All Tchaikovsky Program on Classical Showcase

Classical showcase continues a series of concerts featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic in an all Tchaikovsky program Friday evening at 7 on Classical 101.  Music director Gustavo Dudamel leads the orchestra in Tchaikovsky's first and last symphonies. For me, the real treat in this concert is Symphony No. 1 in G minor, titled Winter Daydreams.  Tchaikovsky began his First Symphony in the Spring of 1866, and it took him until near Christmas to complete it.  This early work from the great Russian composer remained dear to his heart all his life.  And why not?  It has a melodic richness and a great atmosphere in the opening movement that wonderfully evokes a winter sleigh ride through a snow covered Russian landscape. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, the Pathetique, is another story altogether.  This great tragic symphony is Tchaikovsky's final completed work and premiered in October of 1893, just nine days before the composer's death. The title of the symphony is not meant to evoke pity in our normal understanding of the word "pathetic," but rather, it is intended to convey the idea of  great passion and emotion.  And that it does, extravagantly.  Tchaikovsky thought this was his finest symphony, and who are we to argue with that? Again, an all Tchaikovsky program with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Classical Showcase, which can be heard this evening at 7 pm on Classical 101