TCHAIKOVSKY – Symphony No. 4 In F minor, Op. 36 (recording of the Century: Evgeny Mravinsky)

How else can one hear this “complete submission to fate,” which, according to Tchaikovsky himself, characterizes the Fifth Symphony with its intense anguish? This work was written by a much older and more mature man. As a result, the Fifth Symphony reveals a sense of resignation and a simple affirmation of faith that were previously absent. This music is imbued with deep feelings, melancholy, passion, and a burning desire, reflecting a new emotional balance in Tchaikovsky.

Mravinsky is the only conductor who restores this symphony to its true dimension. It serves as a bridge between the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies. He knows how to find the expressive layers, the moments of waiting, the anxieties, and the emotional surrender of both the soul and the heart. Mravinsky brings an unrelenting tension to the score, constantly finding ways to vary its breathing. Above all, he possesses the unique ability to combine the sharpest attacks with an extraordinarily bold rubato. There is no distance here; instead, there is total engagement, a determination to embrace every bit of excess and even redundancy in the score. In the miraculous and inimitable sound of the strings at the beginning of the second movement (those cellos!), any lingering doubts about the work are definitively dispelled. This second movement is a miracle of poetry, an epic fresco that Mravinsky unfurls slowly, taming it with both gentleness and authority, leading to a complete explosion at the climax.

Since the original release of these recordings, Mravinsky’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s last three symphonies has become definitive. There is much to be said about the musical and technical qualities of these precious recordings. Mravinsky fully exploits the dynamic resources of his orchestra, demanding the utmost from the wind instruments. The strings are either “heated to a white-hot intensity” or, conversely, possess a deeply Tchaikovskian dark tone. After hearing the Leningrad Philharmonic under these conditions, it becomes difficult to listen to anything else. This recording represents not only one of the pinnacles of Tchaikovsky’s discography but also one of the greatest recordings in the history of music.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 4 In F minor, Op. 36

1. 00:00 I. Andante sostenuto, Moderato con anima (2024 Remastered, London 1960)

2. 18:49 II. Andantino in modo di Canzona (2024 Remastered, London 1960)

3. 28:10 III. Scherzo. Pizzicato ostinato, Allegro (2024 Remastered, London 1960)

4. 34:01 IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco (2024 Remastered, London 1960)

Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Evgeny Mravinsky Recorded in 1960