Tchaikovsky composed his First Symphony just after graduating from the St Petersburg Conservatory and he retained a special fondness for the work throughout his life. While the seeds of Tchaikovsky’s talent as a descriptive composer can be found in these evocative ‘Winter Daydreams’, his Second Symphony, the ‘Little Russian’ looks more towards the nationalist aesthetic of ‘The Mighty Five’ in its genial use of folk melodies, resulting in a work whose infectious cheerfulness and imaginative skill in orchestration is unsurpassed throughout Tchaikovsky’s oeuvre. These classic VOX recordings by the Utah Symphony Orchestra were originally released in 1974, and remain much admired to this day for conductor Maurice Abravanel’s fresh and direct interpretations.

The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.

This album follows on from our June 2023 release of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony (VOXNX3022CD), and the Fifth Symphony in the same edition in July (VOXNX3023CD).

The VOX Audiophile Edition recordings, released in 1974 as quadraphonic LPs, have been newly transferred to CD in high definition. The newly restored edition of Tchaikovsky’s six symphonies, re-coupled with additional overtures and other orchestral works, was produced by Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz, offers legendary sessions with finest sound, ideal for audiophile collectors and fans of classic performances.

Maurice Abravanel served as conductor and musical director of the Utah Symphony for 32 years, leading the orchestra to critical acclaim and impressive recordings on several labels, earning a reputation as one of America’s top orchestras.

‘This set is recommendable for a few key reasons … the cycle is artistically consistent in a way that few conductors before or since have managed [and] the commitment and musical intelligence is never in question.’ – Brian Wigman, Classical Net

‘As a Tchaikovsky interpreter, Abravanel was superb, full of good ideas about pacing and balance…’ – David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com