Tchaikovsky as it should be ...

[Contratrombone64]

Consider this: you've listened to Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony too often and you're a little over it. Well that's where I was, also having played it professionally at least a few times. I was recently in a local record shop and it was playing BUT I was stopped in my tracks by the performance.

"Symphony of the Nations" (some ad hoc European band of obviously excellent players) recorded live ... I am so gobbsmacked at the playing and the passion they bring out, especially the coda of the first movement that it brought me to tears ... that has NOT happen'd as a result of listening to music for a very long time.

These amazing Europeans captured Tchaikovsky's painful personality and tortured soul so amazingly as to be almost surreal ... I recommend, nah implore, you all dash out and buy it.

 

[teddy]

I'm on my way

teddy

 

[Contratrombone64]

The conductor is Justus Franz, and from what I can glean the "Philharmonia of the Nations" is a young person's orchestra (though not quite a youth orchestra) made up of musicians from 40 nations. Their playing is as good as it gets, especially when you consider it's recorded live.