Tempest Op18/Manfred Sym Op58: Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Pletnev, Russian National Orchestra: Amazon.ca: Music

1. The Tempest Op. 18

2. 1. Lento lugubre- Moderato con moto - Andante

3. 2. Vivace con spirito

4. 3. Andante con moto

5. 4. Allegro con fuoco

On this CD:

The Tempest, fantasy-overture for orchestra in F minor, Op.18
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Russian National Orchestra
Conducted by Mikhail Pletnev
Manfred Symphony, for orchestra (or piano duet) in B minor, Op. 58
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Russian National Orchestra
Conducted by Mikhail Pletnev

Product Description

From Amazon.com

Easily the poorest major recording of this work currently available, Mikhail Pletnev's Manfred is shallow, lacking in tension and drama, and played with mechanical precision by a well-drilled, but otherwise undistinguished orchestra. The recording balances the brass and percussion far to the rear, further reducing the impact of what ought to be, by any measure, a shattering experience. A major disappointment by a fine pianist who is failing to make it as a conductor. --David Hurwitz

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Performances of the Manfred Symphony and Tempest, Feb 4 2004

By	John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Having heard the Russian National Orchestra perform at Carnegie Hall last night, I know I can easily discount again yet another dismal review from Mr. Hurwitz. This young orchestra, founded by Mikhail Pletnev, is truly one of the world's greatest orchestras I thought they sounded better and played with more enthusiasm and precision than the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of its new music director, Sir Simon Rattle, when the Berliners visited New York City's Carnegie Hall last November.). I have not heard Mariss Jansons's electrifying account of the Manfred Symphony, but Pletnev's account has earned a glowing three-star review in the Penguin Guide.

Both performances on this recording are replete with ample brilliance and warmth. The only problems are technical, which is why this fine CD is earning four stars. To my amazement, the recording sounds not well balanced, and at times, distant. I am truly surprised that Deutsche Grammophon would make such a serious error. Yet despite this major error, Pletnev's interpretations are still worth acquiring.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Sorry, Gotta Agree with the Disdainer, Dec 30 2002

By	R. Williams "code slubber" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While I think Pletnev is great, this is not the best performance of this piece. I don't even think it's as good as the Maurice Abravenel version with the Utah Symphony. My main complaint is that the tempi are bizarre in places. Sometimes they seem rather quick and in many places, they are drawn out in a dramatic manner that makes you think you are listening to Bernstein do Mahler. This is most troublesome in the second movement where he seems to have things going pretty well then suddenly the tempo slows to a crawl and the whole thing just kind of falls apart.

I would agree with other reviewers here that this piece is one of Tchaikovsky's best and high in the list of great works. Like Mahler's Resurrection, each turn should tick off like a kind of dark, but inevitable clockwork. It doesn't need to be made more dramatic. It combines the insanely wonderful lyricism (as Stravinsky said, Tchaikovsky was non pareil in this realm) with a very modern, machinelike intensity that sounds like the next generation of Russian composers from the 20th Century.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Another Plus for Pletnev!, Mar 17 2000

By	J.C.Liu (Toronto) - See all my reviews

Ignoring the disasterous review by Mr. Hurwitz, this recording is in every respect a very fine performance. As for the complaints about the distancing of the brass section etc, I can find no real fault with it other than some minor blurring of details. Jansons on Chandos might have a better measure of this symphony but you can't beat the generous coupling with "The Tempest". This offers over 75 minutes of music and you very seldom find such generosity on a DG disc! The overture is not an exceptional performance but is well-played. Jansons and some others only offer the symphony with no couplings and at full price these single item recordings are proving to be rather unattractive in value. Mr. Hurwitz's statement that Pletnev continues to be a disappointment as a conductor is certainly one of the most naive comments made by any music critic/reviewer. Pletnev's recordings including his wonderful Tchaikovsky Symphony 6 and Sleeping Beauty are testaments to his excellence as a conductor. By the way this recording of Manfred was given a glowing review and a three star rating from the Penguin Guide! This is a highly recommendable recording!

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Arkady
Excellent performace by fantastic orchestra. Shocked by Amazon review - maybe you should change a reviewer?

Published on Jan 11 2000

3.0 out of 5 stars The performance was well-played, but...!
By 1868, Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev confronted Hector Berlioz with the idea of writing a musical treatment of Lord Byron's epic poem "Manfred", Berlioz refused due to... Read more

Published on Dec 10 1999 by David A. Hollingsworth

4.0 out of 5 stars I think it is wonderful
I know this piece well, having several versions of it. (I usually even read Byron's poem before listening to it.) Therefore, I was shocked to see Amazon's review of it. Read more

Published on Dec 8 1999 by Roger Townsend

5.0 out of 5 stars Who is David Hurwitz?
This is the BEST recording of this work available! The Russian National Orchestra is, IMHO, the finest orchestra in the world today -- just listen to the passionate intensity from... Read more

Published on May 7 1999