Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Moscow Cantata

Gennadi Rozhdestvensky is one of the most eminent and revered conductors of the day. Born in 1931, he began conducting only a few years after the end of World War II and became one of the world’s most popular Soviet era conductors as a result not only of tours with Soviet orchestras but the first Soviet conductor — a novelty at the time — ever to be appointed principal conductor of various foreign orchestras: the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union, Rozhdestvensky continued to maintain a high profile both in Russia and internationally.

Rozhdestvensky’s wide-ranging repertoire includes a number of high-profile world premieres, but also a natural focus on Russian music of the romantic era. Alto is pleased to make available for the first time outside the former Warsaw Pact Rozhdestvensky’s outstanding recording of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony with the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra, coupled with Gennadi Cherkasov’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s celebratory “Moscow” Cantata.

• Essential Tchaikovsky from an internationally renowned Soviet-era giant of the podium – first CD release outside of Eastern Europe!

On Rozhdestvensky’s previous recorded version of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5: “Fine rasping brass … with finely expressive detail that has no hint of mannerism. The waltz movement too is beautifully done, easy and carefree with clean textures that would show up even the slightest imprecisions of ensemble.” — Gramophone

On this recording of the Moscow Cantata: “The final section is grand and the choral part blazes – soloists stand and deliver like true stalwarts.” — MusicWeb