Ironically, Tchaikovsky's biggest hit song, the "Overture 1812" for cannons, bells, chorus and orchestra, was a rush job that he reluctantly put into, and which ultimately made all the stress superfluous, as the occasion for which the overture was intended was postponed. A new performance of this well-known work has been released by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir
… Ashkenazy, using the cannons and bells of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. This CD also contains the "Serenade for strings", the "Overture Romeo and Juliet" and the "Symphonic ballad Voyevoda". This week also the "Second & Sixth Symphony" by Tchaikovsky presented in performances by the Russian National Orchestra conducted by Pletnev (aax4982, afx1765). These are recordings from the 1996 box with Tchaikovsky's "Six Symphonies", which have been re-released in combination with previously unreleased recordings of a number of orchestral works. (HJ)more
