SPF: Tchaikovsky vs. Dvorak

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

Dvorak wins. Thread closed.

Will you marry me Hilary Hahn?

ROTFL. She didn't already answer? Surprising.  

[DavidW]

ROTFL. She didn't already answer? Surprising.  

That was hornteacher's quote man, not my post. Duh.

[WI Dan]

Antonin, ... in the red zone.

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

That was hornteacher's quote man, not my post. Duh.

You wouldn't marry Hillary Hahn? I mean if there wasn't hornteacher?

[DavidW]

You wouldn't marry Hillary Hahn? I mean if there wasn't hornteacher?

I don't think I could stand hearing the violin all day!

[Herman]

oh, she'd drop the fiddle for you.

[mc ukrneal]

This poll should be closed. A tie seems entirely appropriate to me. In honor of the poll, I listened to a piano version (two pianos) of the slavonic dances. Very interesting (and likeable in its own way). And on the other side, I listened to a disc of Richter playing Tchaikovsky piano pieces.

Life doesn't get much better than that!   

[eyeresist]

Very interesting (and likeable in its own way).

Talk about faint praise!

[mc ukrneal]

Talk about faint praise!

I guess I see how it could be seen that way, but I was really trying to say that the piano brings out different aspects of the piece and so the experience is so much different. In the orchestral version, the sheer exuberance of some of the dances or the desire to jump up and dance are strong. With the piano, you lose some of the edge of this, but you gain in lyricism and grace (and other subtleties). I prefer his Legends, for example, on the piano than I do the dances. It seems to lend itself better tot eh instrument. But regardless, I much admire the piano version of the Dances! Naxos has good versions of both pieces mentioned.

[Mirror Image]

I think this is an unfair poll, but Tchaikovsky easily wins for me. I do love Dvorak too, but Tchaikovsky made an early imprint in me that Dvorak never did. I chose, however, the you're evil man option simply because I think both composers are excellent and offer the listener much to sink their teeth into.

[False_Dmitry]

Tchaikovsky & Dvořák win - all others lose   But making any fair assessment of their opera output would have to wait until their major works are at least performed now and then...  something you can't say about Dvorak's at all, while more than half of the Tchaikovsky operas aren't produced or recorded from one decade to the next.

Tchaikovsky's operas are poorly known, beyond the repertoire staples of ONEGIN and PIQUE-DAME.  MAZEPPA has now mostly rejoined the operas that get staged productions - for me it's his finest piece of work for the stage, the musical dramaturgy is flawless throughout.  But we hear THE MAID OF ORLEANS far less often (in fact we only ever hear the warhorse aria from it, and never the rest).  When did we last hear OPRICHNIK?   Yet it has stupendous music in a Grand-Opera lyrical style to which the composer never returned (after a "whispering campaign" was started against the piece by Balakireff, who claimed it was "unpatriotic").   And for those who somehow remember an icing-sugar confection, look again at SWAN LAKE...  it's a gothic horror nightmare that Jarman or Greenaway would have been proud of.

Dvořák's operas...  operas?  He wrote more than RUSALKA, did he, then?  Do we ever even remember THE STUBBORN LOVERS, THE WILY SERF, or his mammoth treatment of the "Boris Godunov" story, DMITRIJ??   Did we even know that his last opera was a retreatment of an opera seria libretto based on Tasso that had been popular since Cavalli's time, and Handel produced as "RINALDO"... ARMIDA?     These operas aren't even staged in the Czech republic today.   And what of the theory that the "New World Symphony" is actually reworked material from an abandoned opera HIAWATHA?   That cor-anglais melody has always seemed like Rusalka's lost sister to me

Here's a tantalising snippet from DMITRIJ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTTufW8hu8Q

And to make a change from the warhorse soprano aria, here's the Basmanov/Andrei duet from OPRICHNIK, in a rather wonky performance...  the opera deserves better than this.  Yes, a heroic breeches-mezzo role!  In Tchaikovsky!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uW7HDMzcqo

[quintett op.57]

I prefer Dvorak, like Brahms, but not because of him. 

[Keemun]

Were the poll not closed, I would have voted for Tchaikovsky.  I give him a slight advantage over Dvorak in symphonies and chamber music.  But for me, Tchaikovsky really surpasses Dvorak in concertos.  Even Dvorak's Cello Concerto does not outweigh Tchaikovsky's violin and piano concertos. 

[Brahmsian]

Even Dvorak's Cello Concerto does not outweigh Tchaikovsky's violin and piano concertos.

I think it does, personally.    My vote also went to Tchaikovsky, but this is just recently.  I could never be without either's music.  I do give an overwhelming victory to Dvorak for his chamber music, but a slight edge to Tchaikovsky on the symphonies, and another slight edge to Tchaikovsky for other orchestral music.

Wish both had written more piano music.

[Keemun]

I think it does, personally. 

Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto is my favorite concerto - for any instrument.   This reminds me, I need to listen to it again. 

[Guido]

Interesting comparison this, as there are many parallels, and their place in 19th century music is camparable. Both were men of genius of course, and though in the final analysis Tchaikovsky is probably the greater, like many others here, Dvorak holds a very special place in my heart - mainly for the cello concerto, Silent Woods, The last 5 string quartets, piano trio no.3 and no.4 and some of the symphonies. Oh and Rusalka. There's something just luminous and energising and moving and wonderful in almost every bar of these pieces.

And the orchestration.

!

[Superhorn]

  David W, Dvorak's music is also chock full of "lyrical yet catchy melody".  I find it very hard to choose between the two.Apples and oranges.We should be grateful for both composers.