Album

Folk music is the theme for this SACD release by conductor Neeme Järvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Like other works surrounding it (such as the first symphony and the first string quartet), Tchaikovsky's second symphony is heavily dependent on Russian folk songs. Sadly, Tchaikovsky's compositional forte is not his ability to develop a theme, so this symphony is an easy target for getting bogged down in monotony. The GSO infuses as much energy, color, and variety as could be hoped for. Each section of the orchestra deserves kudos for intermittent virtuosic moments: the horn call at the beginning of the first movement, the winds in the trio, and the strings during the Allegro vivo of the finale. The recording mastering is quite pleasant, capturing the broad scope of dynamics Järvi demands and providing an exceptional balance so that every note of every instrument can always be heard.

Also on the disc are three lesser-known overtures. The Overture in F major, noticeably a student work, is also based on folk tunes. The Festive Overture is a slightly more successful synthesis of the Russian and Danish national anthems, during which the brass section of the GSO is allowed to demonstrate its clean, unified, powerful sound. The most appealing of the three overtures is saved for last; the Storm overture breaks away from the reliance on folk themes and allows Tchaikovsky more opportunity to emote and brood. The GSO captures all of these moods, yielding an enjoyable conclusion to this collection.

© Mike D. Brownell, All Music Guide

CD 1
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Symphony No.2 in C-, Op.17 ('Little Russian') Work 32:25 Neeme Järvi Conductor, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Andante sostenuto. Allegro vivo	10:42			$1.99
2	2.Andante marciale quasi moderato	6:19			$0.99
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro molto vivace	5:00			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Moderato assai. Allegro vivo	10:24			$1.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Overture in F Work Neeme Järvi Conductor, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
5	Overture in F	11:47			$1.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer Festival Overture on the Danish National Hymn, Op.15 Work Neeme Järvi Conductor, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
6	Festival Overture on the Danish National Hymn, Op.15	12:09			$1.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer The Storm (overture), Op.76 Work Neeme Järvi Conductor, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
7	The Storm (overture), Op.76	14:37			$2.49