Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 - Debussy: Images pour orchestre - Michael Tilson Thomas

This is an extremely welcome release for fans of Michael Tilson Thomas: the first CD appearance of a legendary recording with the Boston Symphony he made (as its new assistant conductor) in March 1970. At that point (still only in his mid-20s), Tilson Thomas was becoming notorious for introducing provocative new music by the likes of Steve Reich, but he was also stirring up a rather moribund classical music scene. Just imagine the ethos in those days, when talk of the demise of the symphony orchestra as an absurd irrelevance was gloomier even than it is now: in rushed MTT with a super-infusion of excitement and confidence to rouse the players–and the audience. MTT was already proving his deep affinity with Russian composers (which would be followed many years later by his enormously successful accounts of Prokofiev and Stravinsky).

Tracklist
1. Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 "Winter Reveries" - 1. Allegro tranquillo
2. Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 "Winter Reveries" - 2. Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
3. Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 "Winter Reveries" - 3. Scherzo (Allegro scherzando giocoso)
4. Symphony No.1 in G minor, Op.13 "Winter Reveries" - 4. Finale (Andante lugubre - Allegro maestoso)
5. Images for Orchestra - 1. Gigues
6. Images for Orchestra / 2. Ibéria - 1. Par les rues et par les chemins
7. Images for Orchestra / 2. Ibéria - 2. Les parfums de la nuit
8. Images for Orchestra / 2. Ibéria - 3. Le matin d'un jour de fête
9. Images for Orchestra - 3. Rondes de printemps