Mikhail Pletnev Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) “A Step Forward”
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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky SYMPHONY NO.3IN D MAJOR, OP.29 CORONATION MARCH HYBRID MUL TICHANNEL RUSSIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA Mikhail Pletnev Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) “A step forward” owadays, Tchaikovsky’s first three sym- in D. He wrote it at roughly the same time Symphony No. 3 in D Major Op. 29 (1875) phonies seldom appear on the concert as his ballet Swan Lake and his famous Piano 1 Introduzione e Allegro – Moderato assai N programmes, whereas his symphonies four Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, completing (Tempo di marcia funebre)-Allegro brillante 13. 58 to six – in other words, the symphonies his symphony in just a few weeks during the 2 Alla tedesca – Allegro moderato e semplice 6. 25 generally recognized as masterpieces – are summer of 1875. The première took place 3 Andante – Andante elegiac 10. 55 regularly included. And thus the three early in Moscow on November 7, 1875, under 4 Scherzo – Allegro vivo 5. 45 symphonies share a fate that none of them the baton of Nikolai Rubinstein (who had 5 Finale – Allegro con fuoco (tempo di Polacca)-Presto 8. 55 have necessarily earned. After all, each offered him the above-mentioned posi- in its own individual way is a worthwhile tion at the conservatoire and had launched 6 Coronation March (1883) 5. 46 symphony: the composer certainly did not almost all of his protégé’s orchestral works, consider them to be preliminary works, a up to the Symphony No. 4). Audiences and Russian National Orchestra type of precursor to the later symphonies. critics alike received the work favourably; conducted by Mikhail Pletnev From 1866 to 1878, Tchaikovsky taught and Tchaikovsky himself discovered “a step Concertmaster: Alexei Bruni harmony at the Moscow Conservatoire and forward” in his third symphony. Indeed, the during this period, he composed – among work occupies a special position in his sym- Executive Producers: Rick Walker & Job Maarse Recording Producer: Job Maarse other works – his first three symphonies, phonic oeuvre: after the rather distinctive Balance Engineer: Erdo Groot namely in 1866, 1872, and 1875. And for references to folklore, thank to the folk- Recording Engineer: Roger de Schot Tchaikovsky, the journey leading to the song quotations in the first two symphonies, Recording Venue: DZZ Studio 5, Moscow (April 2011) symphony was not an easy one: on the con- there is an aesthetic and structural shift trary, he trod a painful path before tapping toward western models in his third. Total playing time: 52.07 into this high-end genre. This is proven, on Thus, the Symphony No. 3 is the only the one hand, by the amount of time and symphony by Tchaikovsky written in a energy he put into the creation of his sym- major key and laid out in five movements Biographien auf Deutsch und Französisch phonies, which was characterized by serious (as is Robert Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony, finden Sie auf unserer Webseite. doubts about their quality; or, on the other with which it is often compared). The com- Pour les versions allemande et française des biographies, hand, by the fundamental reworking of his poser has been accused of writing more veuillez consulter notre site. second symphony, despite the success of an impersonal type of suite than a serious www.pentatonemusic.com its première. However, Tchaikovsky had a symphony. And indeed, here Tchaikovsky – much easier time with his Symphony No. 3 with the exception of the gloomy funeral march introduction by the strings –strikes Time and again, musicological studies have splendour. Notwithstanding, this has tended at the Vatican and in Israel, the RNO main- few painful, depressive or simply melan- emphasized its similarity to corresponding to be interpreted – especially in Germany – tains an active international tour schedule, choly tones, which were characteristic of his movements in Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie as a compositional weakness. And October appearing in Europe, Asia and the Americas. last three symphonies. Rather, he designed fantastique (“Scène aux champs”) and 28, 2011 proved that the work still has a right Guest artists performing with the RNO on three stylized dance movements, to each of Beethoven’s Pastorale (“Szene am Bach” = to exist, especially in a tradition-oriented tour include conductors Vladimir Jurowski, which he assigned a trio: the second move- scene by the brook). Incidentally, both latter country such as Russia. That day, the Bolshoi Nicola Luisotti, Antonio Pappano, Alan ment is a Ländler (= an Austrian/Bavarian symphonies also consist of five movements. Theatre was reopened as a cultural centre in Gilbert, Carlo Ponti and Patrick Summers, folk dance), yet despite its superscription of Here, the musicologists claim, Tchaikovsky Russia, following years of renovation, with and soloists Martha Argerich, Yefim “alla tedesca”, the dark C-minor key is more has put to music a Russian country scene. a state ceremony. And the music that con- Bronfman, Lang Lang, Pinchas Zukerman, Sir reminiscent of