Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 "Winter Dreams“–Michael Tilson Thomas & Boston Symphony/DG The Original Source vinyl reissue [2025]

This classic DG Boston recording was one of the first classical LPs I purchased with my “pocket money” from the famous “The Coop” in Harvard Square during one of my many visits to family in Boston. It was released in 1971, and I listened to it incessantly concurrent with my love affair with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, especially its fabulous flute section—I had begun playing the flute a year earlier. I was already set on becoming a professional player, god willing.

I fell in love with the mystique of the orchestra, the hall, the city, Cambridge, and all the other wonderful memories from that time. The “Winter Dreams” record also happened to be, in James Norris’ parlance, “a cracker”.

The young American conductor Michael Tilson Thomas (b. 1944) was very highly regarded by the BSO and its erudite audience and he made a series of superb Deutsche Grammophons all in the early ‘70s including The Rite of Spring with the definitive performance of a rarely heard Stravinsky cantata, The King of the Stars, a Debussy album (Images, L’apres midi, etc) so good, it’s on the Audiophilia Dream List and two American albums, one with music by Ives and Ruggles, the other Piston and Schuman.

A young MTT conducting the Boston Symphony. Photo credit: KPBS

The work here is the earliest symphony by Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, subtitled “Winter Dreams,” written in 1866. The work, though an early expression of Tchaikovsky’s genius, is full to the brim with gorgeous melodies, superb orchestration (it has all the earmarks of Tchaikovsky’s greatest inspirations, such as The Nutcracker) and almost perfect structure and form. All reports suggest a torrid time for the uber-sensitive composer in completing the work. “The composer's brother, Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky, asserted that the symphony's creation from beginning to end cost his sibling more labour than any other works and even involved considerable suffering. Even so, he remained fond of it throughout his life. Tchaikovsky wrote to his patroness Nadezhda von Meck in 1883 that he believed, ‘although it is in many ways very immature,’ he still knows that ‘yet fundamentally it has more substance and is better than any of my other more mature works.’”

For all the torment, the work has a perennially sunny disposition.

From the opening violin shimmer, Tchaikovsky grabs your attention with a beautiful opening theme played by flute and bassoon.

This delicacy continues throughout the symphony, interspersed with moments of great drama and passion. From the opening shimmer and the way Doriot Anthony Dwyer flute and Sherman Walt bassoon phrase the opening (including the staccato eighth note), you know the Boston Symphony is going to play the hell out of the symphony. Save for one trumpet fluff, it’s flawless.

There are musical highlights in each movement, but be sure to listen up (you can’t miss it) for the horns return to the slow movement's main theme full-throated. You won’t hear a better orchestral horn section, all phrasing beautifully from James Stagliano on principal.

As I was waiting for the LP to arrive from Germany, I listened to as many versions as I could on Apple Music. I can honestly say that none surpassed the MTT/Boston. A few, however, would win runner-up, including Abbado/Chicago and Gergiev/LSO.

As for sound, well, this one has them all beat and by a considerable distance. The stream is good, but as soon as you hear the Boston sound from the opening magic on a superbly remastered all-analogue LP, it’s over. The sound of the Boston Symphony has rarely been captured as well as by the team at Emil Berliner Studios. The original is a Günter Hermanns product, recorded, I assume, from the center of Symphony Hall (stall chairs removed). This setup has caused some problems with reverb on other BSO originals and has even caused the Berliner team some issues. Fear not with this purchase. The bloom is beautiful, just as you hear in the hall live, and the dynamics are wide and wonderful.

The DG The Original Source remastering series has had far more hits than misses. This one is a perfect trifecta—legendary performance, fantastic music in glorious all-analogue vinyl sound.

The pressing from Optimal was fine. Flat with labels centred. The cover (gatefold) is stunning in colour, design and typeset. All the regular recording cards and information are included.

Very highly recommended.

A press copy was not provided by DG.