TCHAIKOVSKY: ITALIAN CAPRICCIO | SLAVE MARKS | THE YEAR 1812 | ROMEO AND JULIET - Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Capriccio italien, Marche slave, Romeo and Juliet, The Year 1812 (CBH226)

1. Capriccio italien, Op. 45 (16'03)*
2. Slavic Marches, Op. 31 (09'32)**
3. Romeo and Juliet, (19'21)***
4. The Year 1812, Op. 49 (15'30)****

Beyond the Russian performers, two Western conductors of the 1960s left an indelible mark on Tchaikovsky's great repertoire: Karajan and Bernstein. Naturally, Karajan's influence was greater in Europe, Bernstein's in America. In both cases, however, the passing of the years has not only not tarnished this approach: it has enhanced it to the point that, today, these famous recordings are essential for anyone wishing to understand the Russian composer. This collection features Bernstein's most incisive recordings from the period 1957–1963. They are recordings of rare beauty and expressive power, vital and tragic, far removed from the angular harshness of certain interpretations of Mravinsky and the extreme decadence of Karajan's later works.

Orchestra: New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

Recording: 1960* 1963** 1957*** 1962****