Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet - VERSION TWO

[britishcomposer]

Greetings!

I have just uploaded the BBC recording of the second version for you! The quality is just bad so don't complain! 

Regards,
Mathias

[Mark Thomas]

No complaints from me! 

THanks very much.

[fuhred]

A big thanks from me too!

[Paul Barasi]

I'm getting into this one very late but I've had Romeo and Juliet, Dalia Atlas / Philharmonia/ Pickwick CD55 for around a decade, thought it was version 1 - 1869 and whilst the end love theme is similar, the intro/build up is completely different. It was recorded at a church just two parishes away from me.

[fuhred]

The Dalia Atlas Philharmonia recording of the original 1869 version of Romeo and Juliet is excellent, probably the best we have so far. There are other recordings by Derek Gleeson with the London Philharmonic (Carlton Classics, out of print); Geoffrey Simon with the London Symphony (Chandos); Vladimir Jurowski with the Russian National Orchestra (Pentatone) and an old ABC Australia LP (long out of print!) with Sir Charles Mackerras and the Australian Youth Orchestra, but Atlas' recording still stands out!

[Christopher]

Greetings!

I have just uploaded the BBC recording of the second version for you! The quality is just bad so don't complain! 

Regards,
Mathias

Britishcomposer - many thanks for uploading this!  Very curious as to how you found it, and as to what other recordings you have!  I have downloaded it - the ending is certainly very different from the other two versions, I greatly enjoyed listening and comparing. Thanks again!

[Christopher]

To get back to the original topic, the second (1870) version HAS been recorded - once! The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Baldur Bronimann. This recording was made specially for a BBC radio series in 2007 called the 'Tchaikovsky Experience'. During this series the BBC recorded lots of previously unrecorded Tchaikovsky works, such as the 1870 version of Romeo and Juliet, the original version of the 'Winter Daydreams' symphony, the first version of the opera Cherevichki (originally known as Vakula the Smith), and other small piano pieces, choruses and songs.
Sadly, none of these recordings are for sale commercially yet (a big BOO to the BBC for their lack of marketing savvy), and there is no way to access them. We just have to hope that someone decides to release them on CD one day, or maybe some nice person who was lucky enough to record them off the radio will upload them to YouTube...
About the 1870 Romeo, it is exactly the same as the 1880 version except for the last 80 bars or so. Most of the ideas in this coda are there, but in a different order. This link will give you more information about it:

http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Orchestral/TH042/index.html

I hope this helps!

Aha - so there IS a recording of "Vakula the Smith"!  Does anyone know how to get their hands on it?!

[britishcomposer]

Greetings!

I have just uploaded the BBC recording of the second version for you! The quality is just bad so don't complain! 

Regards,
Mathias

Britishcomposer - many thanks for uploading this!  Very curious as to how you found it, and as to what other recordings you have!  I have downloaded it - the ending is certainly very different from the other two versions, I greatly enjoyed listening and comparing. Thanks again!

You are welcome, Christopher!
I recorded it when it was broadcast by the BBC as part of their 7-day Tchaikovsky-Experience. I tried to record many of the rare pieces but my internet connection was very bad then and it's no great joy listening to the files. Anyway, if you like I will upload a few. Tell me what you are interested in and I will see if I have archived it!
I have always been very fond of Tchaikovsky since my teens. I dare say he saved my life then.

[Christopher]

Greetings!

I have just uploaded the BBC recording of the second version for you! The quality is just bad so don't complain! 

Regards,
Mathias

Britishcomposer - many thanks for uploading this!  Very curious as to how you found it, and as to what other recordings you have!  I have downloaded it - the ending is certainly very different from the other two versions, I greatly enjoyed listening and comparing. Thanks again!

You are welcome, Christopher!
I recorded it when it was broadcast by the BBC as part of their 7-day Tchaikovsky-Experience. I tried to record many of the rare pieces but my internet connection was very bad then and it's no great joy listening to the files. Anyway, if you like I will upload a few. Tell me what you are interested in and I will see if I have archived it!
I have always been very fond of Tchaikovsky since my teens. I dare say he saved my life then.

Hi Mathias!

Well, I think that I and many others (particularly the Tchaikovsky nuts like me!) would be very grateful if you uploaded everything that you have from that BBC programme, especially if the pieces are rare and not otherwise commercially available.  Even if the quality is not great, it will still be very interesting to listen.  (And I don't think the quality on the Romeo and Juliet was bad at all actually).  Look forward to seeing what you put up!!

Christopher

[eschiss1]

I recall one such piece was among Tchaikovsky's very earliest works, more or less his opus 1 or earlier still...