Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev – Tchaikovsky: The Symphonies (7CD) (2010)

This set underlines various lessons. One of them is not to disdain the first three symphonies. They may not have the torrid solar flares of the last three but they certainly deserve as much attention as comes the way of Balakirev 1, the Borodins, the Glazunovs and the Lyapunovs.

Pletnev is a most caring and thoughtful shaper of moods as the First Symphony shows. The playing is finely nuanced to match the strong balletic character. Indeed it made me think of Nutcracker more than once. The finale is handled with more natural passion by Bernstein with Pletnev and his RNO sounding laboured here rather than possessed. I admit the music at this point does not help. The Marche Slave makes peace with Russian nationalism and recalls the Ippolitov-Ivanov’s Sardar (from the Caucasian Sketches) but with those passionate Tchaikovskian hallmarks. It is good to hear the melodramatics of the Festival Overture on the Danish Anthem even if there are echoes or pre-echoes of 1812. The trumpet at 3.30 sounds perfectly placed in this lively resonant acoustic.

The Second Symphony is heard in its last revision. Once again we are reminded that in the 1870s Tchaikovsky, while abjuring nationalism, made common cause with the likes of Borodin and Balakirev and did this with style. The second movement recalls moments in the Fifth Symphony but without quite the same spective sturm und drang. This is more balletic. The third movement forms links with the “apotheosis of the dance” in Beethoven 7 with a dash of Nutcracker. The finale looks to the theatre again but stiffened with whirling folk-dance material. Fate was composed in 1868 and is an engaging example of a tragic mood that he was to employ with greater force and mastery in Francesca and Romeo and Juliet. Pletnev is an attentive advocate and this is well worth hearing even if Markevitch (Philips) is a more headlong champion of this rare piece. Rising from chamber intimacy to the extremes of Imperial bombast the 1812 Overture is not the chaff that we may have been tempted to conclude. This 1880 piece is reverent and thoughtful exploring a realm for which Tchaikovsky had great regard but then after some surprisingly Schumann-like passages flinging all restraint aside for some concluding the haughty and warlike revelry. If you listen with open ears there is much more of the lyricist here than of the tub-thumper - Victor Hochhauser had a lot to answer for not to mention the phalanx of hi-fi gurus of the 1960s and 1970s! The bells in this case are rather a modest presence though the orchestra at large - and especially the strings - play up a storm and the artillery impresses. Does anyone have any details of the artillery effects used?

The Third Symphony's five movements are relaxed and inhabit the mirliton world of the ballet. The moods are pastel subtle rather than painted with garish emotionalism. This is enjoyable as a character suite with Pletnev attentively limning in delicious details. The summation comes in the sturdy finale in a manner which is more Glazunov than the magus/victim of the emotional storms to come. Speaking of which, Pletnev's Romeo and Juliet ends the third disc. This is craftily weighed and paced. Much of it is understated. There is no neon dazzle under the skin unlike the more obviously alluring Stokowski which still sounds wonderful from 1959 (NY Stadium, Everest and HDTT) or a year later the superb Monteux and the LSO in Vienna. Pletnev has the edge in terms of quality of sound and the dramatic sections still hum with high tensile power - all more so because the surrounding poetics are low key – an almost English reserve.

The Fourth Symphony is my favourite among the Seven though Manfred supplants it from time to time. However the Fourth has been with me for as long as I have been gripped by concert music. This dates back to an inspired BBCTV production of Ivanhoe in the late-1960s which used the symphony for the title and incidental music. The stereo Mravinsky/Leningrad PO on DG retains pride of place though I also remember with very great affection a 1970s LP of Barenboim conducting the work - the CBS disc included a copy of the miniature full score. Pletnev handles this rather like his way with Romeo and Juliet. The lower key poetics are handled almost casually certainly with under-dramatised natural sensitivity. The scherzo - pizzicato third movement goes with a confiding swing and that hallmark microscopic attention to dynamics. The two outer movements have plenty of drippingly crimson meat reserved for the brass. Pletnev lays into the finale with a fiery whiplash. For those who find Mravinsky just too meltingly headlong Pletnev has the answer. His recording is in truly splendid sound seemingly natural and in keeping with the emotional campaign that is Tchaikovsky's plot.