01. Marche slave, op.31 [9'30]
02. - 05. Manfred. Symphony, op.58 [58'01]
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons
ORFEO C 895151A (recorded 24/27 September 2013; CD issued 2015)
(digital download; flacs, cover and inlay scans - no booklet)
Recording venue: Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Recording engineer and Producer: unknown
Another of Orfeo's series of recordings made during Andris Nelsons' tenure as chief conductor of the CBSO from 2008 until 2015. This time it's the last in the four disc Tchaikovsky series and possibly the finest. Unfortunately, it seems that he left the CBSO and Orfeo before the first three symphonies could be recorded. Nelsons always seemed to be on top form with the Birmingham orchestra.
As with the symphonies, tempi and textures are nicely judged and this is a thrilling performance and recording of Manfred. I think it is the pick of all the recent recordings of the work. In my estimation, whilst it doesn't supplant the recording which Igor Markevitch and the London Symphony made for Philips in 1963, it does come very close. (The Markevitch sounds very fine in the 24bit/96kHz remastered download available on Thang Nguyen's blog.)
Download from MEGA.