A decent account of Tchaikovsky’s so-called Little Russian Symphony—though not so little in this expansive and beefy Cologne production. But Dmitri Kitaenko and the cultured Gürzenich Orchestra are nothing if not mindful of that delicate balance between the classical and emotive aspects of Tchaikovsky’s nature and to that end the wistful horn-led folk theme of the first movement is set up in leisurely contrast to the driving Allegro. Kitaenko’s middle movements are in the best taste, with the second movement’s jaunty ‘patrol’ nicely bled into the contrasting Trio.

Kitajenko paces the symphony beautifully and without the extraneous rubato that many conductors feel obliged to bring to it, with the result that the work flows effortlessly and very pleasantly from movement to movement…the sonata-cum-variations form of the finale is particularly effective, concluding in a bright burst of upbeat enthusiasm that is scarcely a characteristic of most of Tchaikovsky’s works. The additional material on this very-well-recorded SACD makes a fine contrast with the symphony. Leonard Elschenbroich is a top-notch young cellist, with smooth and even tone throughout…and a lovely sense of proportion in the Variations on a Rococo Theme, whose wistfulness comes through clearly and pleasantly here…The famous slow movement of Tchaikovsky’s first string quartet gives Elschenbroich, backed up by the orchestra, further chances to be emotive and involving, and he takes full advantage of them, treating this lovely Andante Cantabile as an encore from which to extract sighs of audience enjoyment—which it does. © 2013 Infodad.com Read complete review