Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet, Francesca Da Rimini, Serenade, Ewald : Eschenbach / Philadelphia Orchestra (2CD)

The Philadelphia Orchestra play Tchaikovsky & Ewald (2CD)

Tchaikovsky:
Romeo & Juliet: Fantasy Overture
Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48
Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32

The Philadelphia Orchestra / Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Live Recorded 2007, 2008

Ewald:
Brass Quintet No. 1, Op. 5
Brass Quintet No. 3, Op. 7

David Bilger (trumpet), Jeffrey Curnow (trumpet)
Jennifer Montone (French horn), Nitzan Haroz (trombone) & Carol Jantsch (tuba)

Recorded 2009

Crowning their series of recordings together for Ondine, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Christoph Eschenbach are featured here with Peter Tchaikovsky's most popular orchestral pieces, Romeo and Juliet, String Serenade, and Francesca da Rimini. As an added bonus, the Orchestra's brass principals perform two brass quintets by Victor Ewald.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and the music of Peter Tchaikovsky form a relationship on which a legend was built. Enthusiastic press and success followed on the release of the previous recordings of the three final symphonies Nos. 4-6. Romeo and Juliet is Tchaikovsky's first acknowledged masterpiece and today one of the most popular orchestral compositions ever written. The swirling orchestral mastery of Francesca da Rimini makes this a true showpiece for the Orchestra with its legendary "Philadelphia Sound". The Mozart-like String Serenade remains one of the most beloved of all works for string orchestra. Both Tchaikovsky and Ewald were active composers in St. Petersburg's musical life during the same time and familiar with each other's work. Esteemed by all lovers of brass music, Ewald's Quintets are imbued with romantic Russian national feeling.

This is the ninth CD under the "formidable Ondine-Eschenbach-Philadelphia partnership" (Gramophone), which since 2005 has produced discs that have been honored with accolades including BBC Music Magazine's Disc of the Month, Gramophone's "Editor's Choice," The New York Times' "Top Ten Recordings of the Year," and the German Record Critics' Award, among others. ( Ondine )