“The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Reference Recordings are on a mission: to record some of the world’s greatest symphonic works under the unique direction of its music director Manfred Honeck. The latest offering is a recording of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, “Pathétique.” And just as with the previous recordings by Honeck and the PSO, Honeck takes the listener on a musical journey with the Tchaikovsky. Not content to just play compositions as they were written, Honeck studies them from multiple perspectives: musical, historical and psychological. He then creates a vision that combines all of these elements into an interpretation that is fresh and provocative. … as with their other interpretations, Honeck and the PSO don’t disappoint. … The 6th symphony is really a perfect vehicle for Honeck, and he must have felt right at home with its unusual dynamic and tempo markings. That does not mean, however, that Honeck does not impose his own sense of musicality on the piece. As with every piece he conducts, he crafted his recording of the 6th symphony for maximum musical effect, sometimes changing dynamic or tempo markings. Even if one is a literalist, one can forgive his meddling because the result is a dramatic rendering that would have brought joy and tears even to Tchaikovsky.” —Henry Schlinger, Culture Spot LA

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