Mikhail Pletnev, the conductor of this recording, won the Gold Medal and First Prize at the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition at only 21 years old.
Performer Biography
The Russian National Orchestra, conducted by Mikhail Pletnev, was the first Russian orchestra to win a Grammy Award, for their 2004 recording of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.
Composition History
Tchaikovsky initially loved his Second Symphony, but later revised it seven years after its premiere, calling the original 'a difficult, noisy, incoherent piece'.
Historical Context
The symphony's unofficial title, 'Little Russian Symphony', comes from its use of Ukrainian folksongs, as 'Little Russia' was the term for central and northern Ukraine in Tsarist times.
Composition History
Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2, nicknamed 'Little Russian', was composed mainly in the summer of 1872, following his second opera, The Oprichnik.
Critical Reception
The 'Little Russian' Symphony was well-received by 'The Five', an anti-academic group of composers including Mily Balakirev, who championed genuine Russian music.
Compositional Technique
The revised first movement of Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony was given a new set of themes, and this recording includes both the original and revised versions of the movement.
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