Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Violin Concerto

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TRACK LISTING / ARTISTS

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)

CD 1
1–5 Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 ‘Polish’
6 Hamlet – Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare, Op. 67*
7 Ouverture solennelle ‘1812’, Op. 49*

CD 2
1–3 Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35*

Mischa Elman, violin (Violin Concerto)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult

4–7 Suite No. 3 in G major, Op. 55°

Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris
Sir Adrian Boult

*FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA
°FIRST CD RELEASE OF STEREO VERSION ON DECCA

Track previews

Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55, TH 33: 3. Scherzo

Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55, TH 33: 4. Tema con variazioni

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Op. 29, TH 26 "Polish": 3. Andante elegiaco

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Op. 29, TH 26 "Polish": 4. Scherzo. Allegro vivo

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Op. 29, TH 26 "Polish": 5. Finale. Allegro con fuoco

Hamlet (Overture-Fantasy), Op. 67

1812 Overture, Op. 49, TH 49

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 1. Allegro moderato

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 2. Canzonetta. Andante

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 3. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo

Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55, TH 33: 1. Elégie

Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55, TH 33: 2. Valse mélancolique

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Op. 29, TH 26 "Polish": 1. Introduzione e Allegro

Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Op. 29, TH 26 "Polish": 2. Alla tedesca. Allegro moderato

Recording information

Recording Producers: John Culshaw (Hamlet); unknown (1812 Overture); Peter Andry (Violin Concerto); James Walker (Symphony No. 3, Suite No. 3)
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson (Hamlet, Violin Concerto); unknown (1812 Overture); Kenneth Wilkinson, Roy Wallace (Suite No. 3); Kenneth Wilkinson, James Brown, Gordon Parry (Symphony No. 3)
Recording Locations: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 11 January 1952 (Hamlet), 2 April 1952 (1812 Overture), 1–3 June 1954 (Violin Concerto), 2–3 February & 13 November 1956 (Symphony No. 3); La Maison de la Mutualité, Paris, France (Suite No. 3)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Decca Releases: LXT 2696 (Hamlet, 1812 Overture: June 1952); LXT 2970 (Violin Concerto: October 1954); LXT 5099 (Suite No. 3: January 1956); LXT 5297 (Symphony No. 3: March 1957)

Reviews

‘Boult must have devoted as much care and rehearsal to this as to any music of more intrinsic value; and the very good result justifies abundantly all the labour.’ Gramophone, August 1952 (1812/Hamlet)

‘Sir Adrian directs conservative, traditional readings that stress a broad, singing lyricism. The orchestra is fine and well rehearsed, and… the recorded sound is silken.’ High Fidelity, August 1960 (Hamlet)

‘Exciting on the grand scale and offering a wealth of fine-scale musical detail (some of it orchestral)… [Elman’s] partnership with Boult and the London Symphony Orchestra seems to have been a congenial one.’ Fanfare, November 2005 (Violin Concerto)

‘A vibrant, yet controlled rendition… It should be no surprise that [Boult] is an excellent conductor of Tchaikovsky, and especially of this lovely symphony.’ Fanfare, July 2009 (Symphony No.3)

‘[Boult] makes the [1812 Overture] more coherent than do most, and gets the requisite colours, including its darkness, from the Hamlet Overture. In short, this is a distinguished recording.’ Fanfare, July 2009

‘A dream performance.’ Stereo Review, December 1989 (Suite No.3)

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