Question by Alexander H: What recording of Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony would you recommend?
I only have Mravinsky with the Leningrad Philharmonic and Szell with the London Symphony and was looking for more. What recording is considered the best of this symphony?
Mravinsky is fantastic for the 6th and very good for the 5th too. But his 4th just seems lacking to me. I think it could be a lot more emotional. Maybe I’ll try the Bernstein. His 6th (aside from being ridiculously slow) is very good. He’s always an emotional conductor and he doesn’t seem so idiosyncratic in his earlier career so the 1958 recording sounds good.
Answers and Views:
Answer by Boy Wonder
I have the recording set of the 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies recorded by the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan, Deutsche Grammophone label 1976 and I love it.
I also have his DG Berlin Phil recorded set of all the Beethoven Symphonies and I love those recordings as well.
I don’t like listening to anything conducted by Karajan except for Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. I really don’t like his Mahler recordings.
Boy Wonder
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
del_icious_manager says
I can't stomach Karajan in Russian repertoire – he misses the point so much for me. You could try Svetlanov's virtuoso account (dating from the 1960s). The finale is taken faster than any other version I know (AND he doesn't put-in pauses where there shouldn't be any).
Malcolm D says
I am surprised that Mravinsky and the Leningrad isn't enough for you. The collection (with 5 and 6) is widely regarded as the best version of all three of the last symphonies.
Next to that – another acclaimed version is that of Karajan and the Berlin Phil.
The Rose River Bear says
That is a matter of taste of course. However here are the 4ths that I could not do without-
New-
Ivan Fischer with the Budapest Festival Orchestra-On SACD it is just fabulous with great sound
Eschenbach with Philly
Old-
Muti with Philly
Bernstein with the NYP from 1958
Any of them will fit the bill but if you have an SACD player go with Fischer