For turning out reliable recordings of the standard repertoire, it's hard to beat Neeme Järvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra because their releases on BIS are always highly enjoyable, and they are dependable for accurate renditions that are genuinely exciting. The six-CD set of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's symphonies Nos. 1-6, the Serenade for strings, Romeo and Juliet, Capriccio Italien, Francesca da Rimini, and other less familiar orchestral works, is a bargain that shouldn't be missed, for the beginning classical fan has everything necessary to begin appreciating the Russian master, while connoisseurs will find unexpected surprises in the obscure selections. Järvi is a sympathetic interpreter who delivers fine performances of the most famous pieces, and his readings of the symphonies lack nothing in execution and expression. But he goes beyond the routine repertoire to present works that have been overlooked, such as the incidental music from The Snow Maiden and from Dmitri the Pretender & Vassily Shuysky, the Overture to The Storm, orchestral selections from the operas The Voyevoda and Eugene Onegin, and minor pieces that only occasionally appear as filler on other albums. So this is not just another repackaging of overplayed warhorses, but an interesting set that reveals a great deal of Tchaikovsky's development as a composer, in both his masterpieces and less significant works. BIS provides extraordinary all-digital sound in these desirable recordings, which date between 2002 and 2005.
© TiVo