Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 & No. 6 Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana & Markus Poschner

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893): Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64:
• 1 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64: I. Andante - Allegro con anima 14:32
• 2 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64: II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza 12:19
• 3 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64: III. Valse. Allegro moderato 05:59
• 4 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64: IV. Finale. Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace 09:41
• Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique":
• 5 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique": I. Adagio - Allegro non troppo 17:41
• 6 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique": II. Allegro con grazia 07:58
• 7 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique": III. Allegro molto vivace 08:41
• 8 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique": IV. Adagio lamentoso 09:41
• Total Runtime 01:26:32

Info for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 & No. 6

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony (1888) dates from a phase in his life when he was already a successful and internationally respected composer. Only in Russia were his new works still frequently the object of fierce criticism, which led the renowned critic Herman Laroche to conclude that in his homeland, he had only been taught how to compose according to expectations. In reality, it was Tchaikovsky himself who, despite his many triumphs, was relentlessly self-critical, often uncertain about the value of his own scores, which he submitted to others for judgement (such as his pupil Sergei Taneyev, whom he trusted). Even as a composer of symphonic music, he did not yet feel genuinely accomplished, although he had already written four great symphonies besides Manfred.

Following the Beethovenian model of “per aspera ad astra”, the Fifth Symphony was thus an attempt to purposefully show off his talent to Europe and the world. However, this was somewhat at odds with the composer’s desire to express his inner world and philosophy, which was imbued with pessimism. The theme of fate and adverse circumstances was already central in the Fourth Symphony, and the Fifth also attempts to thematise major existential topics such as life, death, fate and love. Tchaikovsky’s view of fate was wholly undermined by pessimism, but the “per aspera ad astra” model presupposed a triumphant conclusion. This ambivalence led to Tchaikovsky’s dissatisfaction, as he felt that the finale was not sincere or authentic. The entire symphony is, therefore, characterised by a high degree of ambiguity, both on an emotional and psychological level. It is a symphony that is both pessimistic and triumphant. [..]

Orchestra della Svizzera italiana
Markus Poschner, conductor

Markus Poschner
was born in 1971 in Munich, where he then studied; he was assistant to conductors such as Roger Norrington and Colin Davis. In 2000 he was appointed principal conductor of the Georgisches Kammerorchester Ingolstadt. Having been awarded the Deutscher Dirigentenpreis in 2004, he was appointed to the Komische Oper Berlin.

Since 2007 he has been Generalmusikdirektor at Bremen, where the University made him an honorary professor in the Faculty of Musicology in 2010. He has been guest conductor of many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Munich Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and the NHK and Metropolitan Symphony Orchestras in Tokyo.

He was also guest conductor at the Berlin State Opera, the Opernhaus Zürich, the Frankfurt Opera, the Hamburg State Opera and the Cologne Opera.

From 2011 to 2014 he was principal guest conductor at the Dresden Philharmonic, where he directed a remarkable cycle of concerts dedicated to Beethoven.

Since 2002 he has been principal guest conductor of the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin. From 2017–18 he will take over from Dennis Russell Davies in Linz as director of opera at the Landestheater and principal conductor of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz. From 2015–16 he works with the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana as its principal conductor.

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