Tchaikovsky's 5th, the best for the price.

[c#minor]

The recording with the Berlin Phillharmonic with Seiji Ozawa conducting. This is my favorite CD i own and it was only 6 bucks! It also has 1812 Overture on it which is okay.

This recording is the best i have ever heard.


Hope this leads someone in the right direction.

[BorisG]

My nomination.

[Bonehelm]

I second Karajan.

[Brian]

For $6 I like Ormandy's unusual approach
double the price tag and you get a terrific 5 and 6 with Lovro von Matacic and the Czech Philharmonic.
Or for something like $30 you can get all seven Tchaikovsky symphonies from Riccardo Muti... 

I will be checking out the recommendations in this thread!!

[Marcel]

..double the price tag and you get a terrific 5 and 6 with Lovro von Matacic and the Czech Philharmonic.

I agree, very special recordings, "natural flow" provided by conductor, the price is ok.

[Iago]

Pierre Monteux conducting the Boston Symphony. Absolutely IMO, the BEST PATHETIQUE available, and a 5th that is played with the necessary passion and emotion but WITHOUT sweat and frenzy. The 4th is the weak link in the set but still, it's more than simply a "reading". Was available on RCA. I don't know which label its on now.

[MichaelRabin]

BBC Mag came out with the stereo Mravinsky Leningrad PO as 1st choice and VPO, Gergiev as modern choice. Any comments of these 2 versions please?

[Marcel]

BBC Mag came out with the stereo Mravinsky Leningrad PO as 1st choice and VPO, Gergiev as modern choice. Any comments of these 2 versions please?

I have both of them. Mravinsky is typically russian - his stereo Tchaikovsky's 5th from 1960 is fine example> spontaneous, dramatic, fine detailed reading...

Gergiev with VPO is in Tchaikovsky's 5th also very fine. In some moments (coda of the Finale movement) IMO better than Mravinsky's 1960 reading... not only this is a live recording
So both version are special, depends on your taste... note that the orchestras sound rather different, but I like so much the old Leningraders... ! 

[MichaelRabin]

Does the Leningrad horn sound wobbly? There is a great deal from a UK retailer for about GBP13.62 for the Gergiev VPO (Sym 4 to 6). But the reviewers do not seem to be too hot on Gergiev's 4 and/or 6. Comments please?

[Marcel]

Does the Leningrad horn sound wobbly?

Well that's the matter of the russian vibrato, if you mean that... any other opinions?

But the reviewers do not seem to be too hot on Gergiev's 4 and/or 6. Comments please?

For 6th go for Gergiev with Kirov Orchestra. The 4th is monumental in Mravinsky's hands.

[Mark]

Lis, have you gone insane? What the hell is a thread about recordings of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony doing in Opera & Vocal?

[Keemun]

Lis, have you gone insane? What the hell is a thread about recordings of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony doing in Opera & Vocal?

I was just wondering the same thing.   

[Gurn Blanston]

Lis, have you gone insane? What the hell is a thread about recordings of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony doing in Opera & Vocal?

Relax, Mark, we're initiating a pilot project intended to keep all the Brits off-balance. Seems to be working so far... 

[Mark]

Relax, Mark, we're initiating a pilot project intended to keep all the Brits off-balance. Seems to be working so far... 

In the words of Joni Mitchell, 'Help me, I think I'm falling ... '

[Mark]

Thanks, Gurn.

Nice to see that common sense quickly prevailed.

[Norbeone]

For $6 I like Ormandy's unusual approach

I absolutely agree. This is a superb, and also my favourite, recording!

[Lilas Pastia]

The recording with the Berlin Phillharmonic with Seiji Ozawa conducting. This is my favorite CD i own and it was only 6 bucks! It also has 1812 Overture on it which is okay.

This recording is the best i have ever heard.


Hope this leads someone in the right direction.

Hem... Do 'bucks' really have to come in the equation? In all likelyhood the 'best' will probably come to you as a broadcast concert, a free download, a library or friend loan. All are (presumably) gratis. Just look for 'the best', period. You'll still get more suggestions than you'll be able to listen to. Good suggestions abound in this thread. I'll second the Karajanses, they're all excellent and rather different from one another. I'll add the Monteux to the wish list, I have the rest. For something different, the Böhm LSO is a dignified yet gruff reading of no mean distinction.

[Que]

Hem... Do 'bucks' really have to come in the equation?

You took the words right out of my mouth - it's a total nonstarter...

As for Tchaikovsky 5ths - Markevitch (Philips) or Mravinsky (DG) will do just fine - no need to make this complicated.

Q

[c#minor]

Hem... Do 'bucks' really have to come in the equation? In all likelyhood the 'best' will probably come to you as a broadcast concert, a free download, a library or friend loan. All are (presumably) gratis. Just look for 'the best', period. You'll still get more suggestions than you'll be able to listen to. Good suggestions abound in this thread. I'll second the Karajanses, they're all excellent and rather different from one another. I'll add the Monteux to the wish list, I have the rest. For something different, the Böhm LSO is a dignified yet gruff reading of no mean distinction.

I have also listened to the Karajan recording, and yes i agree it is great. But i still enjoy the Ozawa recording just as much if not more. And i don't know about you but i do not have unlimited financial resources. If i did my music library would be larger and i would listen to my recordings on some high-end stereo instead of my iPod and crappy car speakers. I gave this recommendation for those like me who would like a good recording of the work without paying near top dollar. Yes you could get a loan or go to the library but i like to own my own stuff if a really enjoy it. And i do believe that it's a great recording and interpretation.

[Iago]

c#minor,

If you truly are listening to that Ozawa/BPO/Tschaikovsky 5th on your IPOD or "crappy car speakers", perhaps that alone is the reason why you think that even comes near to being an acceptable performance, let alone a  good one.
Sloppy playing by the orchestra, almost complete lack of brilliance in the brass, very poor sectional differentiation or integration when called for, and wandering tempi. And as usual, Ozawa follows the orchestra rather than they following him. Seiji Ozawa no more belongs on the podium in front of the Berlin Philharmonic, than I do. And I DON'T.
Heard on a reasonably fine sysrem, those shortcomings are instantly revealed.
I'm sure you have a relative or friend that has a better audio system than you do. Try that recording on that system. When  you remove it from the cd player, you will put it back in its plastic case and then dump it right into the trrash can.