Ferenc Fricsay’s Tchaikovsky Fourth is one of the gems of Deutsche Grammophon’s mono era. The performance radiates a vitality and freshness that demonstrates this somewhat over-played work’s continued ability to stimulate and startle–qualities increasingly rare in modern recordings. Fricsay’s ear for color, timbre, and nuance, combined with his refined dramatic sense, makes the performance uniquely compelling (particularly the outer movments), even if it doesn’t match the intensity of Markevitch, Mravinsky, or Szell.
The couplings are even more impressive. Fricsay’s theatrical approach to Tchaikovsky’s ballet music imbues it with a seriousness that raises it beyond mere “dance” music. When’s the last time you became excited listening to the Swan Lake suite? In the stereo era perhaps only Rostroprovich matches Fricsay’s excellence. He’s especially good at the waltzes–listen to the big build-up at the start of the waltz from Sleeping Beauty, or the exhilarating conclusions of those from the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Eugene Onegin. Both the Berlin Radio (in the symphony) and Berlin RIAS orchestras offer alert and lucid playing, while the recordings (from 1952 and 1958) reproduce with clarity, presence, and decent dynamic range in these new remasterings. A real treat–essential for Fricsay fans.