the Russian character. In the Tchaikovsky was often accused of cluded the occasion was – the Coronation James Galway, Joshua Bell, Itzhak Perlman, fourth movement Tchaikovsky conjures up going after primarily superficial effects in March. Steven Isserlis, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Simone a fairy-like Scherzo (in 2/4 time), which is at his works, of always following different fads. Kermes and Renée Fleming, among many times evocative of Mendelssohn. And the Now, for once, in his Festival Coronation Franz Steiger others. Popular with radio audiences world- finale, with its “Tempo di polacca” (to which March in D, this accusation is certainly justi- English translation: Fiona J. Stroker-Gale wide, RNO concerts are regularly aired by the work owes its unofficial title of Polish, fied. Tchaikovsky composed this five-minute National Public Radio in the United States following a performance in London under march in 1883 to celebrate the coronation and by the European Broadcasting Union. Sir August Manns), is a spirited rondo in of Tsar Alexander III, who had also commis- Russian National Gramophone magazine called the first which the polonaise leads the entire work sioned the work. It was first performed in Orchestra RNO CD (1991) “an awe-inspiring experi- to a tumultuous conclusion. Both this final Moscow on May 23, 1883, under the baton ence; should human beings be able to play movement and the first movement include of Sergei Taneyev. Respectfully and sym- he Russian National Orchestra has been like this?” and listed it as the best recording contrapuntal techniques, as if Tchaikovsky bolically, here Tchaikovsky includes many Tin demand throughout the music world of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique in history. Since was attempting to provide the “suite” with quotes from the Russian national anthem ever since its 1990 Moscow premiere. Of the then, the orchestra has made more than greater symphonic weight. “God save the Tsar”: he also includes quotes orchestra’s 1996 debut at the BBC Proms 60 recordings for Deutsche Grammophon In particular, in the development of from the Danish royal anthem – a refer- in London, the Evening Standard wrote, and PentaTone Classics, distinguishing the the first movement, the main themes are ence to the native country of the Empress, “They played with such captivating beauty RNO as the only Russian ensemble with elaborated according to the rules in a man- Princess Dagmar of Denmark. Tchaikovsky that the audience gave an involuntary long-standing relationships with these pres- ner reminiscent of Beethoven. However, himself did not speak of his coronation sigh of pleasure.” More recently, they were tigious labels, as well as additional discs with the central movement of the symphony march with great pride; rather, he regarded described as “a living symbol of the best in many other record companies. Conductors is the Andante elegiaco, which already it as “noisy, but weak”. Nevertheless, he did Russian art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to represented in the RNO discography include contains late-romantic moods of expres- prove one thing in particular in this piece: perfect as one could hope for” (Trinity Mirror). Founder and Music Director Mikhail Pletnev, sion, as in an extremely intimate Romanze. he had a gut feeling for effect, pomp and The first Russian orchestra to perform Principal Guest Conductor Vladimir Jurowski, Kent Nagano, Alexander Vedernikov and funded with the support of individuals, Mikhail Pletnev Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, Kurt Paavo Berglund. corporations and foundations in Russia Sanderling, Christian Thielemann and The RNO’s recording of Prokofiev’s and throughout the world. In recogni- ikhail Pletnev was born in Archangel Herbert Blomstedt. Peter and the Wolf and Beintus’s Wolf Tracks, tion of both its artistry and path-breaking Min 1957. After his studies at the In 1990, following the collapse of the conducted by Kent Nagano and narrated structure, the Russian Federation recently Central Special Music School, he entered Soviet system, Mikhail Pletnev was able by Sophia Loren, Bill Clinton and Mikhail awarded the RNO the first ever grant to a the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in to realize his dream of forming an orches- Gorbachev, received a 2004 Grammy Award, non-government orchestra. 1974, where he studied with Jakob Flier tra independent of the government – the making the RNO the first Russian orchestra and Lev Vlasenko. Aged only 21, Pletnev Russian National Orchestra. Under his artis- to win the recording industry’s highest was the Gold Medal and First Prize win- tic leadership, the RNO has become known honor. A Spanish language version nar- ner of the 1978 Tchaikovsky International as one of the world’s leading orchestras. rated by Antonio Banderas was released in Piano Competition in Moscow. This prize Although his conducting career is primarily 2007, following a Russian version narrated earned him early international recognition. focused on the RNO, he also makes appear- by actors Oleg Tabakov and Sergei Bezrukov, He has since appeared as soloist with the ances as a guest-conductor with such with Mandarin and other editions to follow.