Dmitrij Kitajenko, the conductor on this album, was appointed Honorary Conductor of the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln in March 2009, a title previously held only by Günter Wand.
Notable Performances
Despite Tchaikovsky's dissatisfaction, the German conductor Arthur Nikisch championed the Fifth Symphony, making it one of the most frequently performed works in the repertoire within a few years.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Tchaikovsky viewed composing as self-therapy, an unrestrained mirror of deep emotion, and a search for deliverance, especially given the societal pressures he faced regarding his homosexuality.
Recording & Production
This album's recording of Symphony No. 5 took place from March 20-22, 2011, at the Philharmonie, Cologne, while the Pique Dame Ouverture was recorded in March 2011 at Studio Stolberger Strasse, Cologne.
Composition History
Tchaikovsky wrote his Fifth Symphony in 1888, concluding a ten-year "symphonic pause" in his life, within a few weeks at his country house Frolovskoye.
Composer Biography
Theodor Avé-Lallement (1806-1890), a music teacher and writer on music who was a central figure in Northern German cultural life, was the dedicatee of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony.
Critical Reception
The premiere of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony on November 17, 1888, was received rather uncomprehendingly by the audience, and the composer himself was not satisfied with it, even calling it an "unsuccessful work."
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