For those tired of Tchaikovsky's PC No. 1...

[Michel]

I never tire of this work, funnily enough am I the only person on the forum who after 20 years of listening has never bought or heard Tchaikovsky's 2nd or 3rd concertos?

Who to get...not a clue 

You've been listening 20 years? Got you have a small collection

I will have overtaken you by the time I am 25.

But seriously, if that is the case, Tony, I would recommend Gilels 2CD set, that has 1-3. It also comes with a bit of Bartok and Prokofiev. See below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bart%C3%B3k-Prokofiev-Tchaikovsky-Piano-Concertos/dp/B000002SCX/ref=sr_1_9/202-4442586-9880659?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177438348&sr=1-9

[AnthonyAthletic]

Yep, never really gone out of my way to buy/hear the 2nd/3rd concertos.  The twofer does look tempting.  The only other one which mildly crossed my path are the 3 concertos with Pletnev on Virgin.

[not edward]

Be aware that the Gilels and Pletnev 2nds are cut in the slow movement. I don't know the extent of the cuts in Pletnev, but the Gilels recording cuts about half of the movement out and destroys the entire balance of the work.

Donohoe (EMI twofer, Gramophone Award winner) and Scherbakhov (just out on Naxos) have both done the 2nd without the standard cuts: I assume others have too.

[Steve]

Be aware that the Gilels and Pletnev 2nds are cut in the slow movement. I don't know the extent of the cuts in Pletnev, but the Gilels recording cuts about half of the movement out and destroys the entire balance of the work.

Donohoe (EMI twofer, Gramophone Award winner) and Scherbakhov (just out on Naxos) have both done the 2nd without the standard cuts: I assume others have too.

Yes, I would second your comment, and suggest a wonderful alternative. Eugene Ormandy/Gary Graffman have did a spledid job with the 2nd Piano Concerto on a collection of all 3 Tchaikovsky Concertos on Sony.

It's called the The Three Concertos



And here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-Three-Concertos-Mily-Balakirev/dp/B000AARL3O/ref=sr_1_1/103-6192894-4753427?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177454944&sr=8-1

Enjoy.

[not edward]

Yes, I would second your comment, and suggest a wonderful alternative. Eugene Ormandy/Gary Graffman have did a spledid job with the 2nd Piano Concerto on a collection of all 3 Tchaikovsky Concertos on Sony.

It's called the The Three Concertos



And here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-Three-Concertos-Mily-Balakirev/dp/B000AARL3O/ref=sr_1_1/103-6192894-4753427?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177454944&sr=8-1

Enjoy.

I thought that Graffman's recording of the 2nd used Siloti's cuts too. Am I wrong?

[Steve]

I thought that Graffman's recording of the 2nd used Siloti's cuts too. Am I wrong?

Yes, but it is limited to the Second Movement. That is a downside, but the opening and finale are marvelous on this recording. This is part of the reason that I'm still eagerly looking for other recordings of this concerto.

[Brian]

Too bad the remainder of the first movement doesn't support that opening fanfare . . . . . . .

That's why I'm telling you, get the CD! You might like the whole movement!

Scherbakov's excellent and cheap new Second Concerto is fantastic, and his Third is great too - only reservation is that the piano sonics are funny, sound like they're in a different acoustic altogether. Turn the sound up, though, and for some reason the problem resolves itself.

[Wanderer]

I wasn't aware of the Gilels recording of all Tchaikovsky concertos... thanks, Michel, for the heads-up. 
The soundbites sound positively thrilling.

[Valentino]

I seem to like the stuff that Tchaikovsky himself hated.

[Haffner]

I seem to like the stuff that Tchaikovsky himself hated.

I'm that way about Grieg.

[Valentino]

My favourite Tchaikovsky piece is Capricco Italien. 
What's your Grieg fave, Andy?

[Haffner]

My favourite Tchaikovsky piece is Capricco Italien. 
What's your Grieg fave, Andy?

I love his Piano Concerto (A minor), though I am not sure about Grieg's feelings on that one. Both my girl and I are crazy about his pieces for piano and violin.

The pieces I meant were Peer Gynt and Hall of The Mountain. From memory, I seem to recall Grieg wasn't particularly cuckoo over the Peer Gynt work, and as most know he despised "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (I love them both).

[Steve]

I love his Piano Concerto (A minor), though I am not sure about Grieg's feelings on that one. Both my girl and I are crazy about his pieces for piano and violin.

The pieces I meant were Peer Gynt and Hall of The Mountain. From memory, I seem to recall Grieg wasn't particularly cuckoo over the Peer Gynt work, and as most know he despised "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (I love them both).

Andy, could you reccomend some violin pieces of Grieg? I'd be particularily looking to add a new item or two to my next recital.

[Haffner]

Andy, could you reccomend some violin pieces of Grieg? I'd be particularily looking to add a new item or two to my next recital.

Steve, you might be best off just getting this terrific set. It has so much great music on it, including the duos for piano and violin I'd mentioned earlier.

Harry had reccomended it to me, and it was absolutely worth the price.

[BachQ]

Throughout the remainder of the 1st movement, that beautiful opening theme returns in different variations.

Hmmmm . . . . . . really?  To my ears, that opening theme completely evaporates never to reemerge in any guise whatsoever.

[BachQ]

Either way, its more or less trivial to me, as I really meant to demonstrate the merits of that first movement beyond the first few minutes.

Well, if that opening theme is structurally integrated into the main body of the concerto, I'd like to learn how.  Part of my dislike for Tchaik 1 is the horrid transition between the opening theme and the remaining movement . . . . . . . and if there's any structural coherence between the two (introduction + main body), it would help my appreciation of the first movement to understand what Tchaikovsky was doing (or attempting to do).

[Ten thumbs]

I have Petuknov playing Tchaikovsly 1 and 2 recorded live from Buenos Aires. Yes, those guys out there in the audience really are coughing! You shouldn't accept any cut version of the second concerto. The cuts were not made for musical reasons but to save money on paying for the violin and cello soloists. Do we still need to be so stingy today.

[Larry Rinkel]

Well, if that opening theme is structurally integrated into the main body of the concerto, I'd like to learn how. . . .  if there's any structural coherence between the two (introduction + main body), it would help my appreciation of the first movement to understand what Tchaikovsky was doing (or attempting to do).

Why should there be any more structural coherence between the intro and main body here than in the opening movement of Beethoven's 7th symphony?

[karlhenning]

Word.

[Valentino]

The pieces I meant were Peer Gynt and Hall of The Mountain. From memory, I seem to recall Grieg wasn't particularly cuckoo over the Peer Gynt work, and as most know he despised "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (I love them both).

My favourite recording of "I Dovregubbens hall" (Dovregubben is untranslatable, so Mountain King it is) is Duke Ellington's.  
The reaction in Bergen when Ellington premiered it there was akin to the Sacre du printemps-premiere. Big scandal.

On PIT: I like the Rostropovich/Karajan Rococo Variations.