music, his sole purpose to seems to be to show off his ability. The music takes second place. If you want a DVD of the Violin Concerto I would recommend Perlman and Ormandy.

Finally there is the string orchestra version of the slow movement from Tchaikovsky's 1st String Quartet. In the original version, the music is sentimental. In this version, it is like adding sugar to vanilla ice cream. I am glad they put it at the end as an encore.

The picture quality is enhanced black and white. There are no extras."

Bernstein Tchaikovsky

George J. Fournier | Orlando, Florida | 02/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1975, I saw the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast on PBS featuring the works of Tchaikovsky and have always considered it to be best program of any kind I have ever seen on television. I have waited over thirty years to see it again. It is just as I rembered it."