Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic :: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6; 1812 Overture; Romeo & Juliet; Francesca da Rimini

Bernstein's Tchaikomahlerian Interpretation

Scriabinmahler | UK | 03/10/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"
I greatly admire those Titans of eccentric conductors, Bernstein, Stokowski, Celibidache, Tennstedt for their courage to break rules in the conservative world of classic music. But...these distorted accounts of Tchaikovsky Symphonies are beyond my comprehension, even though I tried my best to appreciate Bernstein's intention. 5&6th seem to be worst affected by vulgar exaggeration and painfully slow tempi in wrong places. Pathetique Symphony is truly pathetic, reduced to monstrous parody of the great music. This sort of over-exaggeration can be effective in Mahler's music, but not for Tchaikovsky. If you seek really outrageously exaggerated and explosive, yet masterfully coherent performances of the three symphonies, try Svetlanov's Japan live recordings (Cannyon).



On the other hands, Overtures & Fantasies are great and very powerful, and rank with greatest recordings by Mravinsky, Karajan, Solti and Svetlanov."

Bernstein's final thoughts on the Russian master

dv_forever | Michigan, USA | 04/11/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Leonard Bernstein has always had the right temperament for the wild, unabashedly romantic idiom of Tchaikovsky. Bernstein had made some outstanding records with the NYPO in the 60s, particularly a high-intensity Romeo and Juliet, a smashing Hamlet Overture, ( one of the best ever made ), and a premium recording of the 4th Symphony.



Well, those days were long behind Lenny by the time he was making records for Deutsche Grammophon. Bernstein's final statements on Tchaikovsky have met with controversy since the day they were released.



Believe it or not, my approach to the DG recordings was because of my fondness for Bernstein's Romeo and Juliet from the 60s. There is really no better conductor for this overture/tone-poem hybrid than Bernstein. He seems to squeeze every last drop of emotion from the score. That Romeo from the 60s would be the best ever if not for the dated sound quality which can't mask the acidic strings. Well... what's a listener to do when he finds the perfect performance of a beloved piece but the sound is subpar?



The answer is to turn to a digital record by the same conductor and hope that the passage of time hasn't diminished the conductor's grip on the music. I'm happy to say that this digital Romeo comes off just as well as the analogue version before it. Certainly Bernstein is slower here, 22 minutes in fact when the NYPO account ran just under 20 minutes. Bernstein substitutes even more love and emotion in favor of speed and he still has the architectural grip to keep the music in focus over the long haul. So there you have, my favorite Romeo and Juliet is right here. I haven't heard a more dramatic and passionate reading. The prominent timpani and brass go hand in hand with the ecstatically lush string sound that Bernstein's former record lacks. In fact, the famous love theme has never been delivered better than here. Wonderful, open hearted music making



The 1812 Overture and the Francesca da Rimini pieces are also large scaled but perhaps not as successful. 27 minutes plus for Francesca is a bit too much and Stokowski will remain number one here. But Bernstein receives outstanding digital sound and that makes his version stand out even with the bloated running time. The Hamlet Overture, Slavonic March and the Capriccio Italien are all top class. The Hamlet is on par with Bernstein's earlier masterful reading. Bernstein is the only conductor to truly challenge Stokowski in this underrated work. In my opinion, Bernstein is second to none. Plus both of his recordings have better sound than what Stokowski got.



Onto the symphonies... the 4th was a Bernstein specialty of sorts. The NYPO account is a classic and even though this digital version is imposing, it lacks the vigor of the early Bernstein. Plus we have major competition from Mravinsky, Karajan ( mid 70s DG ) and Szell in this music.



The 5th symphony is also just too much of a good thing. The slow movement especially drags. The finale is huge but needs more impetus. My attention wanders. For the 5th, you have Mravinsky, Karajan ( again mid 70s DG ) and the live Gergiev VPO who are all superior to Bernstein.



The Pathetique is one of Bernstein's most controversial late recordings and the controversy primarily is centered on his overreaching, monolithic finale that drags on for 17 minutes! This is a personal statement and genuine artists should receive the benefit of the doubt. However, it just doesn't work. The finale sounds like a solemn broken record that goes on for eternity. I've always had problems with this music because of it's unrivaled sentimentality. It can be poisonous in the wrong hands. Bernstein unmistakably links this with Mahler. Gustav had Tchaikovsky on his mind when conceiving of his own sentimental final statements. As skeptical as Mahler was of Tchaikovsky, clearly he was influenced by the concept of a tragic ending to a symphony. But most listeners agree that Bernstein has erred here, sentimentaliizing this music beyond repair and dragging it to the grave.



I can't imagine Tchaikovsky lovers will be convinced by this wrong headed interpretation because it is a musical distortion of epic proportions. In his later days, Bernstein had a tendency to "Mahlerize" every composer he touched. He even "Mahlerized" Mahler, which resulted in some highly ambivalent reactions from the critics and the public.



As for me, I accept that true artists are by their very nature eccentric and should be allowed space to breath and commit themselves to their art in whichever way they choose. When the results come in, then it's time to judge. So this Pathetique might be a nice alternative to mainstream fare but it's not among the greats. Karajan in the 70s put down a stunning Pathetique, Mravinsky's versions are also grand. As for the final movement... the best finale I've ever heard is actually by Gergiev with the Kirov Orchestra. The climaxes are not staggering like with Karajan but Gergiev feels the true Russian character of the music without Karajan's coolness or Bernstein's distortions. Gergiev's finale runs about 11 and a half minutes, which seems just about right to me.



Nonetheless, it's a privilege to listen to Bernstein's final heart-aching sentiments on this one of a kind Romantic composer. The Romeo and Juliet is a masterful reading, best I've ever heard. Same goes for the Hamlet Overture which is basically definitive. The rest of the set is worth exploring even if the competition is superior."

Highly personal interpretations from a great Tchaikovsky con

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The rap on Bernstein in later life was that his conducting became slow and eccentric, a dog-eared cliche that overlooks his continuing inspiration. It seems like a double standard to praise Celibidache for his glacial tempos while condeming Bernstein for readings that contain far more interesting phrasing and inner vitality. This reissue is a very cheap way to acquire all of Bernstein's late Tchaikovsky done for DG.



The contents are as follows:



Symphony No.4 in F minor op.36. Francesca da Rimini op.32. Symphony No.5 in E minor op.64. Romeo and Juliet. Symphony No.6 in B minor op.74 'Pathetique'. Hamlet op.67. Marche slave op.31. Capriccio italien op.45. Ouverture solenelle 1812 op.49.



In other words, you can get the contents of four full-price CDs for under $20 on the used market. In all three symphonies Bernstein is expessive and slower than the norm, taking his time to cherish every phrase and to expand upon the underlying emotion. His approach drives some critics crazy -- so be it. Frankly, I was mesmerized from beginning to tend. The orchestral playing by the NY Phil. (from live conerts) and sonics are both fine. I can't predict who will enjoy these readings, but if you already like Klemperer and Celibidache, the broad tempos here won't throw you off. If you want thrills and sills, stick with Mravinsky, Markevitch, and other Russian maestros.

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