The best of Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il'yich

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor: Allegro con fuoco 00:06:54
2. Symphony No. 5 in E minor: Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza - Moderato con anima 00:13:41
3. Eugene Onegin: Polonaise 00:04:23
4. Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op. 19, No. 4 00:04:53
5. Sleeping Beauty: Waltz 00:04:46
6. Violin Concerto in D major: Canzonetta: Andante 00:07:02
7. The Nutcracker: Russian Dance (Trepak) 00:01:13
8. 1812 Overture, Op. 49 00:15:37
9. Swan Lake: Scene (Swan Theme) 00:02:44
10. Les Saisons (The Seasons), Op. 37b: No. 6. June: Barcarolle 00:04:53
11. Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48: Waltz 00:03:57
12. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathetique": III. Allegro molto vivace 00:09:18

Total Playing Time: 01:19:21

With such a massive catalogue of Tchaikovsky's music available on Naxos, it was very difficult for our compilation expert to restrict himself to the 80 minutes of one CD. "What about the Rococo Variations and those wonderful suites?". Well they will have to wait until Naxos get round to 'The Best of Tchaikovsky -Volume 2'.

We have packed in as much as we can, from the thrilling 1812 Overture - which the Penguin Guide gave their top three star rating - to that unforgettable complete recording of Sleeping Beauty, described by Gramophone magazine as "a clear first choice among current recordings of the score".

From the world of opera we have the famous Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, and from his symphonies there are movements of the Fifth and Sixth performed by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antoni Wit.

And two absolute winners: The Violin Concerto with Takako Nishizaki as soloist, Which Compact Disc saying "the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto has been waiting for Takako Nishizaki". The second is the Serenade for Strings, whose rave reviews include Classic CD's five star classification in these "sweepingly assured performances".