Tchaikovsky's First Symphony is a weak, uncharacteristic early work, while his Sixth is a strong, mature masterpiece, but in these 2008 performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski's take on them is exactly backwards. For the First Symphony, "Winter Daydreams," Jurowski creates a powerful, fast-moving, and eventful opening movement that defies the composer's Allegro tranquillo tempo indication, followed by an ardent Adagio cantabile, a lusty Scherzo, and a Finale with plenty of vim, vigor, and ...
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Tchaikovsky's First Symphony is a weak, uncharacteristic early work, while his Sixth is a strong, mature masterpiece, but in these 2008 performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski's take on them is exactly backwards. For the First Symphony, "Winter Daydreams," Jurowski creates a powerful, fast-moving, and eventful opening movement that defies the composer's Allegro tranquillo tempo indication, followed by an ardent Adagio cantabile, a lusty Scherzo, and a Finale with plenty of vim, vigor, and verve. For the Sixth, the "Pathétique," he devises a performance that is truly pathetic. The "hero" of Jurowski's reading is sick unto death in the opening Adagio, barely recovers enough strength in the ensuing Allegro non troppo to whisper softly of love and strife, and falls back into lethargy in the Allegro con grazia. He rants without leaving his deathbed in the Allegro molto vivace, sinks into a fevered coma in the closing Adagio lamentoso, and ultimately expires with barely a sigh....
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