Cologne New Philharmonic Orchestra, Volker Hartung - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, Op. 64 & Serenade for Strings, Op. 48 (2020) Hi-Res

Peter Tchaikovsky composed his Symphony No. 5 in the summer of 1888, and it was premiered in the autumn of the same year in St. Petersburg with Tchaikovsky as the conductor.

The dramatic theme of the work is the hardship and misery of ordinary people's lives in 19th century Russia. The composer described the introduction as "a complete surrender to fate, which is the same as the unfathomable predestination of life." The change of the theme in the symphony symbolizes the attainment of optimism, which has grown out of a life of misery and poverty. The story of the symphony is the story of life itself, with a positive outlook in the finale.

Recorded in the fabulous acoustics of the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, the Cologne New Philharmonic under the direction of Volker Hartung perform this musical canvas with its intense tonal means, with excellent temperament and great musicality.

Tchaikovsky was fascinated by the music of the Viennese classic era and owned all editions of Mozart's works, whose serenade style he paid homage to with the Serenade for Strings from 1880. It has become one of Tchaikovsky's most famous works and an excellent task for any ambitious string ensemble, like this fabulous Cologne New Philharmonic Orchestra.

Cologne New Philharmonic Orchestra
Volker Hartung, conductor