I'm always surprised at how rarely this great work is performed in the concert hall. It never fails to move me whenever I hear it - a true masterpiece.
Oh Francesca! Absolutely one of my most favourite pieces ever. And you are so right, so many performances fail to hit the mark. There are a few that I rate highly and this is one of them. The others being Stokowski (obviously, as mentioned by others - coupled with a really good Hamlet), Munch (he blasts out the final chords slowly, but powerfully), and one of the most frantic and ear-splitting endings has to be by Sian Edwards and the Royal Liverpool Phil. A great performance and a fine disc actually. Please do a repertoire video on it!
My favorite music with a great thunderstorm! Yes, great tunes, great climaxes, and GREAT COLOR! Luv the Ozawa story! When I was a youngin', I was obsessed with this music. And after all these years, and many other performances, my go to is the Bernstein. He believes in the passion of the middle section and the final bars even have a twisted/neurotic feel to them! Great chat!
I love Francesca da Rimini! Thank you for this. I'm looking forward to hearing it. I would expect Svetlanov would do a good job with the piece. My usual go to is the classic version conducted by Stokowski.
Yes it's an astounding performance. That orchestra is just phenomenal. I have a secret passion for Russian orchestras. When they are well conducted, they can sound incredibly exciting...if a little jagged around the edges..
Your passionate advocacy of Svetlanov's performance has gotten me interested. I'll find it somehow, but I've been raised on Munch's Royal Philharmonic performance. I can only hope Svetlanov's is just as good. Thanks for the recommendation.
I had not heard this performance before, and, wow, what a treat! I have been drawn to Bernstein’s and Ashkenazy’s renditions, but I would love to hear you do a survey of this piece as well as more of Tchaikovsky’s other shorter orchestral works.
Thanks for this one! I have "Russian Sketches" by Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony, which is a remarkable CD. I've listened to it many times over the past decade, but the track I listen to the most is the Francesca da Rimini. But I'll look for this version.
Except for my teens (when I was a musical prude), I've adored Tchaikovsky but never got into Francesca. It may well have been the performances I heard. I'm eager to check out the Svetlanov.
Thank you so much for addressing my request! This Svetlanov recording is also the one I come back to most often, for the exact same reasons as you. Performances that go really insane in the "hell" sections are quite rare, unfortunately. The more vulgar the ending, the better it is! Markevitch on DG is another one that gets it right, but the number of anemic performances is just ineffable. Another Tchaikovsky piece that's been very unlucky on CD (hello Manfred). Thanks again for the video and take care!
I heard Francesca before Liszt's Dante in Budapest, and Tchaikovsky's version is a bit pale compared to Liszt's central section in the Inferno movement.
Hey Dave! Have you heard about Deutsche Grammophon's upcoming recording of Mahler 5 conducted by Cate Blanchett? (Yes, that Cate Blanchett) It's to promote a movie where she plays a conductor, but since she has no conducting experience and a major record label is selling recordings of her conducting a Mahler symphony, of all things, I thought this move was pretty bizarre. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!
I'm always surprised at how rarely this great work is performed in the concert hall. It never fails to move me whenever I hear it - a true masterpiece.
Oh Francesca! Absolutely one of my most favourite pieces ever. And you are so right, so many performances fail to hit the mark. There are a few that I rate highly and this is one of them. The others being Stokowski (obviously, as mentioned by others - coupled with a really good Hamlet), Munch (he blasts out the final chords slowly, but powerfully), and one of the most frantic and ear-splitting endings has to be by Sian Edwards and the Royal Liverpool Phil. A great performance and a fine disc actually. Please do a repertoire video on it!
I'm partial to Ormandy's mono recording. He really lights fire at the end!!
My favorite music with a great thunderstorm! Yes, great tunes, great climaxes, and GREAT COLOR! Luv the Ozawa story! When I was a youngin', I was obsessed with this music. And after all these years, and many other performances, my go to is the Bernstein. He believes in the passion of the middle section and the final bars even have a twisted/neurotic feel to them! Great chat!
I love Francesca da Rimini! Thank you for this. I'm looking forward to hearing it. I would expect Svetlanov would do a good job with the piece. My usual go to is the classic version conducted by Stokowski.
Yes it's an astounding performance. That orchestra is just phenomenal. I have a secret passion for Russian orchestras. When they are well conducted, they can sound incredibly exciting...if a little jagged around the edges..
Your passionate advocacy of Svetlanov's performance has gotten me interested. I'll find it somehow, but I've been raised on Munch's Royal Philharmonic performance. I can only hope Svetlanov's is just as good. Thanks for the recommendation.
I had not heard this performance before, and, wow, what a treat! I have been drawn to Bernstein’s and Ashkenazy’s renditions, but I would love to hear you do a survey of this piece as well as more of Tchaikovsky’s other shorter orchestral works.
Stokowski/NYPO 1947 stands out for me, for the same reasons you spell out.
Thanks for this one! I have "Russian Sketches" by Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony, which is a remarkable CD. I've listened to it many times over the past decade, but the track I listen to the most is the Francesca da Rimini. But I'll look for this version.
What did you think of Yevgeny Mravinsky's recording? I thought the ending of that one was very good as well.
I love that he does the little diminuendo in the coda; so far as I know Bychkov is the only other conductor that takes it.
Except for my teens (when I was a musical prude), I've adored Tchaikovsky but never got into Francesca. It may well have been the performances I heard. I'm eager to check out the Svetlanov.
When it comes to all out crazy, hellish, etc., the Stokowski interpretation is the one to listen to. It really gets insane at the end.
Well, yes, and he re-orchestrates it (sometimes). But he's not really competitive anymore.
@@DavesClassicalGuideI was just wondering why you didn't mention Mavriski's and/or Rozhdestvensky's performances. Very hellish… ;)
Thank you so much for addressing my request!
This Svetlanov recording is also the one I come back to most often, for the exact same reasons as you. Performances that go really insane in the "hell" sections are quite rare, unfortunately. The more vulgar the ending, the better it is! Markevitch on DG is another one that gets it right, but the number of anemic performances is just ineffable.
Another Tchaikovsky piece that's been very unlucky on CD (hello Manfred).
Thanks again for the video and take care!
Francesca da Rimini is a very challenging piece for the Crash Cymbal player
Yes! Svetlanov and Stokowski (Wow!)
And I'll fly my Union Jack for 'Gentleman John' Barbirolli.
Besides Svetlanov there are another top Francesca recordings from Russians: Dmitriev and of course Mravinsky.
I heard Francesca before Liszt's Dante in Budapest, and Tchaikovsky's version is a bit pale compared to Liszt's central section in the Inferno movement.
I disagree.
Hey Dave!
Have you heard about Deutsche Grammophon's upcoming recording of Mahler 5 conducted by Cate Blanchett? (Yes, that Cate Blanchett) It's to promote a movie where she plays a conductor, but since she has no conducting experience and a major record label is selling recordings of her conducting a Mahler symphony, of all things, I thought this move was pretty bizarre. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!
I have no opinion until I hear the result!
My clear favorite also. Most of the many other recordings I've heard seem rather lifeless in comparison.
This would go well with that elephant music you were playing the other day. Tchaikovsky should have had Francesca ride an elephant to hell.