Tchaikosky's #3 Somewhat forgotten ?

[sdtom]

Does anyone have a favorite recording? I like the Markevitch although the analog doesn't stand up to the newer digital recordings.
Thomas

[febnyc]

Not by this poster!

At one time the saying was, "Tchaikovsky wrote three Symphonies - the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth."  Not so any longer, due to the exposure on recordings of his earlier three.  And the Third is a favorite of mine - especially in the finale when, at the beginning of the coda, the orchestra picks up power and the flute is heard over the rest in a rising signal.  A great moment!

My only, and very acceptable, version of this work is the Oslo PO/Jansons, on Chandos.

[Delicious Manager]

I have always had a special place in my heart for Tchaikovsky's Polish Symphony. It was written at the same time as Swan Lake and one can hear it in its dance-like melodies and textures. My favourite recording is quite a hard one to get hold of. As a boy, I went on holiday with my parents all over Europe. I always sought-out LP recordings that I couldn't get at home. It was in Innsbruck in Austria in the late 1970s that I bought an LP on the German Melodia Auslese label (Cat No 79867 ZK). The performance was by the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvid Jansons (father of Mariss Jansons).

The recording (of an unknown provenance - I guess the mid 1960s) was in stereo with a slightly over-resonant acoustic. But the performance is one I have never heard equalled. I don't think this recording has been issued on CD - or indeed outside of the former USSR and continental Europe - it was certainly never available in the UK.

[chill319]

I first met the Polish symphony via a fine performance on Urania records under Hans Swarowsky, IMHO a truly great conductor. For those who think the Polish is worth US$68+, a digitized audiophile CD of that performance is available here: http://www.musicstack.com/album/swarowsky/tchaikovsky:_symphony_no._3_in.

[sdtom]

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/symphony-no-3-in-d-major-op-29-polishtchaikovsky/

I like this one and the price for the set is attractive although the analog is showing its age.

[mbhaub]

The 3rd was an early favorite of mine and I listened to it much more than the more famous 4, 5, 6. It has great tunes, beautifully harmonized and marvelously orchestrated. Critics love to tear it up, saying things like the "seams show". I don't care, I think it's fun, exciting and woefully neglected. Does the introduction to any symphony have so much drama and excitement? And the coda of the the finale with that long pedal-point is a real adrenalin pumper. The Markevitch is unquestionably my favorite with the Svetlanov close behind. To work effectively, the conductor has to really let it go and not try to control  it too much. I used to own the Swarkosky, but it never really took off for me. Among modern versions, the Muti is probably the best, but it's aging. I keep hoping that Tugan Sohkiev will do more Tchaikovsky after that blazing 4th a few years ago, but it doesn't seem likely.

[eschiss1]

in seriousness I somewhat wondered if you meant 3rd symphony, piano concerto or even 3rd string quartet (well, it would have had to be one of the orchestrations) (there's strictly speaking 3 piano sonatas, I think, but my wandering mind didn't wander that far.)

[Ilja]

[...] Among modern versions, the Muti is probably the best, but it's aging. I keep hoping that Tugan Sohkiev will do more Tchaikovsky after that blazing 4th a few years ago, but it doesn't seem likely.

Allow me to second that vote for the Muti - probably the best of all his Tchaikovsky recordings; very confident and fluent.