Three other great recordings
Guido Cantelli (conductor)
The fiery young Italian conductor Guido Cantelli recorded the overture with the Philharmonia in 1951, five years before his untimely death in a plane crash. This is one of the most inspiring versions of all, filled with freshness, wonder, dynamism, colour and strong attention to detail: the orchestra plays for him as if possessed. Cantelli even presents the final bars as written. Fortunately, the recording has been remastered, improving the ropey sound of the original, and has been re-released to mark the conductor’s centenary. (Warner 9029538303)
Iván Fischer (conductor)
A truly Shakespearean eloquence and expert narrative pacing are prime in this fascinating 2004 account from the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer. The introduction is filled with foreboding that casts perspective across all the rest. The fight episodes are not as terrifying as Bernstein’s, but make sense within Fischer’s broad envelope of looming tragedy and lyrical compassion. The love music is articulated as if reciting lines of poetry; and the orchestral
playing is supple, streamlined, cleartextured and powerful. Sound quality is excellent. (Channel Classics CCSSA21704)
Mikhail Pletnev (conductor)
Also from 2004, Pletnev conducts the Russian National Orchestra in a convincing and seductive account, with superb recorded sound. Unlike so many lead-weighted recordings, it feels positively airborne. There’s a sparkle and precision to the first fight episode that is one step away from Tchaikovsky’s ballet music, and the love theme is shimmering and sensual. The drama is splendidly paced and gathers drive where it needs to – as it can only when an expert conductor and virtuoso orchestra are as attuned to each other as this. (DG E477 0532)
And one to avoid…
Tchaikovsky’s overture can reasonably last anything from around 18 to 21 minutes without putting you to sleep, but Sergiu Celibidache’s 1960 recording with the RAI Turin somehow takes 25. The cellos’ entry in the introduction sounds as if a pause has been inserted over each note and some ropey intonation in the woodwind suggest that the poor chaps are running out of breath. If there is a suitable justification for this approach, I haven’t yet found it.