[Kevin Sinnott]

I've taken this music for granted. I have several CD versions of it. What's your recommendation for it?

 

[rlmacklin]

SA-CD.net - Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker - Vedernikov


Label: PentaTone Classics - PENTATONE CLASSICS
Serial: PTC 5186 091 (2 discs)
Title: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker - Vedernikov
Description: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Op. 71 (complete ballet)

Children’s Choir of the Bolshoi Theatre
Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow
Alexander Vedernikov (conductor)
Details:
Genre: Classical - Orchestral
Content: Stereo/Multichannel
Media: Hybrid
Recording type: DSD
Recording info:

 

[DarkAngel]

Sorry I have no super bargains but my two favorite versions are very hard to find now:

Rozhdestvensky/Bolshoi Theater Orchestra/Melodiya from 1961
Bychkov/BPO/Phillips from 1986

 

[geoges.ravel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Sinnott /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've taken this music for granted. I have several CD versions of it. What's your recommendation for it?

My favorite version is by Tchaikovsky, but this is only personal opinion.

 

[choomanchoo]

my girlfriend

 

[jsaliga]

I have this one from Decca:

It's a great value and a great performance.

-Jerome

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by choomanchoo /img/forum/go_quote.gif my girlfriend

A-gah-gah-gah-gah-gah-gah!

 

[DarkAngel]

For a Nutcracker that can still be easily purchased used today I will go with older Dorati/Mercury:

More energetic/scrappy than his later version on Phillips which is more polished and now available as Phillips 50 greatest series remaster

The recent Gergiev/Phillips has fabulous modern sound but I find it a touch bombastic at times (ie: track 24 closing waltz). Very exciting and fast paced, fits on one CD with nice digipak......must be on any short list of Nutcrakers to own. The harp and celesta parts are very clear and finely detailed here.

All three Dutoit/Decca Tchaikovsky ballets from early 1990s have glorious rich sound, but the Nutcracker has been OOP for long time and rarely seen used.

I am very curious about the Rodzinski version from the old Westminster label now released through DG, may have to try it out this year......

 

[p956lh]

I have the '97 Rostropovich/Berlin Philharmonic (DG) and I like it a lot. I think it's a pretty good recording (well-mixed and pretty energetic).

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am very curious about the older Rodzinski version from the old Westminster label now released through DG, may have to try it out this year......

I have this on the older MCA label. It's a fine performance but it has some unusual miking and balances. The conducting is first-rate. I've heard it sounds better in the remastering but haven't heard it.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Sinnott /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have this on the older MCA label. It's a fine performance but it has some unusual miking and balances. The conducting is first-rate. I've heard it sounds better in the remastering but haven't heard it.

The genie is already out of the bottle.......I ordered Rodzinski version earlier today

I have several other Westminster titles released by DG and the sound is quite good similar to RCA and Mercury labels from the 1950s

I listened to the Dorati/Mercury version last night again, very thrilling animated account, sound is very clear and highly detailed.

KS
You never told us what versions you have now and what your asessment is

Soon I will be pulling out the Handel Messiah stack......

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsaliga /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have this one from Decca: It's a great value and a great performance. -Jerome

I agree that both Bonynge/Decca and Lanchbery/EMI are very reliable sources for good Tchaikovsky ballet music.........I usually like Lanchbery/EMI a bit more.

There is a cheap Lanchbery complete 3 ballet collection, but these have ballets mixed together to fit on 5 CDs:

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif KS You never told us what versions you have now and what your asessment is ......

Thanks for asking, DA. I have several versions. My favorite package is Slatkin's with the St. Louis Symphony. Powell Hall's acoustics are always supportive of good sound and the early (1985) digital Soundstream recording is splendid.

Rodzinski's is another favorite. But, I'm eager of hear if DG improved the sonics over my old MCA double-decker.

I like the Gergiev Philips recording, but it is more dynamic than tender, as typical of this conductor. It's certainly a different take than many of us are used to.

My all-around favorite right now is Jansug Kakhidze conducting the Tbilisi Symphony. Recall that at least one of the pieces, "Coffee", is from a Georgian folkdance, so this version is full of all kinds of interesting touches. Anyway, this bargain issue is a treasure. The soloists convey real character in their playing. There's an interesting movement (I think it's in the "Arrival of Clara and the Nutcracker" where the orchestra seems to duplicate an organ grinder or mechanical carousel sound - I'm at a loss to accurately convey it or its context, but it is a texture I've heard no where else.

 

[mbhaub]

I am very glad to see the Rodzinski mentioned: it has long been considered a "definitive" performance. Just listen to the swagger in Waltz of the Flowers! And the Russian Dance is so Russian sounding. The recorded sound is early stereo and there are some weird balances, such as a very loud triangle. There is also some sloppy playing. Listen carefully to the tambourine playing to see what I mean. But when it comes to the spirit and style nobody beats Rodzinski. I still have my very, very old Westminster LPs -- the booklet that it's packaged with is wonderful. You don't see stuff like that anymore. Anyway, the newer DG mastering is much better than the MCA, and the 4th symphony is a very thrilling reading.

For more up-to-date sound, the Previn is marvelous, as was his Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. For digital I like Mackerras on Telarc. I can't stand the Gergiev: too fast, no repeats. How else do you fit it on one disk? For the suite it's got to be Ormandy or Reiner (of all people!).

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbhaub /img/forum/go_quote.gif For more up-to-date sound, the Previn is marvelous, as was his Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. For digital I like Mackerras on Telarc. I can't stand the Gergiev: too fast, no repeats. How else do you fit it on one disk? For the suite it's got to be Ormandy or Reiner (of all people!).

I recently ordered (not received yet) a Gilels/Reiner/RCA Tchaikovsky PC 1 with extended Nutcracker selections:

The PC 1 is very highly rated by many........and I will get the Reiner Nutcraker selections as a bonus!

I can see where someone who doesn't like Gergiev would like Previn and MacKerras.......I have heard these referred to as performing versions since music tempos are at speeds for actual dancers to perform where the Gergiev is purely a sonic show piece with no concerns about actual dancers performing.

Speaking of Tchaikovsky PC 1 out of curiosity I obtained the famous/infamous Horowitz/Szell live performance from the early 1950s.........the story is that Szell told Horowitz to play at whatever speed he wished and the orchestra would follow. The result is the fastest most dazzling showpiece version ever making the various Toscanini versions seem rather tame, I had to listen to last movement several time to believe what I was hearing........