Your favourite Tchaikovsky symphony?

[71 dB]

The absolute best:

There are many good performances.

Thanks for these! Since I am to explore all the symphonies, the Jurowski looks good and "modern sound" is a plus (modern sound can be bad if the sound engineers did lousy job).

[Jo498]

I am reminded of Eduard Hanslick's criticism of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto:

    "The Russian composer Tchaikovsky is an inflated [talent], without discrimination or taste. Such is also his long and pretentious Violin Concerto. For a while it moves musically, and not without spirit. But soon vulgarity gains the upper hand. The violin is no longer played; it is pulled, torn, shredded. The [second movement] Adagio is on its best behavior. But it breaks off to make way for a finale that transfers us to the brutal and wretched jollity of a Russian holiday. We see plainly the savage, vulgar faces; we hear curses, we smell vodka. Friedrich Vischer once observed, speaking of obscene pictures, that they stink to the eye. Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto gives us for the first time the hideous notion that there can be music that stinks to the ear."

I had encountered that criticism long ago in truncated form, so for years I assumed that the "stink" was because of overly sweet perfume (in the first 2 movements), not vodka, sweat and garlic!
Tbh I found this far more plausible and I never liked the work very much but I recognize its achievement and the last movemmnt is probably my favorite!

The true core of such criticism is, I think, that it points to the extreme contrasts within the composer. There is the elegant "French Ballet" side and the bipolar Russian side between exultation and suicidal depression. In the case of the violin concerto it's rather unfair because I think he managed the fusion very well here.
But I think he needs both sides. He managed a few good works mostly without the "dark" or "elemental" side, such as the String serenade (or maybe even most of Nutcracker) but I find that other pieces without the energy and depth of that other side become competent and boring (IMO 3rd symphony, 2nd piano concerto  they are neglected, but it's understandable).

[Florestan]

The true core of such criticism is, I think, that it points to the extreme contrasts within the composer. There is the elegant "French Ballet" side and the bipolar Russian side between exultation and suicidal depression.

Except for the last movement of the Pathetique, I can't find any instance of suicidal depression in Tchaikovsky's music. Emotional turbulence aplenty, melancholy (mostly of the dark type) in spades --- but suicidal depression is an exaggeration. Did you ever feel like killing yourself after listening to Tchaikovsky?     

[DavidW]

Did you ever feel like killing yourself after listening to Tchaikovsky?     

I usually reserve Pettersson for that!

[Florestan]

I usually reserve Pettersson for that!

 

[Karl Henning]

Personally, I've always liked the Vn Cto.